Laserfiche WebLink
Sec. 57. \[327.30\] SACRED COMMUNITIES AND MICRO-UNIT DWELLINGS. <br />Subdivision 1. Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the <br />meanings given. <br />(b) Chronically homeless" means an individual who: <br />(1) is homeless and lives or resides in a place not meant for human habitation, a safe <br />haven, or in an emergency shelter; <br />(2) has been homeless and living or residing in a place not meant for human habitation, <br />a safe haven, or in an emergency shelter continuously for at least one year or on at least <br />four separate occasions in the last three years; and <br />(3) has an adult head of household, or a minor head-of-household if no adult is present <br />in the household, with a diagnosable substance use disorder, serious mental illness, <br />developmental disability, post-traumatic stress disorder, cognitive impairments resulting <br />from a brain injury, or chronic physical illness or disability, including the co-occurrence of <br />two or more of those conditions. <br />(c) "Designated volunteers" means persons who have not experienced homelessness <br />and have been approved by the religious institution to live in a sacred community as their sole <br />form of housing. <br />(d) "Extremely low income" means an income that is equal to or less than 30 percent of <br />the area median income, adjusted for family size, as estimated by the Department of Housing <br />and Urban Development. <br />(e) "Micro unit" means a mobile residential dwelling providing permanent housing <br />within a sacred community that meets the requirements of subdivision 4. <br />(f) "Religious institution" means a church, synagogue, mosque, or other religious <br />organization organized under chapter 315. <br />(g) "Sacred community" means a residential settlement established on or contiguous to <br />the grounds of a religious institution's primary worship location primarily for the purpose <br />of providing permanent housing for chronically homeless persons, extremely low-income <br />persons, and designated volunteers that meets the requirements of subdivision 3. <br />Subd. 2. Dwelling in micro units in sacred communities authorized. Religious institutions are <br />authorized to provide permanent housing to people who are chronically homeless, extremely <br />low-income, or designated volunteers, in sacred communities composed of micro units subject to <br />the provisions of this section. Each religious institution that has sited a sacred community must <br />annually certify to the local unit of government that it has complied with the eligibility <br />requirements for residents of a sacred community in this section. <br />Subd. 3. Sacred community requirements. (a) A sacred community must provide residents of <br />micro units access to water and electric utilities either by connecting the micro units to the <br /> <br />