1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to taxation; reducing the general education 
  1.3             levy; reducing the class rates on rental residential 
  1.4             property and commercial-industrial property; amending 
  1.5             Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 124A.23, subdivision 
  1.6             1; and 273.13, subdivisions 24 and 25; repealing 
  1.7             Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 273.13, subdivision 
  1.8             32. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 124A.23, 
  1.11  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.12     Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL EDUCATION TAX RATE.] The 
  1.13  commissioner shall establish the general education tax rate by 
  1.14  July 1 of each year for levies payable in the following year.  
  1.15  The general education tax capacity rate shall be a rate, rounded 
  1.16  up to the nearest tenth of a percent, that, when applied to the 
  1.17  adjusted net tax capacity for all districts, raises the amount 
  1.18  specified in this subdivision.  The general education tax rate 
  1.19  shall be the rate that raises $1,054,000,000 for fiscal year 
  1.20  1996 and $1,359,000,000 for fiscal year 1997, $1,249,000,000 for 
  1.21  fiscal year 1998, $1,139,000,000 for fiscal year 1999, 
  1.22  $1,029,000,000 for fiscal year 2000, $919,000,000 for fiscal 
  1.23  year 2001, and $809,000,000 for fiscal year 2002 and later 
  1.24  fiscal years.  The general education tax rate may not be changed 
  1.25  due to changes or corrections made to a district's adjusted net 
  1.26  tax capacity after the tax rate has been established.  
  1.27     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 273.13, 
  2.1   subdivision 24, is amended to read: 
  2.2      Subd. 24.  [CLASS 3.] (a) Commercial and industrial 
  2.3   property and utility real and personal property, except class 5 
  2.4   property as identified in subdivision 31, clause (1), is class 
  2.5   3a.  It has a class rate of three percent of the first $100,000 
  2.6   of market value for taxes payable in 1993 1997, 2.9 percent of 
  2.7   market value for taxes payable in 1998, 2.8 percent of market 
  2.8   value for taxes payable in 1999, 2.7 percent of market value for 
  2.9   taxes payable in 2000, 2.6 percent of market value for taxes 
  2.10  payable in 2001, and 2.5 percent of market value for taxes 
  2.11  payable in 2002 and thereafter, and 5.06 4.6 percent of the 
  2.12  market value over $100,000 for taxes payable in 1997, 4.5 
  2.13  percent of the market value over $100,000 for taxes payable in 
  2.14  1998, 4.4 percent of the market value over $100,000 for taxes 
  2.15  payable in 1999, 4.3 percent of the market value over $100,000 
  2.16  for taxes payable in 2000, 4.2 percent of the market value over 
  2.17  $100,000 for taxes payable in 2001, and 4.0 percent of the 
  2.18  market value over $100,000 for taxes payable in 2002 and 
  2.19  thereafter.  In the case of state-assessed commercial, 
  2.20  industrial, and utility property owned by one person or entity, 
  2.21  only one parcel has a reduced class rate on the first $100,000 
  2.22  of market value.  In the case of other commercial, industrial, 
  2.23  and utility property owned by one person or entity, only one 
  2.24  parcel in each county has a reduced class rate on the first 
  2.25  $100,000 of market value, except that: 
  2.26     (1) if the market value of the parcel is less than 
  2.27  $100,000, and additional parcels are owned by the same person or 
  2.28  entity in the same city or town within that county, the reduced 
  2.29  class rate shall be applied up to a combined total market value 
  2.30  of $100,000 for all parcels owned by the same person or entity 
  2.31  in the same city or town within the county; 
  2.32     (2) in the case of grain, fertilizer, and feed elevator 
  2.33  facilities, as defined in section 18C.305, subdivision 1, or 
  2.34  232.21, subdivision 8, the limitation to one parcel per owner 
  2.35  per county for the reduced class rate shall not apply, but there 
  2.36  shall be a limit of $100,000 of preferential value per site of 
  3.1   contiguous parcels owned by the same person or entity.  Only the 
  3.2   value of the elevator portion of each parcel shall qualify for 
  3.3   treatment under this clause.  For purposes of this subdivision, 
  3.4   contiguous parcels include parcels separated only by a railroad 
  3.5   or public road right-of-way; and 
  3.6      (3) in the case of property owned by a nonprofit charitable 
  3.7   organization that qualifies for tax exemption under section 
  3.8   501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended 
  3.9   through December 31, 1993, if the property is used as a business 
  3.10  incubator, the limitation to one parcel per owner per county for 
  3.11  the reduced class rate shall not apply, provided that the 
  3.12  reduced rate applies only to the first $100,000 of value per 
  3.13  parcel owned by the organization.  As used in this clause, a 
  3.14  "business incubator" is a facility used for the development of 
  3.15  nonretail businesses, offering access to equipment, space, 
  3.16  services, and advice to the tenant businesses, for the purpose 
  3.17  of encouraging economic development, diversification, and job 
  3.18  creation in the area served by the organization. 
