Minneapolis, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 12 § 244.1060
Communal kitchens (Minneapolis Housing Code)
Operative Text
Communal kitchens shall be permitted only in rooming house or lodging establishment occupancies. Every rooming house or lodging establishment within which the occupants of rooming units or sleeping rooms are permitted to prepare meals shall contain a communal kitchen which has adequate cooking, refrigeration and plumbing facilities to allow the preparation of meals in a clean and healthful manner by the occupants. Every communal kitchen shall be located within a room accessible to the occupant of each rooming unit or sleeping room sharing the use of such kitchens, without going outside the rooming house or lodging establishment and without going through a unit of another occupant. The owner or operator of a rooming house wherein meals are served to tenants or lodging establishment with boarding shall comply with all applicable requirements of Chapter 188 of this Code of Ordinances. (Code 1960, As Amend., § 76.030; 78-Or-244, § 43, 11-22-78; 2006-Or-073 , § 9, 6-30-06)
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 244.1060 establishes that communal kitchens are only allowed in rooming houses or lodging establishments, not in other types of residential occupancies. Where occupants are permitted to prepare their own meals, the facility must provide adequate cooking, refrigeration, and plumbing to support meal preparation in a clean and healthful way. The kitchen must also be reachable by every occupant who shares it without requiring anyone to go outside the building or pass through another occupant's private unit. When meals are served to tenants rather than self-prepared, the owner or operator must also meet the food-service requirements found in Chapter 188 of the Minneapolis Code.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Minneapolis Code § 244.1060, operators of rooming houses and lodging establishments that allow self-prepared meals are generally expected to maintain a communal kitchen equipped with functional cooking appliances, adequate refrigeration, and proper plumbing. Compliant operators ensure the kitchen is accessible from every rooming unit or sleeping room that shares it via interior pathways only — no outdoor routes and no passage through another resident's private space. When the establishment serves meals to tenants rather than providing self-service facilities, operators also ensure compliance with the food-service standards set out in Chapter 188 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Minneapolis Code § 244.1060 gives occupants of rooming houses and lodging establishments the right to a communal kitchen that is adequately equipped and reachable from their room without going outside or through another tenant's space. If a communal kitchen is missing required equipment, is unsanitary, or is not properly accessible, this provision may be relevant to a housing complaint. Tenants who believe these standards are not being met can document the conditions, raise the issue with the property owner or operator in writing, or file a complaint with the City of Minneapolis's housing inspection or code enforcement office, and may also wish to consult a local tenant-rights organization for 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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