23.1004.01000
Sixty-eighth
Legislative Assembly HOUSE BILL NO. 1535
of North Dakota
Introduced by
Representatives Boschee, Dakane
Senator Braunberger
1 A BILL for an Act to create and enact two new sections to chapter 47-16 of the North Dakota
2 Century Code, relating to residential leases and evictions.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF NORTH DAKOTA:
4 SECTION 1. A new section to chapter 47-16 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
5 and enacted as follows:
6 Termination of lease - Limited.
7 A landlord may not send a letter of termination, a letter of nonrenewal, or a letter to vacate
8 or cause a real property lease for residential purposes to terminate during the months of
9 November through March unless the tenant:
10 1. Has caused or is causing significant damage to the premises;
11 2. Poses a safety risk to other tenants, the landlord, or the property manager; or
12 3. Has not paid a monthly rent payment in the previous five months.
13 SECTION 2. A new section to chapter 47-16 of the North Dakota Century Code is created
14 and enacted as follows:
15 Residential rental advisory committee - Creation - Members - Duties.
16 1. The North Dakota housing finance agency shall develop the residential rental advisory
17 committee. The committee shall meet, at minimum, twice per calendar year and is
18 comprised of:
19 a. The executive director of the North Dakota housing finance agency, or the
20 director's designee;
21 b. The executive director of the North Dakota department of health and human
22 services, or the director's designee;
23 c. Five residents of the state who are tenants under a real property lease for
24 residential purposes, with no more than two individuals being from the same or
Page No. 1 23.1004.01000
 Sixty-eighth
Legislative Assembly
1 an adjacent county and at least one individual from a county with fewer than ten
2 thousand residents based on the most recent federal decennial census,
3 appointed by the executive director of the housing finance agency;
4 d. One individual who owns fewer than ten residential units, appointed by the
5 executive director of the housing finance agency;
6 e. One individual who owns between ten and one hundred residential units,
7 appointed by the executive director of the housing finance agency;
8 f. One individual who owns one hundred or more residential units, appointed by the
9 executive director of the housing finance agency;
10 g. One individual who manages residential real estate, appointed by the executive
11 director of the housing finance agency;
12 h. One representative from the state organization that administers the United States
13 department of housing and urban development grant for education, advocacy,
14 and fair housing enforcement, appointed by the executive director of the housing
15 finance agency;
16 i. The commissioner of the department of labor and human rights, or the
17 commissioner's designee;
18 j. One individual who is formerly homeless, appointed by the executive director of
19 the housing finance agency;
20 k. One representative from a community-based homeless coalition, appointed by
21 the executive director of the housing finance agency;
22 l. One representative from a local or statewide community action agency, appointed
23 by the executive director of the housing finance agency;
24 m. Two members of the legislative assembly appointed by the chairman of the
25 legislative management. The members may not represent the same political
26 party, and one member must be from the senate and one from the house of
27 representatives;
28 n. One city commissioner or one city council member, appointed by the executive
29 director of the housing finance agency; and
30 o. One county commissioner, appointed by the executive director of the housing
31 finance agency.
Page No. 2 23.1004.01000
 Sixty-eighth
Legislative Assembly
1 2. The residential rental advisory committee shall:
2 a. Provide guidance to the housing finance agency to reduce the statewide rate of
3 eviction;
4 b. Develop and promote a residential tenant bill of rights;
5 c. Regularly review, update, and promote the housing finance agency's guidelines
6 relating to landlord and tenant rights within this state;
7 d. Regularly review, update, and promote informational resources for tenants and
8 landlords within this state; and
9 e. Provide guidance to the state and city and county governments to improve tenant
10 and landlord relationships.
11 3. The residential rental advisory committee may apply for and receive public and private
12 funding to carry out the duties of this section.
13 4. The executive director of the housing finance agency shall select new members to
14 serve on the residential rental advisory committee on the last Thursday in December
15 of each even-numbered year.
Page No. 3 23.1004.01000