  3.19     To receive the reduced class rate on additional parcels 
  3.20  under clause (1), (2), or (3), the taxpayer must notify the 
  3.21  county assessor that the taxpayer owns more than one parcel that 
  3.22  qualifies under clause (1), (2), or (3). 
  3.23     (b) Employment property defined in section 469.166, during 
  3.24  the period provided in section 469.170, shall constitute class 
  3.25  3b and has a class rate of 2.3 percent of the first $50,000 of 
  3.26  market value and 3.6 percent of the remainder, except that for 
  3.27  employment property located in a border city enterprise zone 
  3.28  designated pursuant to section 469.168, subdivision 4, paragraph 
  3.29  (c), the class rate of the first $100,000 of market value and 
  3.30  the class rate of the remainder is determined under paragraph 
  3.31  (a), unless the governing body of the city designated as an 
  3.32  enterprise zone determines that a specific parcel shall be 
  3.33  assessed pursuant to the first clause of this sentence.  The 
  3.34  governing body may provide for assessment under the first clause 
  3.35  of the preceding sentence only for property which is located in 
  3.36  an area which has been designated by the governing body for the 
  4.1   receipt of tax reductions authorized by section 469.171, 
  4.2   subdivision 1. 
  4.3      (c) Structures which are (i) located on property classified 
  4.4   as class 3a, (ii) constructed under an initial building permit 
  4.5   issued after January 2, 1996, (iii) located in a transit zone as 
  4.6   defined under section 473.3915, subdivision 3, (iv) located 
  4.7   within the boundaries of a school district, and (v) not 
  4.8   primarily used for retail or transient lodging purposes, shall 
  4.9   have a class rate of four percent on that portion of the market 
  4.10  value in excess of $100,000 and any market value under $100,000 
  4.11  that does not qualify for the three percent class rate under 
  4.12  paragraph (a).  As used in item (v), a structure is primarily 
  4.13  used for retail or transient lodging purposes if over 50 percent 
  4.14  of its square footage is used for those purposes.  The four 
  4.15  percent rate shall also apply to improvements to existing 
  4.16  structures that meet the requirements of items (i) to (v) if the 
  4.17  improvements are constructed under an initial building permit 
  4.18  issued after January 2, 1996, even if the remainder of the 
  4.19  structure was constructed prior to January 2, 1996.  For the 
  4.20  purposes of this paragraph, a structure shall be considered to 
  4.21  be located in a transit zone if any portion of the structure 
  4.22  lies within the zone.  If any property once eligible for 
  4.23  treatment under this paragraph ceases to remain eligible due to 
  4.24  revisions in transit zone boundaries, the property shall 
  4.25  continue to receive treatment under this paragraph for a period 
  4.26  of three years. 
  4.27     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 273.13, 
  4.28  subdivision 25, is amended to read: 
  4.29     Subd. 25.  [CLASS 4.] (a) Class 4a is residential real 
  4.30  estate containing four or more units and used or held for use by 
  4.31  the owner or by the tenants or lessees of the owner as a 
  4.32  residence for rental periods of 30 days or more.  Class 4a also 
  4.33  includes hospitals licensed under sections 144.50 to 144.56, 
  4.34  other than hospitals exempt under section 272.02, and contiguous 
  4.35  property used for hospital purposes, without regard to whether 
  4.36  the property has been platted or subdivided.  Class 4a property 
  5.1   in a city with a population of 5,000 or less, that is (1) 
  5.2   located outside of the metropolitan area, as defined in section 
  5.3   473.121, subdivision 2, or outside any county contiguous to the 
  5.4   metropolitan area, and (2) whose city boundary is at least 15 
  5.5   miles from the boundary of any city with a population greater 
  5.6   than 5,000 has a class rate of 2.3 percent of market value for 
  5.7   taxes payable in 1996 and thereafter.  All other class 4a 
  5.8   property has a class rate of 3.4 percent of market value for 
  5.9   taxes payable in 1996 1997, 3.2 percent of market value for 
  5.10  taxes payable in 1998, 3.0 percent of market value for taxes 
  5.11  payable in 1999, 2.8 percent of market value for taxes payable 
  5.12  in 2000, 2.6 percent of market value for taxes payable in 2001, 
  5.13  and 2.5 percent of market value for taxes payable in 2002 and 
  5.14  thereafter.  For purposes of this paragraph, population has the 
  5.15  same meaning given in section 477A.011, subdivision 3. 
