Get Rid of Home Owners Associations

 

The purpose of this act is to eliminate the stress from homeowners of having to pay fees, excessive fines, and following

strict rules. By ensuring HOAs no longer exist, this legislation ensures that homeowners are not wrongfully pressured by

their HOA, and have the freedom of maintaining their house and land as they please.

 

HOAs began after WWII from the growth of suburbs. Many of these HOAs were created with racially restrictive clauses,

which excluded minority groups from the neighborhood. The Fair Housing Act of 1968 banned racial covenants, but HOAs

continue to use methods to maintain segregation. Some methods that are used include private rules, economic

requirements, rental bans, and people of color facing harsher punishments for violations.

Some common HOA policies include requiring residents to maintain their yard by allowing certain plants or a specific

lawn height, requiring approval for exterior and interior house changes such as paint colors and fencing, rules for

displaying holiday decorations, restricting parking spaces, only allowing certain pets or number of pets, rules that set

a maximum number of people allowed to live in a house, and more. These common policies take away peoples’ freedom of

choice and the right to express themselves with the appearance of their house.

HOAs enforce their policies through warning letters, fines, revoking access to community amenities, taking legal action

against the homeowner, and placing a lien on the property. HOAs can initiate a foreclosure proceeding against an owner

for unpaid fees or fines. This leads to the homeowner losing their property and having to leave. Currently, HOAs cannot

foreclose a home for unpaid fees less than $2,500. HOAs can have a key to one's house for emergency access and are not

allowed to enter homes unless for emergency or with consent. There are many conflicts that occur between residents and

HOAs. Homeowners can feel a lot of pressure and stress from HOAs.

 

HOA: Homeowners Association, a private organization that governs a housing community and manages shared spaces. An HOA

enforces rules and collects dues from residents.

Racial covenants: discriminatory clauses in property deeds that prevented groups from buying or occupying land.

Property lien: a legal claim on a property to secure payment for a debt.

 

No funding necessary.

 

Any HOA that still exists or is created after one year of the effective date must pay a fine starting at $100. The fine

will increase by $100 each month that the HOA continues to exist. The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency shall be

responsible for monitoring and enforcing compliance from HOAs.

 

This act shall take effect on May 20th, 2026.