Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vetoes eviction notice extension for 2nd time
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed an effort to extend the pre-eviction filing notice period by 15 days, weeks after shooting down a similar measure that would have extended the period by 30 days.
The ordinance, which the City Council passed 8-5, would temporarily require landlords to wait 45 days — instead of the customary 30 — before bringing an eviction notice to the renter.
Supporters of the ordinance say it would ease the burden on vulnerable communities impacted by Operation Metro Surge and give them more time to access rental assistance.
"This is a sad day for the most vulnerable residents in our city, particularly those most impacted by Operation Metro Surge. Data clearly shows that evictions are skyrocketing, yet temporarily extending eviction notices by 15 days gets vetoed," Council President Elliott Payne said about the veto.
Frey defended his decision to veto the proposal, arguing it does not solve the root issue of whether a tenant can afford rent.
"Eviction extensions and moratoriums will create a larger debt trap for our already vulnerable neighbors facing housing insecurity as a result of Operation Metro Surge," Frey said. "As I articulated when I vetoed a 60-day eviction notice, rental assistance is the best way to support renters. That's why I have signed $3.8 million in rental assistance and secured $3 million in matching funds."
The city is partnering with Hennepin County to provide emergency rental assistance. Eligible renters need to make at or below 30% of the area's median income and show that they were sent an eviction notice with proof that they have overdue rent payments.
According to the nonprofit Homeline, eviction notices were up 18% in Minnesota compared to the same time last year. In Minneapolis, there was a 60% spike in filings in March 2026 compared to March 2025, despite reporting a decrease in eviction filings earlier in the quarter.
However, a spokesperson for the mayor's office argues the data is "not a reliable benchmark," adding that filings in March 2025 were "unusually low due to timing impacts from the 30-day pre-eviction notice ordinance.
"When you compare against an outlier, it can make normal variation look like a surge," the spokesperson said. "Looking at the full quarter tells a more accurate story. The eviction filing rate was about 1.35% in Q1 2025 and 1.45% in Q1 2026 — a very comparable range year over year."