Rochester, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7 § 7-1-2
Interchangeability (Rochester Housing Code)
Operative Text
Words stated in the present tense include the future; words stated in the masculine gender include the feminine and neuter; the singular number includes the plural and the plural, the singular.
Rochester, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7 § 7-1-2, known as the Interchangeability provision, establishes default rules of grammatical construction for the city's code. It directs that present-tense language also covers future circumstances, that masculine pronouns encompass all genders, and that singular and plural forms are mutually inclusive. This means that when reading any related ordinance, a word's grammatical form does not limit its scope to only the narrowest literal reading.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Rochester, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7 § 7-1-2, property owners and managers reading local housing ordinances should understand that a rule written in the present tense or in singular form applies just as fully to future situations and to multiple units or parties. Compliant operators generally read the code's requirements broadly rather than looking for loopholes in grammatical phrasing. Awareness of this interpretive rule helps ensure that obligations are not inadvertently overlooked due to a provision's wording.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Rochester, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7 § 7-1-2 means that tenants can rely on the city's housing rules even when the specific wording of a provision uses a different tense, gender, or number than their exact situation. A right or protection written in the singular still applies to multiple tenants, and a rule written in the present tense covers ongoing and future conduct. Tenants who believe a housing ordinance applies to their situation despite a grammatical mismatch may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization for general guidance on how this interpretive rule interacts with specific provisions.
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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