Minneapolis, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 12 § 248.120
Appeals board (Minneapolis Housing Code)
Operative Text
(a) An appeals board shall be established. The board shall consist of the director of regulatory services or the director's designee, the fire marshal or the fire marshal's designee, and the building official or the building official's designee. Two (2) members of the board shall constitute a quorum. The board shall make decisions by a majority vote. The administrative decision of the building official or the building official's designee, which is being appealed, shall be upheld if the panel is deadlocked. (b) The board shall have authority to hear and decide all appeals from: (1) Any applicant or evaluator aggrieved by any administrative decision of the building official, or the building official's designee, in accepting or rejecting any application for examination; in any determination of whether the person is qualified, in any issue related to the testing process; in accepting or rejecting educational credits; or to deny, revoke, suspend or not renew an evaluator's license may make an appeal to the board. (2) Any owner of property or other person directly and personally affected by any of the disclosure report or energy disclosure report may, either personally or through their representative, make an appeal to the board. (c) Any appeal must be by written notice filed with the building official within thirty (30) days of the decision or proposed action being appealed. The notice of appeal shall contain a concise statement of the grounds for the appeal and shall be accompanied by a fee of one hundred dollars ($100.00). The building official shall have the authority to summarily grant the appeal and to waive the appeal fee. If the building official does not summarily grant the appeal, the appeal shall proceed to the board to be heard and acted upon, unless withdrawn. (d) The board shall designate one (1) member to act as chair to preside over meetings. The board shall meet at the call of the chair to hear appeals. The board shall notify the appellant in writing of the time and place of the hearing. The notice shall be issued at least ten (10) days prior to the hearing unless the appellant consents to an earlier scheduling and shall inform the appellant of the right to appear individually or through a representative, the right to call, examine and cross-examine witnesses at the hearing and offer such evidence as may bear on the decision of the board, and that the hearing will be recorded. The notice shall be given to the appellant by mail, addressed to the appellant at the appellant's address shown on the appeal. (e) At the hearing the board shall hear all relevant evidence and argument. The board may admit and give probative effect to evidence, including hearsay evidence, that possesses probative value commonly accepted by reasonably prudent persons in the conduct of their affairs. The board shall record the hearing and keep a record of all evidence submitted. (f) The board shall hear the appeal and render its decision within forty-five (45) days of the filing of the notice of appeal. The board may uphold, modify or overturn the decision being appealed. The decision of the board shall be in writing and shall summarize the reasons for the decision and shall be mailed to the appellant. The board shall make its determination based upon a preponderance of the evidence. (g) The decision of the board shall constitute the final decision of the city. ( 98-Or-057 , § 1, 6-26-98; 2005-Or-143 , § 10, 12-23-05; 2013-Or-164 , § 4, 12-6-13; Ord. No. 2019-008 , § 3, 2-15-19)
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 248.120 establishes a formal appeals board composed of the director of regulatory services, the fire marshal, and the building official (or their designees), with two members forming a quorum and decisions made by majority vote. The board is empowered to hear challenges from applicants, evaluators, and property owners who are aggrieved by administrative decisions related to evaluator licensing, examination processes, or disclosure and energy disclosure reports. Appeals must be filed in writing within 30 days of the disputed decision, accompanied by a $100 fee, and the board must render a written decision within 45 days of filing; that decision serves as the city's final word on the matter.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 248.120, property owners who believe they have been directly and personally affected by a disclosure report or energy disclosure report decision have a defined path to challenge that determination before the appeals board. A compliant property owner generally files a written notice of appeal with the building official within 30 days of the disputed action, includes a concise statement of grounds, and submits the $100 filing fee. Operators familiar with this process typically keep records of all disclosure-related correspondence and decisions so that any appeal can be supported with relevant documentation at the hearing.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 248.120 provides that any person directly and personally affected by a disclosure report or energy disclosure report decision—which can include tenants in certain circumstances—may appeal to the Minneapolis appeals board either personally or through a representative. The provision guarantees appellants the right to appear at the hearing, call and cross-examine witnesses, and present evidence, with written notice of the hearing issued at least 10 days in advance. Tenants who believe a disclosure-related decision affects them may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid resource to understand whether they qualify as an aggrieved party under § 248.120 and what documentation would support their position.
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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