North Mankato, Minn., Mun. Code Ch. 155 (2026) § 151.05
DEFINITIONS
Operative Text
For the purpose of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply unless the context clearly indicates or requires a different meaning. APPLICANT. Any person making an application for a license under this chapter. APPLICATION. A form with blanks or spaces thereon, to be filled in and completed by the applicant as his or her request for a license, furnished by the city and uniformly required as a prerequisite to the consideration of the issuance of a license for the rental of residential property. DWELLING UNIT. Any building, structure or enclosure, including any mobile home, wholly or partly used or intended to be used for living, sleeping, cooking or eating purposes by human occupants, rented or offered for rent by any person to any other persons for use for residential purposes by such other person or persons. DWELLING UNIT does not include rest homes, convalescent homes, nursing homes, hotels, motels, dormitories or facilities licensed by the State of Minnesota as institutional occupancies. DORMITORY. Buildings or spaces in buildings where group sleeping accommodations are provided; or a series of closely associated rooms without individual cooking facilities and with common toilet and bathroom facilities. FAMILY. An individual or 2 or more persons related by blood, marriage, or adoption, including foster children and bona fide domestic servants. LICENSE. A document issued by the city to an applicant permitting him or her to rent residential property. LICENSE FEE. The money paid to the city pursuant to an application and prior to issuance of a license to rent residential property. LICENSEE. An applicant who, pursuant to his or her application, holds a valid, current, unexpired and unrevoked license from the city allowing him or her to rent residential property. LONG TERM HOTEL DWELLING UNIT. Any dwelling unit in any hotel, as defined by M.S. § 157.01, which dwelling unit is held out or available to the public for sleeping or residential purposes for periods of 1 week or more. OCCUPANT. Any person residing in a dwelling or dwelling unit. OFFENDER TRANSITIONAL HOUSING. A dwelling unit as defined above, dormitory, residential facility, or lodging facility as defined by the North Mankato City Code, intended, or used principally to provide short-term supervised housing to more than 1 offender and/or sex offender, as defined by Minnesota statute and rule, who are on supervised release or conditional release, and who are receiving housing assistance, either directly or indirectly, and supervision from the Minnesota Department of Corrections, or designee, and/or as part of the Minnesota Sex Offender Program, and/or who are required to live in the dwelling, dormitory, residential facility, or lodging facility as a condition of release and supervision program. OFFENDER TRANSITIONAL HOUSING does not include housing declared by state law to be a permitted single-family residential use under M.S. § 462.357, Subd 7. The term SHORT-TERM shall mean a period of time not exceeding 12 months or as otherwise established by Minnesota statute and rules. A dwelling unit owned by or leased by the offender, or by a member of the offender's immediate family, shall not be considered offender transitional housing. OPERATOR, MANAGER, or CARETAKER. Any person who has charge, care or control of a structure, or part thereof, in which rental dwelling units are let. OWNER. Any person, firm, corporation or agent, who alone, jointly or severally with others, shall be in actual possession of, or have charge, care or control of any dwelling or dwelling unit. RENT. Any consideration paid for the exclusive use of the dwelling unit, including but not limited to money, services, or a combination thereof paid or delivered at fixed intervals periodically agreed upon. RENTAL PROPERTY. Living units rented on a month to month basis or greater. Such property may include single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes or multi-family units. Exempt from such definition shall be motels, hotels, boarding houses, bed and breakfast facilities and any facility exempt from city regulation due to state or federal rules and regulations. ROOMING HOUSE DWELLING UNIT. Any dwelling unit in any building or structure, which building or structure is used or held out to be a place where sleeping accommodations are furnished to the public as regular roomers for periods of 1 week or more. (Ord. 234, passed 12-1-2003; Am. Ord. 264, passed 11-21-2005; Am. Ord. 60, 4th Series, passed 9-2-2014)
North Mankato Ch. 155 § 151.05 establishes the foundational vocabulary used throughout the city's rental dwelling licensing chapter. It defines key terms such as "dwelling unit," "licensee," "rental property," and "occupant," clarifying which types of housing are covered and which—such as hotels, nursing homes, and dormitories—are explicitly excluded. The definitions also draw distinctions for specialized housing types like offender transitional housing and long-term hotel dwelling units, shaping how the rest of the chapter's requirements apply.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in North Mankato should familiarize themselves with the definitions set out in § 151.05, as these terms determine whether a given property falls under the chapter's licensing requirements. For example, the definition of "rental property" covers month-to-month and longer tenancies in single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes, and multi-family units, while motels, hotels, and boarding houses are expressly excluded. Compliant operators generally confirm that their property type meets the definition of a covered "dwelling unit" before proceeding with the license application process described elsewhere in Ch. 155.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For tenants in North Mankato, § 151.05 provides the definitional framework that determines whether a residence is subject to the city's rental licensing protections. Understanding whether a living arrangement qualifies as a "dwelling unit" or "rental property" under this section can be relevant when assessing whether a landlord is required to hold a city-issued license. Tenants who have questions about whether their housing falls under Ch. 155 may find it helpful to contact the city directly or reach out to a local tenant-rights organization for general guidance.
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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