Minnesota Fair Housing Laws: Exam Study Guide

Fair housing questions appear on both sections of the Minnesota real estate exam. The national section tests the federal Fair Housing Act. The state section tests Minnesota's additional protections under the Minnesota Human Rights Act — and specifically what Minnesota adds that federal law does not cover.

Federal Fair Housing Act — 7 Protected Classes

The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination based on: 1. Race 2. Color 3. National origin 4. Religion 5. Sex 6. Familial status 7. Disability

Memory aid: RRCNFSD.

Minnesota Fair Housing — Additional Protected Classes

The Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA) extends fair housing protections beyond the federal seven. Minnesota adds:

Marital status
Sexual orientation
Gender identity
Source of income (in many municipalities, including Minneapolis and St. Paul)
Familial status — Minnesota's protections are stronger than the federal standard in some respects

Key exam point: Marital status and sexual orientation are the most commonly tested Minnesota additions. An exam question asking whether refusing to rent to an unmarried couple violates Minnesota law — the answer is yes.

The Minnesota Human Rights Act

Minnesota's primary fair housing statute is the Minnesota Human Rights Act (MHRA), Minnesota Statutes Chapter 363A. The exam may ask which statute governs fair housing in Minnesota. Know the citation.

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) administers and enforces the MHRA. Individuals file complaints with MDHR, not the Commerce Department.

Familial Status — Stronger Than Federal

Minnesota's familial status protection applies to all housing types. The federal Fair Housing Act has certain senior housing exemptions that allow communities to exclude families with children. Minnesota applies these exemptions more narrowly than federal law.

Prohibited Conduct

Both federal and Minnesota law prohibit: - Refusing to sell or rent based on a protected class - Steering buyers or renters toward or away from neighborhoods - Blockbusting - Discriminatory advertising - Misrepresenting availability - Refusing reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities

Source of Income Protection

Source-of-income protection (prohibiting discrimination against renters using housing assistance vouchers) is in effect in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and other Minnesota municipalities. A landlord who refuses to accept a Section 8 voucher in these cities may violate local or state fair housing law.

Reasonable Accommodations

Landlords must: - Allow reasonable accommodations in rules and policies for persons with disabilities (landlord's cost) - Allow reasonable modifications to the physical property by the tenant (tenant's cost in private housing)

Common Exam Mistakes

Listing "marital status" as a federal protected class (it's Minnesota only)
Forgetting the MHRA by name
Confusing enforcement agencies: MDHR enforces state fair housing, HUD enforces federal
Missing that Minnesota's familial status protection is broader than federal

Practice Minnesota Fair Housing Questions

[CARealestate.com/states/minnesota](https://carealestate.com/states/minnesota) has fair housing practice questions covering both federal and Minnesota protections. 5 free questions — no signup needed.

Minnesota Fair Housing Laws: Exam Study Guide