October 28, 2026 | Mark Luis Foster
Minnesota’s new HOA legislation, SF 1750, includes many provisions that we’ve and others have been writing about, including competitive bidding requirements, homeowner rights and board responsibilities.
But one important provision has received relatively little attention: protecting the identity and residential address of certain homeowners who may be at risk of violence, stalking or harassment. As we’ve been discussing at chapters, this provision, while rare, could have serious implications if not followed completely.
It all starts in a few months, January 1, 2027, when Minnesota HOA boards will have an additional legal responsibility involving the state’s Safe at Home program. I’ve attempted to summarize the issues below:
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What Is Minnesota’s Safe at Home Program?
Safe at Home is an address confidentiality program administered by the Minnesota Secretary of State. It helps protect people who fear for their personal safety, including survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and harassment.
Participants receive a special mailing address through the Secretary of State’s office. Rather than disclosing their actual residential address, they can use this substitute address for official correspondence. Minnesota law requires public and private organizations, including HOAs, to accept this designated address.
The purpose is simple: prevent someone who poses a threat from discovering where a protected individual lives.
What Does SF 1750 Change?
Under SF 1750, Minnesota’s Common Interest Ownership Act (MCIOA) is amended to specifically address violations of Safe at Home confidentiality protections.Beginning January 1, 2027, an HOA’s disclosure of protected information in violation of Minnesota Statutes Section 5B.05(d) will also constitute a violation of MCIOA.
This is significant because MCIOA provides legal remedies when associations violate applicable statutory requirements. The underlying Safe at Home confidentiality obligations already exist. SF 1750 adds an explicit connection to Minnesota’s HOA laws.
How Could an HOA Accidentally Violate the Law?
Worth paying complete attention to! Consider some everyday activities performed by HOA boards and property managers:
- Distributing homeowner directories containing names and addresses.
- Sharing owner contact information with contractors or other homeowners.
- Providing association records in response to homeowner requests.
- Publishing meeting materials identifying particular residences and owners.
- Maintaining online homeowner portals with accessible resident information.
If an association has been notified that a homeowner participates in Safe at Home, improperly disclosing protected information could create serious safety concerns and legal consequences. Even an unintentional disclosure could put someone at risk. This is where boards really need to understand this provision.
What Should HOA Boards Do?
Boards should begin reviewing their information-handling procedures before January 2027.
Five practical steps are worth considering:
- Educate your board members and managers. Make sure they understand the Safe at Home program and its confidentiality requirements.
- Review homeowner records. Establish procedures for using substitute addresses and protecting confidential information.
- Limit access. Ensure sensitive information is available only to individuals with a legitimate need and appropriate authorization.
- Examine disclosure practices. Review how directories, meeting materials, vendor information and homeowner records are shared.
- Establish a response procedure. Determine how the association will handle confidentiality requests and potential accidental disclosures.
Boards should work with legal counsel when necessary to ensure these procedures meet statutory requirements. If you have a property manager, make sure they are up to speed on this provision and are working with you to ensure no confidential information is disclosed as part of the communications process.
Privacy Is Part of Responsible HOA Leadership
HOA boards routinely handle personal information about the people living in their association. Most of that information seems ordinary when boards review information related to collections, legal matters, or even just common lists of email and addresses. But for someone escaping abuse or harassment, disclosing a residential address could have serious consequences for a board that’s not paying attention.
SF 1750 reinforces an important principle: Protecting homeowner information isn’t simply good administrative practice. In certain circumstances, it’s a matter of personal safety and legal compliance.
Minnesota HOA leaders should make this issue part of their preparations for January 1, 2027.
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