Brainerd, Minn., City Code § 425 (2026) § 425.3002
Applicability and Exceptions
Operative Text
425.3002 Applicability and Exceptions.
(a) The provisions of this Article shall apply to all rental dwellings and
dwelling units, including rented single-family dwellings, and rented
dwelling units in owner-occupied dwellings, as well as rented
condominiums, rented townhouses and leasehold cooperative dwelling
units, as those terms are defined in Minnesota Statute Section 273.124,
Subd.6, Minnesota Statute Chapter 515B, Minnesota law and this Code.
(b) The provisions of this Article shall not apply to jails, motels, hotels,
licensed nursing homes, licensed board and care homes, rehabilitation
centers, parsonages, parish houses, manses and rectories, hospitals,
and owner-occupied dwelling units in a cooperative, condominium or
townhouse building.
(c) Any “Lease to Own" or "Rent to Own” type arrangement is still a rental
and must be registered as such until such time as the rental dwelling
purchase transaction is recorded.
(d) Any “Contract for Deed” not properly recorded with the County as
required by Minnesota State Statute 507.235. shall be considered a
rental and subject to Section 425.
(e) Accessory Dwelling Units permitted by the Zoning Administrator shall
only be licensed as rental dwellings if the accessory dwelling unit
complies with all other conditions of this ordinance and those set forth in
Sections 400 and 515 of the City Code.Brainerd City Code § 425.3002 defines which residential properties fall under the city's Rental Housing Code and which do not. The code covers a broad range of rental arrangements—including single-family homes, condominiums, townhouses, leasehold cooperatives, lease-to-own deals, and unrecorded contracts for deed—treating them all as rentals subject to licensing and maintenance requirements. Institutions such as hotels, nursing homes, hospitals, and owner-occupied cooperative or condominium units are explicitly excluded from the article's reach. Accessory dwelling units may only be licensed as rentals if they satisfy additional conditions set out in City Code Sections 400 and 515.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 425.3002, property owners and managers in Brainerd should understand that the Rental Housing Code casts a wide net: lease-to-own arrangements remain subject to rental registration until a purchase is formally recorded, and any contract for deed not properly filed with the county under Minnesota Statute 507.235 is treated as a rental tenancy. Operators of accessory dwelling units must confirm that the unit meets all zoning and code conditions in Sections 400 and 515 before seeking a rental license. Keeping documentation of recorded transactions and zoning approvals is a practice consistent with compliance under this section.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 425.3002 means that tenants living in a wide variety of housing types in Brainerd—including single-family rentals, condominiums, townhouses, and even lease-to-own or unrecorded contract-for-deed arrangements—are generally entitled to the protections of the city's Rental Housing Code. If a landlord claims a property is exempt from the code, tenants can review the explicit exclusion list in § 425.3002(b) to assess whether that claim holds up. Tenants who believe their housing should be covered under this article may raise the applicability question with the city or consult a tenant-rights organization for guidance on next steps.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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