Rochester, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7 § 7-9-20
Declaration of nuisance (Rochester Housing Code)
Operative Text
(a) Minn. Stats. § 412.221, subd. 23 states that a city council has the power, by ordinance, to define nuisances and to provide for their prevention or abatement. Minn. Stats. § 410.33 extends this authority to a home rule city, including the City of Rochester. In addition, Section 1.00 , subd. 3 of the City of Rochester Home Rule Charter allows the city to utilize the authority found at Minn. Stats. § 412.221, subd. 23. (b) The common council invokes the authority described in subsection (a) of this section and hereby declares the repeated violation of this title and chapter 8-2 to be a nuisance. (c) For purposes of this section, the term "repeated violation" means three or more convictions for one property address, or six or more convictions for multiple property addresses, involving this title and chapter 8-2 , occurring within a 24-month period. (d) In addition to any other relief provided by this chapter, the city attorney may apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for injunctive relief to prohibit the continuation of any nuisance as declared by this section. Such application for relief may include seeking a temporary restraining order, temporary injunction or permanent injunction.
Rochester, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7-9-20 establishes that repeated violations of the city's housing and rental regulations can be formally declared a public nuisance. Under this provision, 'repeated violation' means at least three convictions tied to a single property address, or six or more convictions across multiple addresses, all occurring within any 24-month window. Once a nuisance is declared, the city has the legal authority to pursue court-ordered injunctive relief — including temporary or permanent injunctions — to stop the offending conduct from continuing.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Rochester, Minn., Code of Ordinances § 7-9-20 means that property owners who accumulate three or more housing-code convictions at a single address within two years — or six or more across multiple properties — risk having their operations formally designated a nuisance. Operators who maintain consistent compliance with the city's housing title and Chapter 8-2 avoid crossing the conviction thresholds that trigger this declaration. Once a nuisance designation is pursued, the city attorney can seek court injunctions that may significantly restrict how a property is used or managed.
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 § 7-9-20 gives tenants a framework to understand when a landlord's pattern of code violations may rise to the level of a legally declared nuisance. If a property has accumulated three or more housing-code convictions within 24 months, tenants may be able to reference this provision when raising concerns with the city or in related proceedings. Tenants experiencing ongoing code violations can contact the City of Rochester's code enforcement office or a local tenant-rights organization to learn about available complaint and enforcement pathways under this section.
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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