New Resource for Minnesota Homeowners: The CIC/HOA Ombudsperson

Minnesota recently created a new role to help homeowners and homeowner associations better understand their rights and resolve disputes: the Minnesota Common Interest Community (CIC) / HOA Ombudsperson office. For homeowners who live in townhomes, condos, or other communities with an association, this new office may be a helpful resource.

Many homes in Minnesota are part of a Common Interest Community (CIC) or homeowners association (HOA). These communities typically have governing documents and rules, as well as shared responsibilities like maintenance. Disagreements can happen between homeowners and their associations.

The new ombudsperson office was created to help people better understand those systems and find ways to resolve conflicts before they become bigger conflicts or legal disputes. Below, we break down what the ombudsperson can and cannot do for you.

What the Ombudsperson Can Do

The CIC/HOA Ombudsperson serves as a neutral information and problem-solving resource for both homeowners and associations. Think of them as a mediator—they help navigate conflict when normal channels aren’t working.

Here is some of what this office can do:

Provide education and information

• Explain common HOA or CIC documents in plain language

• Share resources about homeowner rights and responsibilities

• Help people understand how Minnesota laws apply to CICs

Connect homeowners to resources

• Provide information about dispute resolution options

• Share links and guidance related to association documents and state laws

Offer informal mediation

• Facilitate voluntary conversations between homeowners and associations

• Support cooperative problem-solving without going to court

Track common issues

• Collect information about complaints and concerns

• Identify patterns and share insights with lawmakers if policy changes may be needed

The Ombudsperson works best when you want to understand your options or need help getting communication back on track. This isn't about enforcement—it's about education and conversation.

What the Ombudsperson Cannot Do

While this office can provide helpful guidance, it does not have legal authority to take action in disputes. The ombudsperson cannot:

• Provide legal advice

• Interpret your specific HOA documents as a lawyer would

• Represent homeowners or associations in court

• Investigate complaints or issue penalties

• Enforce HOA rules or bylaws

• Force an association to change a decision

• Require either party to participate in mediation

In other words, the ombudsperson is not a judge, lawyer, or regulator. Their role is to educate and facilitate communication.

When This Resource Might Help

The CIC/HOA Ombudsperson may be useful if you need help:

• Translating complex documents into everyday language

• Questions about assessments, maintenance responsibilities, or insurance

• Restarting conversations with your HOA when they’ve stalled

• Addressing disagreements with an HOA board that you hope to resolve through discussion

• Understanding your rights as a homeowner

Remember, because the ombudsperson cannot enforce decisions or provide legal advice, some situations may require other resources.

Why This Matters for Homeowners

Many homeowners find HOA rules and state laws confusing. By providing plain-language information and voluntary mediation, the CIC/HOA Ombudsperson aims to help resolve issues earlier before they become expensive or go to court. 

Advocacy in Action

Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity was proud to support efforts at the Minnesota Legislature to create this new ombudsperson office. Through our advocacy work, we heard directly from homeowners about confusing rules, disputes with associations, and the stress that comes when there isn’t a clear place to turn for help. Establishing this office was an important step toward giving Minnesota homeowners better access to information, resources, and dispute-resolution support. This session, we look forward to building off this progress and advancing a set of reforms around transparency, oversight, and communication to improve this environment even further.

This is also a great example of why advocacy matters. When Habitat supporters and community members share their experiences with policymakers, it helps shape better housing policies for everyone. Twin Cities Habitat offers many ways for supporters to get involved—from signing up for action alerts to meeting with elected officials and sharing their stories at Habitat on the Hill. Together, our voices can lead to real change, like the creation of the new CIC/HOA Ombudsperson office.