Metro file
Voter-approved 3% cap with a 20-year new-construction exemption and a reasonable-return petition path for landlords. Minneapolis has no cap — the two river cities differ, and confusing them is the most common Minnesota mistake.
St. Paul voters approved a 3% annual cap in 2021 — the hardest percentage cap in the Midwest. New construction is exempt for its first 20 years, landlords may petition for a reasonable return above the cap, and the city administers the program through its rent stabilization office.
The most common Minnesota mistake has a river in it: Minneapolis, directly across the Mississippi, has no cap at all. The same metro area holds two opposite answers, separated by a bridge. Check which side of it your address is on before you believe either one.
Rules checked October 2026