September 14, 2026 | Mark Luis Foster
Could we have a new HOA Ombudsman?
As you likely remember from our past blogs, the first ombudsman went out as fast as he came in, and we’ve been waiting for a new replacement ever since. This July 2025 mandated office, part of the MN Dept of Commerce, has yet to really get off the ground.
Our understanding is that there could be a new guy, a Robert Morneau. A quick search reveals this:
Before building the Minnesota CIC and HOA Ombudsperson Office from the ground up, Robert Morneau spent nearly a decade serving as a Regional Ombudsman for the Minnesota Office of Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities (OMHDD). [1]
In his years working under the OMHDD banner, Morneau’s primary professional background consisted of the following roles and responsibilities:
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Independent Patient & Client Advocate: He worked directly in the field, investigating complaints and protecting the legal rights of vulnerable Minnesotans receiving services for mental illness, developmental disabilities, and chemical dependency.
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Systems Accountability Contact: He represented regional interests on specialized state boards, such as acting as the designated Dakota County contact for the Metro Regional Quality Council, where he audited care systems to improve service outcomes.
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Continuing Education Instructor: He regularly acted as an industry educator, presenting compliance and rights lectures to peer organizations like the Minnesota Association for Home Care Social Workers.
Still unverified though, and no official word from the Dept of Commerce.
So…I reached out to his Office to invite him to a video interview — and we sincerely hope he obliges. Of course, we tried and tried with the first Ombudsman and got nowhere. And then — poof — he was gone. We hope for a better result this go-around.
After sending our invite via email to Mr. Morneau, we received this response automagically:
Thank you for contacting the CIC HOA Ombudsperson Office. Due to high demand, there may be a significant delay in responding to your inquiry.Please note that new HOA/CIC complaints and requests for informal mediation are not being accepted at this time. Please check our website for further updates. In the meantime, please see the resources available on our website: Ombudsperson Services / Minnesota Department of Commerce – Consumer
