Off-Campus Housing
Search area apartments, houses, sublets and more.
Considering your options is a normal part of each school year—whether it is in University-owned housing or in a nearby neighborhood. No matter what you choose, we want you to make your next move with confidence.
The University shares a common goal with area properties to make affordable, quality housing opportunities available to students. This listing service is managed by Housing & Residential Life and bars property managers/owners with three or more unresolved or substantiated issues with Student Legal Services from participating.
Student Resources
Our partners in the Off-Campus Living office provide great opportunities and resources for students looking and/or living off-campus. OCL staff are ready to assist renters and commuters with issues or questions about living off-campus.
Visit their website for more about renting near campus, finding roommates, and commuting to campus.
Look for details on Off-Campus Housing Fairs offered each spring and fall to help you know your rights and responsibilities before you sign a lease.
Attend workshops on tenant legal rights, get tips on how to be a good neighbor, and meet local exhibitors and rental teams—all free for UMN students!
Property Managers/Owners
INTRODUCTION
Area Property Managers/Property Owners and the University of Minnesota share the common goal of making affordable, quality housing opportunities available to University students. To promote this goal, the University and Property Managers/Property Owners agree to the conditions outlined below for participation in University programs including but not limited to the Off-Campus Listing Service and the Off-Campus Housing Fair.
OFF-CAMPUS HOUSING PROGRAM POLICY STATEMENT
By offering properties for rent, a property manager and/or owner represents that the properties they lease comply with applicable local, state, and federal law, including municipal housing maintenance codes, all local rental registration or licensing requirements, and manager screening requirements. The University may refuse to allow advertising and participation in programs, and may add the property to the non-compliance list and de-list any properties on the off campus listing service, when the University becomes aware of chronic code violations, repeated unresolved tenant complaints involving the Property Manager/Property Owner, or the absence, loss, or revocation of a rental license or registration.
The University will maintain a public list of any property management company or property owner that would be refused participation in University programs based on any of the circumstances listed below, regardless of whether the property management company or property owner has applied to participate in any University program(s). This public listing will be hosted on the Off-Campus Living Website and will include individual names, company names, and property names of those not in compliance with this policy. Prior to any listing, the University will provide notice of the intent to list the property management company or property owner and an opportunity to contest the determination that the listing should occur.
A Property Manager/Property Owner who is in non-compliance with the provisions of this policy shall not be permitted to participate in any University Programs for a period of 12 months. The Property Manager/Property Owner may be removed from the non-compliance list if the Property Manager/Property Owner satisfies the University that the problems with tenant complaints and/or regulatory services issues have been resolved, no additional violations to this policy have occurred within the past 6 months, and the relationship with the University and University students has improved.
The inclusion on the public list of any property management company or property owner is not a determination as to whether a property management company or property owner is necessarily ‘good’ or ‘bad’ or whether a student should or should not rent from a particular property management company or property owner. Rather, the University wishes to be transparent about its knowledge with respect to interactions between its students and property management companies and property owners so that its students also have that knowledge when making housing decisions.
The University offers several programs to anyone who has a property in the seven-county metro area, including but not limited to the Off-Campus Listing Service and Off-Campus Housing Fairs. The University reserves the right to refuse to allow Property Managers/Property Owners and their properties to take part in such University programs and advertise at University events. The University reserves the right to add any or all of the Property Manager’s/Property Owner’s properties to the University’s public non-compliance list and to de-list any or all participating properties. The University may exercise these rights when one of the following items occurs:
- The Property Manager/Property Owner has had three or more substantiated or unresolved tenant complaints filed with University Student Legal Services (USLS) within the previous twelve-month period. A complaint is considered substantiated if it results in a court decision granting a remedy to the tenant, and is considered unresolved if the Property Manager/Property Owner has not made a good faith effort to respond to and or settle the complaint with USLS or tenant.
- The University is aware that the Property Manager/Property Owner has been included on the City of Minneapolis’s “Good Cause List” provided by the City of Minneapolis Department of Regulatory Services.
- The Property Manager/Property owner has a revoked or inactive rental license in their respective municipality or is not licensed or registered. A current rental license (or local rental registration) is required to participate in University Programs. For a property that is under construction or renovation, the property must be issued a rental license or local registration by the original lease start date.
- The University is aware of misrepresentation(s) by the Property Manager/Property Owner to the University or related University Program(s).
Probation Policy Statement
This policy applies to Property Managers/Property Owners who (1) have previously been found to be in non-compliance with the provisions of the U of M Off Campus Housing Program Policy; (2) have not been permitted to participate in any University Programs for a period of 12 months or longer; and (3) are seeking removal from the U of M non-compliance list.
Probation Policy
The Property Manager/Property Owner may be removed from the non-compliance list if the Property Manager/Property Owner satisfies the University that the problems with tenant complaints and/or regulatory services issues have been resolved, no additional violations to this policy have occurred within the past 6 months, and the relationship with the University and University students has improved. In order to be removed from the non-compliance list, the Property Manager/Property Owner must petition for removal and successfully complete 6 months of probation.
During the 6-month probation, Property Manager/Property Owner must:
- Incur no additional violations to this policy during the probation period
- Provide Student Legal Service with a direct point-of-contact
- Provide a good-faith written response to inquiries from Student Legal Service within 36 hours that begins to work towards resolution of inquiry
- Use lease(s) and rental policies that comply with state and local law
Any violation of these terms may cause the probation period of Property Manager/Property Owner to extend an additional 6 months. Two or more violations of the terms of probation during the probation period shall cause the Property Manager/Property Owner to remain on the non-compliance list for a minimum additional 12-month period. During the time of probation, the Property Manager/Property Owner will remain on the non-compliance list and will not be allowed to attend University events or list on the Off Campus Listing Service.
Discharge from Probation
Upon successful completion of probation, the Property Manager/Property Owner will be removed from the non-compliance list within a reasonable time. Following the removal from the non-compliance list, a Property Manager/Property Owner must continue to provide Student Legal Service with a direct point-of-contact for an additional 12 months. Successful completion of probation does not prevent subsequent listing of U of M non-compliance list for future qualifying events. For more information see: https://ocl.umn.edu/non-compliance-properties.