Minnesota Senate sends HOA Bill of Rights with fee caps to Walz
The Minnesota Senate on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, passed a homeowners' association Bill of Rights that caps certain HOA fees and fines and sent it to Gov. Tim Walz.
The measure includes caps on fees and fines, a ban on retaliation against residents who complain, and new conflict-of-interest limits for boards and managers. Supporters hailed it as strong resident protection, while critics including some HOA board members and managers warned it could reduce local flexibility in community governance.
The episode traces back to a rapid rise in HOA governance, with about 82% of new homes built under HOA rules by the early 2020s. A July 2023 hailstorm touched off lawsuits and complaints in places like Otsego, where homeowners faced $17,000 roofing bills and alleged conflicts with management firms. Lawmakers passed limited reforms in 2023 and created a working group that met through 2024 and early 2025 to study HOAs and recommend caps, bidding rules and oversight. That process produced HF1268/SF1750, a bipartisan Bill of Rights introduced in early 2025 that stalled last session but returned to lawmakers this spring, and Minnesota's Common Interest Communities Ombudsperson Office logged 61 complaints and 659 calls or inquiries from its 2025 launch through February 2026.
Reporting noted a heated floor fight and heavy lobbying from HOA companies and homeowner advocates, and described the bill's caps and conflict-of-interest rules as among the country's strongest HOA regulations. The measure is now on Gov. Tim Walz's desk.
Show source details & analysis (2 sources)
📊 Relevant Data
Minnesota has more than 7,950 community associations, including homeowners associations and condominiums. ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf))
Minnesota Community Association Facts and Figures — Community Associations Institute
The community association housing model is projected to become the most common form of housing in the U.S. by 2040. ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf)) ([Community Associations Institute](https://www.caionline.org/getmedia/72b2b361-d413-4b43-b395-7bea9ff46018/minnesota-statefactsfiguresonepagers2024.pdf))
Minnesota Community Association Facts and Figures — Community Associations Institute
Minnesota's Common Interest Communities Ombudsperson Office has received 61 complaints and 659 calls or inquiries regarding HOA issues. ([Minnesota House of Representatives](https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/gJsfar1-ukO9_od1fvm2Lw.pdf)) ([Minnesota House of Representatives](https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/gJsfar1-ukO9_od1fvm2Lw.pdf)) ([Minnesota House of Representatives](https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/gJsfar1-ukO9_od1fvm2Lw.pdf)) ([Minnesota House of Representatives](https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/gJsfar1-ukO9_od1fvm2Lw.pdf)) ([Minnesota House of Representatives](https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/gJsfar1-ukO9_od1fvm2Lw.pdf)) ([Minnesota House of Representatives](https://www.house.mn.gov/comm/docs/gJsfar1-ukO9_od1fvm2Lw.pdf))
Homeowners Association (HOA) Ombudsperson Office — Minnesota House of Representatives
Minnesota HOAs can initiate foreclosure for any unpaid assessment amount, with no minimum threshold required. ([Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission](https://www.lcc.mn.gov/cichoa/Final-CIC-HOA-Report.pdf)) ([Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission](https://www.lcc.mn.gov/cichoa/Final-CIC-HOA-Report.pdf)) ([Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission](https://www.lcc.mn.gov/cichoa/Final-CIC-HOA-Report.pdf)) ([Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission](https://www.lcc.mn.gov/cichoa/Final-CIC-HOA-Report.pdf)) ([Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission](https://www.lcc.mn.gov/cichoa/Final-CIC-HOA-Report.pdf)) ([Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission](https://www.lcc.mn.gov/cichoa/Final-CIC-HOA-Report.pdf))
Final Report of the Working Group on Common Interest Communities and Homeowners Associations — Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission
📌 Key Facts
- The Minnesota Senate passed the homeowners’ association bill on Wednesday, May 6, 2026, sending it to Gov. Tim Walz as the final legislative step — reported by the Minnesota Senate.
- The story was reported by the [Minnesota Reformer](
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Confirms Senate passage specifically on May 6, 2026, and describes it as the final legislative step before going to Gov. Tim Walz.
- Adds sharper political context on the floor fight and lobbying by HOA industry and homeowner advocates around the bill.
- Highlights that the bill’s caps and conflict‑of‑interest rules are being framed as among the strongest HOA regulations in the country, not just a routine tweak.