Saint Paul, Minn., Legis. Code ch. 183 § 183.06
Prohibited acts in real property
Operative Text
It shall be unlawful to discriminate against any person based on the protected classes identified in Section 183.01 of either the buyer or renter, a person residing in or intending to reside in that dwelling after it is sold, rented, or made available; or any person associated with the buyer or renter regarding the following: (1) For anyone: a. To discriminate by refusing to: sell, rent, lease; or to offer for sale, rental, or lease; or to negotiate for the sale, rental, or lease; or by representing that real property is not available for inspection, sale, rental, or lease when in fact it is so available; or otherwise make unavailable to any person any property or any facilities of real property; or b. To discriminate against any person in the terms, conditions, or privileges of the sale, rental or lease of any real property or in the full and equal enjoyment of services, facilities, privileges and accommodations or in the furnishing of facilities or services in connection therewith; except that nothing in this clause shall be construed to prohibit the adoption of reasonable rules intended to protect the safety of minors in their use of the real property or any facilities or services furnished in connection therewith; or c. To make statements, print, circulate, publish, or post, or cause to be printed, circulated, published, or posted, any advertisement, notice, sign, or statement, or use any form of application for the purchase, rental or lease of any real property, or make any record or inquiry in connection with the prospective purchase, rental or lease of any real property which indicates any preference, limitation, or discrimination or an intention to make any such preference, limitation, or discrimination; except that nothing in this clause shall be construed to prohibit the advertisement of a dwelling unit as available to elderly persons only if the dwelling meets the federal requirements of exempt housing for the elderly. (2) For a person, bank, banking organization, mortgage company, insurance company or other financial institution or lender to dissuade a person from making an application or to whom an application is requested or made for financial assistance or a loan secured by residential real estate for the purchase, lease, acquisition, construction, rehabilitation, repair or maintenance of any real property or any agent or employee thereof: a. To discriminate against any person in the granting, withholding, extending, modifying or renewing, or in the rates, terms, conditions or privileges of the financial assistance or in the extension of services in connection therewith; b. To use any form of application for the financial assistance or make any record or inquiry in connection with the applications for the financial assistance which discriminates or expresses any intent to discriminate; or c. To discriminate against any person who desires to purchase, lease, acquire, construct, rehabilitate, repair or maintain real property in a specific urban or rural area, or any part thereof, solely because of the social, economic or environmental conditions of the area in the granting, withholding, extending, modifying or renewing, or in the rates, terms, conditions or privileges of the financial assistance, or in the extension of services in connection therewith. (3) For any developer, real estate broker, real estate salesperson, appraiser, or other person having the right to sell, rent or lease real property, or employee or agent thereof for the purpose of inducing a real property transaction from which the person, the person's firm or any of its members may benefit financially, to represent that a change has occurred or will or may occur in the composition with respect to race, creed, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, familial status, sex, sexual or affectional orientation, marital status, status with regard to public assistance or disability of the owners or occupants in the block, neighborhood or area in which the real property is located, or to represent, directly or indirectly, that this change will or may result in undesirable consequences in the block, neighborhood or area in which the real property is located, including, but not limited to, the lowering of property values, an increase in criminal or antisocial behavior, or a decline in the quality of schools or other public facilities. (4) For a multiple listing service, real estate brokers' organization or facility related the business of selling or renting dwellings to discriminate against a person in the terms or conditions of access, membership or partnership. Prohibited actions under this section include, but are not limited to: a. Setting different fees for access to or membership in a multiple listing service; b. Denying or limiting benefits accruing to members in a real estate brokers' organization; c. Imposing different standards or criteria for membership in a real estate sales or rental organization; or d. Establishing geographic boundaries, office locations or residence requirements for access to or membership or participation in any multiple listing service, real estate brokers' organization or facility relating to the business of selling or renting dwellings. (5) For a person to deny a totally or partially blind, physically handicapped or deaf person with a service dog full and equal access to real property provided for in this section. The person may not be required to pay extra compensation for the service dog but is liable for damage done to the premises by the service dog. (6) For a person to