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Focus on New Laws: Fire Suppression Grant Program and Reporting Requirements
A law in effect as of July 1, 2023, establishes a new high-rise sprinkler system grant program and imposes new reporting requirements for first- and second-class cities.
As a part of the 2023 housing finance and policy omnibus bill, now Chapter 37 in 2023 Session Law, property owners will be able to access $10 million in one-time funding in fiscal year 2024 as part of the new high-rise sprinkler system grant program.
The program will provide grant funding for installation of sprinkler fire suppression systems in eligible high-rise multifamily buildings that do not have sprinkler fire suppression systems.
Program eligibility
To be eligible, a building must have at least one story used for human occupancy 75 feet or more above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access, and at least two-thirds of the units must be affordable to those at or below 50% of the area median income.
Of the $10 million in one-time funding, $4 million is set aside for two specific properties in the City of Minneapolis. Grant awards up to $2 million are limited to owners of eligible buildings. The program includes a 25% matching requirement for nonprofits and a 50% matching requirement for for-profits and the program prioritizes nonprofit applicants.
Reporting requirements
Additionally, as a way to understand the scope of the need in Minnesota cities for high-rise building fire suppression systems, the law imposes new reporting requirements for all first-class cities (population of more than 100,000 residents) and second-class cities (population between 20,001 and 100,000 residents).
By June 20, 2024, all first- and second-class cities must provide a list of each residential building that meets certain criteria to the State Fire Marshal. Cities must list buildings that have at least one story used for human occupancy 75 feet or more above the lowest level of fire department vehicle access, that were not required to include a sprinkler fire suppression system at the time of construction and have not been retrofitted with one. Cities must provide an updated list after the initial report by June 30, 2027, and again by June 30, 2032.