Library Research Guides: Landlord and Tenant: Legal Help

Resources for Help or Legal Assistance

Minnesota

HOME Line - Free legal help for renters
HOME Line provides free and low-cost legal, organizing, education, and advocacy services so that tenants throughout Minnesota can solve their own rental housing problems. They provide a number of free form letters to help you communicate and document your rental housing issues.
Minnesota Multi Housing Association (MHA)
Hotline: (952) 858-8222 Dial "0" for Voicemail
MHA's landlord/tenant hotline provides pre-recorded information on security deposits, leases, giving notice, discrimination and other
topics related to rental statutes and rights. If your question is not answered within the recording, you may leave a message and one of
our knowledgeable volunteers will return your call.
Power-Up Legal Clinic - Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services
Link goes to list of clinics offered by SMRLS. See Power-up Legal Clinic in the list.
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Dates are listed for upcoming clinics on the SMRLS website. The instructions direct you to call 651-222-5863 beginning at 12:30pm on the day of the clinic. Or, go to Progressive Baptist Church on the day of the clinic between 12:30 and 3 and say you are there for the Power Up Legal Clinic. The address is 1505 Burns Ave, St Paul.

This information was updated on 2/20/24.
Volunteer Lawyers Network (VLN)
VLN can help tenants experiencing poverty with eviction, rent escrow, eviction expungement, repairs, landlord/tenant issues, and more. VLN provides free full representation to landlords with income below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines, provided that the landlord lives in the same building as the tenant, and free legal advice for landlords with income below 300% who live in the same building.

To find out if VLN can assist you, visit their website or call 612-752-6677.
Small Business Landlord Brief Advice Clinic
2nd and 4th Wednesdays of each month from noon to 1:00 p.m. To qualify for a clinic consultation, landlords must be at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for the size of their household. Given the nature of landlord/tenant law, we will not be accepting matters in full representation.
U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - MN Office

Hennepin County

Hennepin County Emergency Assistance program
When families are in a financial crisis that poses a direct threat to the physical health or safety of a child younger than 18, the Hennepin County Emergency Assistance program can help by providing short-term aid.
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Services include:

Housing costs such as rent payments, damage deposits, home repairs, utility bills
Foreclosure prevention, moving expenses, transportation for homeless families
Additional food support for people who have specific dietary needs (special diets)
Hennepin County Housing Court Project
At the Housing Court Project clinic, tenants and landlords with low income who live in Hennepin County can get free legal advice consults on a first-come, first-served basis at the hours listed below. The clinic is on the 3rd floor of the C tower in the Hennepin County Government Center located at 300 S. 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55487.
Tenant Resource Center
Assistance for Hennepin County residents.

Ramsey County

Ramsey County Housing & Conciliation Court Self-Help Center
Volunteer attorneys will be available for brief phone consultation to help you prepare for your hearing in housing or conciliation court. This clinic is for residents of Ramsey County or people with cases in Ramsey County District Court. Open to both tenants and landlords.

Washington County

Tenant Legal Advice Clinic - Washington County Law Library
Tenant Legal Advice Clinics are held every month on the second Thursday from 1 to 3 p.m. This clinic is for people facing any of the following: eviction or threat of, repair requests, security deposits, privacy issues, utilities.

Minnesota Legal Advice Online

Minnesota Legal Advice Online (MLAO)
Volunteer attorneys answer legal questions via email for individuals who meet income qualifications.

Alternative Dispute Resolution and Mediation Services

Community Mediation Minnesota
Contact info@CommunityMediationMN.org or 1-833-266-2663.
Dispute Resolution Center
Community Mediation and Restorative Justice Services in Dakota, Ramsey and Washington Counties

General Legal Referrals

Legal Referrals by County This link opens in a new window
Legal Referrals by Type of Case/Problem This link opens in a new window
Find a Lawyer - Minnesota Judicial Branch This link opens in a new window
MN State Bar Association - Find a Lawyer This link opens in a new window
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) / Mediation - Minnesota Judicial Branch This link opens in a new window

Choosing a Lawyer - What to Consider

DISCLAIMER

In our positions as librarians, not lawyers, we can suggest resources but cannot give legal advice (such as which form to file) or legal opinions (such as how a statute might apply to particular facts). To do so could be considered the unauthorized practice of law. Even though we try to suggest materials that will be of help, more research is often required to find a complete and correct answer. For many questions, the best answer may be to consult an attorney.

Finding an Attorney

Landlord and Tenant

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