Minneapolis, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 12 § 250.50
Purchase rights (Minneapolis Housing Code)
Operative Text
(a) For sixty (60) days after delivery of the notice of conversion described in section 250.40 hereof, the holder of the lessee's interest created by the declarant or the declarant's predecessor shall have an option to purchase the leased unit on the terms set forth in the purchase agreement attached to the notice. If such holder fails to exercise the option during that sixty-day period, the declarant may not offer to dispose of an interest in that unit during the following one hundred eighty (180) days at a price or on terms more favorable to the offeree than the price or terms offered to such holder. This subsection does not apply to any unit in a conversion condominium if that unit will be restricted exclusively to nonresidential use or if the boundaries of the converted unit do not substantially conform to the dimensions of the residential unit before conversion. (b) If a declarant, in violation of this section, conveys a unit to a purchaser for value who has no knowledge of the violation, delivery of the deed conveying the unit extinguishes any right which a lessee not in possession may have under this section to purchase that unit, but does not affect the right of such lessee to recover damages from the declarant for a violation of this section. (c) Nothing in this section permits termination of a lease by a declarant in violation of its terms. The rights conferred by this section are subject to any purchase agreement or other contract existing prior to November 3, 1979. (79-Or-209, § 1, 10-26-79; Pet. No. 252271, § 47, 5-11-90)
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 12 § 250.50 establishes a right of first opportunity for tenants living in a unit being converted to a condominium: for 60 days after receiving a conversion notice, the current tenant has the option to purchase their unit on the terms spelled out in the attached purchase agreement. If the tenant does not exercise that option, the developer is barred for the following 180 days from offering the unit to anyone else on more favorable terms. If a developer violates this rule and sells to a good-faith third-party buyer, the tenant's right to purchase that specific unit is extinguished, but the tenant retains the right to seek damages from the developer.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 12 § 250.50, a declarant converting residential units to condominiums is generally expected to deliver a proper conversion notice with a purchase agreement attached, then observe the full 60-day option window before marketing the unit to outside buyers. During the subsequent 180-day period, compliant operators do not offer the unit to third parties at a price or on terms more favorable than those presented to the existing tenant. Operators also take care not to use the conversion process as a pretext to terminate a lease in violation of its own terms, as § 250.50(c) explicitly preserves existing lease obligations.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Minneapolis Code of Ordinances § 12 § 250.50 gives tenants in a converting building a 60-day window to purchase their unit at the price and terms stated in the purchase agreement delivered with the conversion notice. If the developer later offers the unit to someone else on better terms within 180 days of the option period expiring, that may constitute a violation of this provision, and tenants may have a right to recover damages even if the unit has already been sold to a good-faith purchaser. Tenants who believe their purchase rights under § 250.50 have been disregarded may want to review the timeline and documentation carefully and consider reaching out to a tenant-rights organization or housing attorney for general information about available remedies.
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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