Minnesota Housing establishes minimum design standards to help meet Minnesotans' needs for decent, safe and sustainable affordable housing. These standards provide assistance to architects and contractors in understanding their role within Minnesota Housing's development process and associated requirements with their services.
2022 Rental Housing Design/Construction Standards (RHD/CS) - Applicable to all Multifamily projects. Multifamily Projects may include single family homes, duplexes, townhomes and multi-storied buildings with elevators in which the occupants are renters and do not own the property.
Architect's Guide - Requirements, information and best practices for architects
Contractor's Guide - Requirements, information and best practices for general contractors
Environmental Standards - Information and policy requirements for both new construction and rehabilitation projects
Physical Needs Assessment Template (Multifamily Buildings)
Physical Needs Assessment Template (Single Family Homes)
20 Year Capital Expenditure Template (Scattered Site/Multiple Building Type Version)
20 Year Capital Expenditure Template
20 Year Capital Expenditure Template Instructions
Architects Opinion Letter (for Loan Closing and Commitment)
Certificate of General Contractor and Owner (for Construction Close-out Checklist)
To be used only with Minnesota Housing approval
Limited Scope Project Sustainability Requirements
Limited Scope Project Abbreviated Design Standards
2022 MN Overlay and Guide to the 2020 Green Communities Criteria (current version)
Multifamily Intended Methods Worksheet (current version)
Single Family Intended Methods Worksheet (current version)
Criteria 5.1b Prescriptive Pathway Compliance Worksheet
2020 Enterprise Green Communities Criteria 1.1 Integrative Design Project Priorities Survey
The 2022 MN Overlay and Guide adopts and overlays the 2020 version of the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria (EGCC). The 2020 version of EGCC is available on the Enterprise Green Communities Criteria website.
