Moorhead, Minn., Mun. Code Ch. 1105 (2026) § 9-7-2
DEFINITIONS
Operative Text
For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions shall apply: DWELLING: Any building, including a "manufactured home (mobile home)" as defined in section 10-2-2 of this code, which is intended to be used for living or sleeping by human occupants. RENTAL: The leasing of a rental unit to a nonowner for a fixed or nonfixed period of time, and shall include lease to buy, contract for deed that is not recorded at the Clay County Recorders Office, installment sales, purchases, and other similar arrangements whereby nonpayment of a periodic payment means the occupants may be evicted without the necessity of either a statutory mortgage foreclosure procedure, a statutory termination of contract for deed procedure or a statutory repossession procedure. RENTAL UNIT: Any room or group of rooms located within a dwelling and forming a single habitable unit. (Ord. 94-10, 7-18-1994, eff. 11-1-1994; amd. Ord. 96-10, 5-6-1996; Ord. 2025-03, 4-28-2025)
Moorhead Ch. 1105 § 9-7-2 establishes the core definitions that govern the city's rental dwelling registration and licensing framework. A 'dwelling' covers any building—including manufactured or mobile homes—intended for human living or sleeping. A 'rental unit' is any room or group of rooms within a dwelling that forms a single habitable space, and 'rental' is broadly defined to include not just traditional leases but also lease-to-buy arrangements, unrecorded contracts for deed, installment sales, and similar agreements where missed payments can lead to eviction outside of standard foreclosure or repossession procedures.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating in Moorhead should be aware that § 9-7-2 casts a wide net over what counts as a 'rental' arrangement. Compliant operators generally review all occupancy agreements—including installment sales or unrecorded contracts for deed—to determine whether those arrangements fall under the chapter's registration and licensing requirements. Because the definition of 'rental' extends beyond conventional leases, operators typically ensure that any agreement allowing eviction for nonpayment without a statutory foreclosure or repossession process is treated as a rental for licensing purposes.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Moorhead Ch. 1105 § 9-7-2, tenants in a wide range of living arrangements—not just traditional month-to-month or fixed-term leases—may be covered by the city's rental dwelling protections. This includes occupants under lease-to-buy deals, unrecorded contracts for deed, or installment sales where missed payments could trigger eviction. Tenants who believe their arrangement qualifies as a 'rental' under § 9-7-2 may wish to contact the City of Moorhead or a local tenant-rights organization to understand what registration and licensing obligations apply to their housing.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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