coerce, intimidate, threaten or interfere with a person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of having exercised, or enjoyed, or on account of that person having aided or encouraged a third person in the exercise or enjoyment of, any right granted or protected by this section. (7) For anyone: a. To refuse to permit, at the expense of the disabled person, reasonable modifications of existing premises occupied or to be occupied by the disabled person if modifications are necessary to afford the disabled person full enjoyment of the premises; an owner may, where it is reasonable to do so, condition permission for a modification on the renter agreeing to restore the interior of the premises to the condition that existed before the modification, excluding reasonable wear and tear; b. To refuse to make reasonable accommodations in rules, policies, practices or services, when accommodations may be necessary to afford a disabled person equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling; or in connection with the design and construction of covered multifamily dwellings for first occupancy after March 13, 1991, to fail to design and construct those dwellings in a manner that: 1. The public use and common use portions are readily accessible to and usable by a disabled person; 2. All the doors designed to allow passage into and within all premises are sufficiently wide to allow passage by disabled persons in wheelchairs; and 3. All premises contain the following features of adaptive design: at least one (1) building entrance on an accessible route into and through the dwelling; light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls in accessible locations; reinforcements in bathroom walls to allow later installation of grab bars; and usable kitchens and bathrooms so that an individual in a wheelchair can maneuver about the space. c. A determination by the city that a dwelling conforms to 183.06(7)(b) subparagraphs 1 through 3 above shall not affect enforcement activities or be conclusive in enforcement proceedings under this section. (8) As used in this subdivision, the term "covered multifamily dwelling" means: a. A building consisting of four (4) or more units if the building has one (1) or more elevators; and b. Ground floor units in other buildings consisting of four (4) or more units. (9) This subdivision does not invalidate or limit any law of the state or political subdivision of the state, or other jurisdiction in which this subdivision applies, in a manner that affords disabled persons greater access than is required by this subdivision. (10) This subdivision does not require that a dwelling be made available to an individual whose tenancy would constitute a direct threat to the health and safety of other individuals or whose tenancy would result in substantial physical damage to the property of others. (11) Notwithstanding the provisions of any law, ordinance or home rule charter to the contrary, no person shall be deemed to have committed an unfair discriminatory practice based upon age if the unfair discriminatory practice alleged is attempted or accomplished for the purpose of obtaining or maintaining one (1) of the exemptions provided for a dwelling unit provided for in section 183.061 .
Saint Paul Legislative Code ch. 183 § 183.06 broadly prohibits discriminatory conduct in the sale, rental, lease, and financing of real property based on the protected classes defined in Section 183.01. The provision covers a wide range of actors—including individual owners, financial institutions, real estate professionals, and multiple listing services—and bars discriminatory terms, advertising, steering, blockbusting, and denial of access to service-animal users. It also requires that disabled persons be permitted reasonable modifications and accommodations, and that newly constructed covered multifamily dwellings meet specific accessibility design standards.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Saint Paul Legislative Code ch. 183 § 183.06 generally ensure that all advertising, application forms, and tenant-selection criteria are free of any language or practice that signals a preference or limitation based on protected characteristics. Compliant operators typically grant reasonable modification requests from disabled tenants—potentially conditioning approval on restoration of the premises—and make reasonable accommodations in rules or policies when needed for a disabled person to equally enjoy the dwelling. Operators also recognize that persons with service dogs may not be charged extra fees for the animal, though the handler remains responsible for any damage the animal causes to the premises.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Saint Paul Legislative Code ch. 183 § 183.06, tenants and prospective renters have the right to be free from discriminatory refusals, unequal terms, discriminatory advertising, and coercion or intimidation related to housing. Disabled tenants have the additional right to request reasonable modifications at their own expense and to seek reasonable accommodations in rules or policies, and blind, deaf, or physically handicapped individuals with service dogs cannot be denied full and equal access. Those who believe their rights under this section have been violated may consider raising the violation as a defense in a housing proceeding, filing a complaint with a relevant local or state civil rights body, or reaching out to a tenant-rights organization for general information about available enforcement paths.
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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