March 20, 2026 | Mark Luis Foster
Welcome to spring! We made it! But, I’m sorry to say, what’s springing up mostly these days is HOA reform legislation in St. Paul during the latest legislative session. Frankly it’s hard to keep up with all the bills and the amendments and committee meetings; but one thing is certain: SF1750 is gaining some traction and has the most wide-ranging ramifications for HOAs in Minnesota, if passed.
We sent out the following information to our advocacy group (the group that signed up for email updates on HOA reform), and I’m sharing it below. What you can do is contact your local representative and oppose SF1750.
Oppose SF 1750
Senate File 1750 continues to get traction in the Minnesota Legislature and recently passed through a House committee meeting with an oral amendment attached. It continues to be a core bill that seeks reform for HOA and common interest community (CIC) during this current legislative session.
On March 18, SF 1750 was heard in the House Commerce Committee and advanced to the House Judiciary Committee, which is still to be scheduled. While the bill’s author made some changes, the bill still requires significant work to avoid unintended consequences.
(The latest online version of SF1750 is HERE, but it does not include some of the latest technical changes/amendments made in the House Committee.)
The provisions most likely to affect your association and board leadership directly include:
Compliance costs passed to homeowners. New requirements — document updates, revised fine schedules, hearing procedures, and enhanced record-keeping — carry implementation costs that flow into association budgets and, from there, into homeowner assessments.
Cost shifting to compliant homeowners. Limiting late fees, capping fines at $100, and adding restrictions to the debt collection process reduces the tools associations rely on to maintain cash flow, fund reserves, and cover shared expenses.
No distinction between association types or sizes. SF 1750 applies identical requirements to a 10-unit volunteer-run townhome association and a 500-unit professionally managed high-rise. The administrative capacity of those communities is not comparable, and the bill does not account for that.
Contracting requirements with unresolved drafting gaps. The bill requires three written competitive bids for contracts over $50,000. The intent is reasonable, but the bill does not define when emergency exemptions apply, and it provides no guidance for insurance claim repairs — where a third-party adjuster, not the association, controls the scope and price of the work. Those gaps create legal exposure for boards acting in good faith and risk delaying needed repairs.
Potential impact on reserve funding and property values. When associations have reduced capacity to collect and enforce, reserves may fall short and maintenance could get deferred. Lenders and buyers factor reserve health and maintenance history into how they assess properties.
Legislation We Support
SF 3622 / HF 3459 was developed by the Real Property Section of the Minnesota State Bar Association — attorneys representing developers, associations, and unit owners. It addresses inaccurate cross-references, drafting gaps, insurance allocation issues, and unclear consent procedures with targeted, technically sound changes that clarify existing law without broadly disrupting how communities operate.
SF 4035 / HF 3808 addresses root causes that surfaced in the legislative work group process. It is designed to account for the varying sizes and structures of associations. All of the provisions from HF 3808 and SF 4035 were incorporated into the most recent draft of SF 1750.
Why It Matters
More than 1.5 million Minnesotans live in HOAs or common interest communities, and more than 80% of newly constructed homes in Minnesota are part of an association. Legislative changes to CIC governance have broad implications for residential property ownership and financial stability across the state.
Your Action To Take
We are asking you to contact your state representative today and share your perspective as a homeowner, board member, or community stakeholder. A brief, personal message about how these changes could affect your community carries more weight than you might expect. It is best to call, email, make an appointment or send a personal letter. Form letters rarely work, so please share your personal perspectives that are unique to you or your community and urge your elected officials to oppose SF1750.
To find your House representative, visit: www.house.mn.gov/members/find
