Minneapolis, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7 § 139.10

Findings; declaration of policy and purpose; jurisdiction and construction; effective date (Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance)

In Force
Verified 11/13/2026 · Next check 2/11/2027
MinneapolisProtected Classes (State/Local)

Operative Text

Minneapolis, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7 § 139.10
(a) Findings . The council finds that discrimination adversely affects the health, welfare, peace and safety of the community by, among other things, degrading individuals, fostering intolerance and hate, and creating and intensifying unemployment, substandard housing, under education, ill health, lawlessness and poverty, thereby injuring the public welfare.
(b) Declaration of policy and purpose. It is the public policy of the City of Minneapolis and the purpose of this title to:
(1) Prevent and prohibit all discriminatory practices in the City of Minneapolis in the following protected areas, except as otherwise provided in this chapter:
a. In business: When race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, housing status, height and weight, or any combination thereof, is a motivating factor.
b. In educational institutions: When race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, marital status, status with regard to a public assistance program, justice-impacted status, housing status, height and weight, or any combination thereof is a motivating factor.
c. In employment and in labor organizations: When race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, marital status, familial status, status with regard to a public assistance program, justice-impacted status, housing status, height and weight, or any combination thereof, is a motivating factor.
d. In lending: When race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, status with regard to a public assistance program, familial status, height and weight, or any combination thereof, is a motivating factor.
e. In professional organizations: When race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, marital status, status with regard to a public assistance program, familial status, justice-impacted status, height and weight, or any combination thereof, is a motivating factor.
f. In property rights: When race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, familial status, emancipated minor status, status with regard to a public assistance program, any requirement of a public assistance program, justice-impacted status, housing status, height and weight, or any combination thereof, is a motivating factor.
g. In real estate services: When race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, status with regard to a public assistance program, familial status, height and weight, or any combination thereof, is a motivating factor.
h. In public accommodations: When race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, status with regard to a public assistance program, justice-impacted status, housing status, height and weight, or any combination thereof, is a motivating factor.
i. In public services: When race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, marital status, status with regard to a public assistance program, height and weight, or any combination thereof, is a motivating factor.
(2) Prevent and prohibit the facilitation of any discriminatory act forbidden by this Title.
(3) Prevent and prohibit any retaliation.
(4) Eliminate the existence of and the development of any racially concentrated areas of poverty in the community.
(5) Effectuate the foregoing policy by means of public information and education, mediation and conciliation, and enforcement.
(c) Jurisdiction.
(1) The Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights, and the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights, may consider a complaint regarding a violation of this title only when the complaint has arisen from events:
a. Occurring within the City of Minneapolis, and
b. Occurring within one (1) year prior to the filing of the complaint.
(2) When a complaint or other matter has been previously considered by the State of Minnesota Commissioner of Human Rights as a matter within the commissioner's jurisdiction, that same complaint or matter shall not be considered by either the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights or the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights.
(3) The Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights and the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights do not have jurisdiction over, and may not consider a complaint against, any government entity other than the City of Minneapolis, including all of its departments, divisions, boards, commissions, and other agencies.
(d) Neutrality. The Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance protects all persons from discriminatory practices prohibited under this title.
(e) Computation of time. Time shall be computed according to Rule 6 of the Minnesota Rules of Civil Procedure.
(f) Citation. This title may be cited as the Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance (MCRO).
(g) Liberal construction. The provisions of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance are to be liberally construed to accomplish the anti-discrimination purposes of this ordinance.
(h) Effective dates.
(1) Effective date of March 2017 amendments. Each provision in this chapter that was amended in March 2017 shall apply to any complaint or charge alleging conduct occurring on or after May 1, 2018, except when such a provision is superseded through a subsequent amendment. The ordinance as enacted prior to the March 2017 amendments shall continue to apply to any complaint or charge alleging conduct arising before May 1, 2018, except when such a provision is superseded through a subsequent amendment.
(2) Effective date of December 2017 amendments. Each provision in this chapter that was amended in December 2017 shall apply to any complaint or charge filed on or after February 1, 2018, except when such a provision is superseded through a subsequent amendment. The ordinance as enacted prior to the December 2017 amendments shall continue to apply to any complaint or charge filed before February 1, 2018, except when such a provision is superseded through a subsequent amendment.
(3) Effective date of May 2025 Amendments. Each provision in this chapter that was amended in May 2025 shall apply to any complaint or charge filed on or after August 1, 2025, except when such a provision is superseded through subsequent amendment. The ordinance as enacted prior to the May 2025 amendments shall continue to apply to any complaint or charge filed before August 1, 2025, except when such a provision is superseded through a subsequent amendment. (Ord. of 12-30-75, § 1; 82-Or-114 , § 1, 6-25-82; 93-Or-132 , § 1, 8-27-93; 2003-Or-048 , § 1, 4-18-03; 2006-Or-061 , § 1, 6-16-06; 2011-Or-067 , § 1, 8-5-11; Ord. No. 2017-010 , § 1, 3-24-17; Ord. No. 2017-078 , § 1, 12-8-17; Ord. No. 2025-022 , § 1, 5-1-25)
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Minneapolis, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 139.10 establishes the foundational policy of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance (MCRO), declaring that discrimination harms the broader community and must be prevented across a wide range of protected characteristics in areas such as housing, employment, lending, and public accommodations. The ordinance covers events occurring within Minneapolis within one year before a complaint is filed, and complaints are handled by the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights and the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights. The MCRO is to be interpreted broadly in favor of its anti-discrimination purposes, and it operates independently from the State of Minnesota Commissioner of Human Rights, meaning the same complaint generally cannot be pursued through both bodies.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on November 13, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Property owners and managers operating in Minneapolis should be aware that § 139.10 sets out the overarching policy framework of the MCRO, which applies to property rights, real estate services, and lending, among other areas. Compliant operators generally ensure that decisions about renting, selling, or financing property are not motivated by any of the protected characteristics enumerated in this section, including race, national origin, familial status, housing status, and justice-impacted status, among others. Because the MCRO is to be liberally construed under § 139.10(g), operators typically review their policies and practices with that broad interpretive standard in mind.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Under § 139.10 of the Minneapolis Civil Rights Ordinance, tenants and housing applicants are protected from discriminatory practices motivated by a wide range of characteristics, including race, disability, familial status, housing status, and justice-impacted status, in areas such as property rights and real estate services. If a tenant believes a discriminatory act has occurred within Minneapolis within the past year, they may file a complaint with the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights or the Minneapolis Commission on Civil Rights, as established by § 139.10(c). Tenants can also reach out to local tenant-rights organizations to better understand which enforcement path may be available given the jurisdictional rules outlined in this provision.

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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Related Rules

§ 1
Definitions
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Functions, powers and duties of commission
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Unlawful practices

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