Minneapolis renters on the brink of eviction could soon get an extra two weeks to catch up on the rent. Last Thursday the Minneapolis City Council approved a temporary change that would require landlords to give tenants 45 days' written notice before filing an eviction claim, up from the city's standard 30 days. Council members say the added time is aimed at immigrant renters and other neighbors who fell behind on rent after Operation Metro Surge. The ordinance now heads to Mayor Jacob Frey for his review.
Council vote and what it means
The measure passed on an 8-5 vote, which falls short of the nine votes the council would need to override a potential mayoral veto. According to Sahan Journal, the decision came after hours of emotional testimony from tenants, legal advocates and mutual-aid organizers who packed the council chambers.
The ordinance on the books
The city's legislative information system lists the proposal as Ordinance 2026-00352, a temporary amendment to Title 12, Chapter 244 that increases the pre-eviction filing notice to 45 days. City agenda materials show the item moved out of the Committee of the Whole and landed on the April 23 docket for final action, which sent it to the mayor's desk. The city's meeting packet lays out the full ordinance language and timeline.
Why council members pushed this
Supporters argue that the extra two weeks could be just enough time for renters to line up a paycheck, apply for aid or negotiate a payment plan after federal enforcement led many workers to shelter in place and miss wages. Tenant groups pressed the council in the wake of the enforcement wave known as Operation Metro Surge and publicly urged officials to give affected households more breathing room. Minneapolis tenant organizations also pushed for an override after Mayor Frey vetoed an earlier, broader 60-day proposal in March. MPR News covered the protests and the failed effort to overturn that veto.
Rent assistance is coming, but slowly
City and county officials have framed rental assistance as their primary tool and say new emergency funds are on the way, albeit not as fast as many tenants might like. Hennepin County indicated new rental-assistance dollars would begin distribution in late April, and Minneapolis has directed millions to help tenants navigate back rent and court timelines. KSTP reported on how the county and city programs are being rolled out and how they intersect with rising eviction filings.
Across the river: St. Paul did 60 days
Across the Mississippi, the St. Paul City Council went further. It has already approved a temporary 60-day pre-eviction notice that runs through December 31, 2026, designed to protect the same population of renters affected by the enforcement surge. The St. Paul measure passed with full council support even as the mayor expressed reservations. The city posted the full ordinance text and implementation timeline online. City of St. Paul
“We compromised, and it was worth it,” Council Member Aurin Chowdhury told reporters, urging Mayor Frey not to veto the narrower 45-day plan. As Axios noted, advocates have been careful to frame the change as a targeted, temporary fix rather than a permanent shift in housing policy.
What happens next
Mayor Frey can sign the ordinance, veto it or send back alternatives. If he vetoes the measure, the council would need nine votes to override, a threshold that is currently out of reach after the 8-5 tally. Local reporting has repeatedly emphasized that this nine-vote math has been at the center of recent fights at City Hall and will determine whether the 45-day notice becomes law without further bargaining. Star Tribune
Housing advocates caution that the 45-day window is a stopgap, not a silver bullet. Extra time only matters if cash assistance and caseworkers show up fast enough to keep missed payments from turning into court judgments and eviction records. City and county leaders say the new assistance programs and community partners will be the real test of whether the longer notice actually results in fewer people losing their homes. KSTP
