Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 9 § 9.21
MINIMUM UNIT SIZE REDUCTION (Bloomington Housing Opportunity and Preservation Ordinance)
Operative Text
(a) To incentivize the construction of opportunity housing units affordable to households at or below 60% of AMI, a residential development that includes at least 9% opportunity housing units affordable to households at or below 60% of AMI, may reduce minimum unit size by the following amounts: (1) Each extremely low income opportunity housing unit qualifies for a 30% unit size reduction; (2) Each very low income opportunity housing unit qualifies for a 20% unit size reduction; or (3) Each low income opportunity housing unit that is affordable to a household at or below 60% of AMI qualifies for a 10% unit size reduction. (b) The minimum unit size reductions provided in this section are not cumulative. Each qualifying development is eligible for only one minimum unit size reduction of 10%, 20%, or 30% for the opportunity housing units depending on the level of affordability provided. (Ord. 2019-16 , passed 2-25-2019)
Bloomington, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 9 § 9.21 establishes a zoning incentive that allows residential developments to build smaller-than-standard units when a meaningful share of those units are priced for lower-income households. Specifically, a development that includes at least 9% of its units as opportunity housing affordable to households at or below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) may reduce minimum unit sizes by 10%, 20%, or 30%, depending on how deeply affordable those units are. The reductions are not stackable — each qualifying development may apply only one reduction tier to its opportunity housing units.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Developers and property owners pursuing projects in Bloomington should be aware that § 9 § 9.21 ties minimum unit size flexibility directly to the depth of affordability offered. A compliant operator typically documents the income-targeting level of each opportunity housing unit — extremely low income (30% reduction), very low income (20% reduction), or low income at or below 60% AMI (10% reduction) — and applies only the single applicable reduction across those units. Operators generally confirm with the city that the 9% threshold of qualifying units is met before relying on any size reduction in their building plans.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
For renters, § 9 § 9.21 is relevant because it shapes the physical size of units that may be offered as affordable housing in Bloomington developments. Tenants in opportunity housing units built under this provision may find that their unit is smaller than the standard minimum, a trade-off the ordinance explicitly permits in exchange for affordability. Renters who have questions about whether a unit's size complies with applicable standards, or about the affordability commitments attached to their unit, can contact the City of Bloomington's planning or housing department 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 September 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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