Minnesota State Wire

After a decade of eviction prevention programs, the rate of court-ordered eviction of Minnesota renters drops as the economy improves. 

Minnesota saw the worst foreclosure crisis over the past decade with banks evicting homeowners over loan defaults at a staggeringly high rate. The crisis seems to be coming to an end thanks to substantial improvements in the state’s economy, tenants fighting back legally and rigorous awareness programs that highlighted the impacts of eviction on families.

With eviction rates more than 50% in the past decade, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency reported that low-income families and families of color were the worst affected of this crisis. The eviction rates have now dropped to 40% and the culture of settlements between homeowners and renters has flourished.

The eviction rates in Hennepin and Ramsey – the counties with highest court order evictions – have now dropped by 22% and 39% respectively. Other counties have also shown a significant decrease in eviction rates, according to Star Tribune.

Legal Experts suggest that this decrease in eviction rates is due to the adoption of the right to counsel policies by the legislative authorities. This policy not only allows renters to acquire housing attorneys but also creates a general awareness of the rights of tenants. Luke Grundman, a legal expert working at the Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid, addresses how legislative changes have helped tenants.

“The right to counsel has helped renters to fight back," Grundman said. "Homeowners now know that they will face a legal battle if they wrongly evict a family.”

House eviction orders by courts amount to death sentences for most of the evicted families. They end up being homeless as no homeowner is willing to rent out their house to a family with a track record of eviction. With growing awareness campaigns and policy decisions, Minnesota seems to have gotten the foreclosure crisis under control.