Minnesota Democrats introduced legislation to prohibit cities from penalizing homeless people who are camping in public areas. The bill would allow homeless individuals to reside at public plazas, sidewalks, parking lots and more.
“A municipality must not impose a penalty on a homeless individual for a use of public land,” HF 5004 says. The bill was introduced in the Minnesota House of Representatives last month by DFL Rep. Leigh Finke; its counterpart in the Minnesota Senate is authored by DFL Sen. Liz Boldon.
The bill would specifically allow homeless populations to sleep, rest, protect their property, eat, drink and perform other “life-sustaining activities” on public land if no adequate indoor alternative is available.
If an adequate indoor alternative is unavailable, then HF 5004 allows the homeless to use publicly-owned “plazas, courtyards, parking lots, sidewalks, public transportation facilities and services, public buildings, shopping centers, underpasses and lands adjacent to roadways, and parks” for those “life-sustaining activities.”
In addition to performing “life-sustaining activities,” the bill would allow homeless people to panhandle for food and donations, occupy a lawfully parked vehicle, and “pray, meditate, worship, or practice religion” in those public areas.
HF 5004 preempts any local ordinance that conflicts with the proposed legislation. This means local governments would be prohibited from enacting ordinances that conflict with HF 5004 and its provisions.
Under HF 5004, the attorney general of Minnesota is given authority to investigate and prosecute local governments that violate HF 5004. Additionally, the bill gives homeless individuals the ability to sue cities for violations of the proposed law.
At present, the 2026 legislative session is in its final weeks and is scheduled to end on May 18. Boldon’s bill and its counterpart in the House were introduced late in this year’s session and neither has received a hearing in legislative committee.
As such, the proposal appears to be going nowhere this year.
Hayley Feland
Hayley Feland previously worked as a journalist with The Minnesota Sun, The Wisconsin Daily Star, and The College Fix. She is a Minnesota native with a passion for politics and journalism.