  5.16     (b) Class 4b includes: 
  5.17     (1) residential real estate containing less than four 
  5.18  units, other than seasonal residential, and recreational; 
  5.19     (2) manufactured homes not classified under any other 
  5.20  provision; 
  5.21     (3) a dwelling, garage, and surrounding one acre of 
  5.22  property on a nonhomestead farm classified under subdivision 23, 
  5.23  paragraph (b).  
  5.24     Class 4b property has a class rate of 2.8 2.3 percent of 
  5.25  market value for taxes payable in 1992, 2.5 1997, 2.2 percent of 
  5.26  market value for taxes payable in 1993, 1998, 2.1 percent of 
  5.27  market value for taxes payable in 1999, and 2.3 2.0 percent of 
  5.28  market value for taxes payable in 1994 2000 and thereafter. 
  5.29     (c) Class 4c property includes: 
  5.30     (1) a structure that is:  
  5.31     (i) situated on real property that is used for housing for 
  5.32  the elderly or for low- and moderate-income families as defined 
  5.33  in Title II, as amended through December 31, 1990, of the 
  5.34  National Housing Act or the Minnesota housing finance agency law 
  5.35  of 1971, as amended, or rules promulgated by the agency and 
  5.36  financed by a direct federal loan or federally insured loan made 
  6.1   pursuant to Title II of the Act; or 
  6.2      (ii) situated on real property that is used for housing the 
  6.3   elderly or for low- and moderate-income families as defined by 
  6.4   the Minnesota housing finance agency law of 1971, as amended, or 
  6.5   rules adopted by the agency pursuant thereto and financed by a 
  6.6   loan made by the Minnesota housing finance agency pursuant to 
  6.7   the provisions of the act.  
  6.8      This clause applies only to property of a nonprofit or 
  6.9   limited dividend entity.  Property is classified as class 4c 
  6.10  under this clause for 15 years from the date of the completion 
  6.11  of the original construction or substantial rehabilitation, or 
  6.12  for the original term of the loan.  
  6.13     (2) a structure that is: 
  6.14     (i) situated upon real property that is used for housing 
  6.15  lower income families or elderly or handicapped persons, as 
  6.16  defined in section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, 
  6.17  as amended; and 
  6.18     (ii) owned by an entity which has entered into a housing 
  6.19  assistance payments contract under section 8 which provides 
  6.20  assistance for 100 percent of the dwelling units in the 
  6.21  structure, other than dwelling units intended for management or 
  6.22  maintenance personnel.  Property is classified as class 4c under 
  6.23  this clause for the term of the housing assistance payments 
  6.24  contract, including all renewals, or for the term of its 
  6.25  permanent financing, whichever is shorter; and 
  6.26     (3) a qualified low-income building as defined in section 
  6.27  42(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended 
  6.28  through December 31, 1990, that (i) receives a low-income 
  6.29  housing credit under section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code of 
  6.30  1986, as amended through December 31, 1990; or (ii) meets the 
  6.31  requirements of that section and receives public financing, 
  6.32  except financing provided under sections 469.174 to 469.179, 
  6.33  which contains terms restricting the rents; or (iii) meets the 
  6.34  requirements of section 273.1317.  Classification pursuant to 
  6.35  this clause is limited to a term of 15 years.  The public 
  6.36  financing received must be from at least one of the following 
  7.1   sources:  government issued bonds exempt from taxes under 
  7.2   section 103 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended 
  7.3   through December 31, 1993, the proceeds of which are used for 
  7.4   the acquisition or rehabilitation of the building; programs 
  7.5   under section 221(d)(3), 202, or 236, of Title II of the 
  7.6   National Housing Act; rental housing program funds under Section 
  7.7   8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 or the market rate 
  7.8   family graduated payment mortgage program funds administered by 
  7.9   the Minnesota housing finance agency that are used for the 
  7.10  acquisition or rehabilitation of the building; public financing 
  7.11  provided by a local government used for the acquisition or 
  7.12  rehabilitation of the building, including grants or loans from 
  7.13  federal community development block grants, HOME block grants, 
  7.14  or residential rental bonds issued under chapter 474A; or other 
  7.15  rental housing program funds provided by the Minnesota housing 
  7.16  finance agency for the acquisition or rehabilitation of the 
  7.17  building. 
  7.18     For all properties described in clauses (1), (2), and (3) 
  7.19  and in paragraph (d), the market value determined by the 
  7.20  assessor must be based on the normal approach to value using 
  7.21  normal unrestricted rents unless the owner of the property 
  7.22  elects to have the property assessed under Laws 1991, chapter 
  7.23  291, article 1, section 55.  If the owner of the property elects 
  7.24  to have the market value determined on the basis of the actual 
  7.25  restricted rents, as provided in Laws 1991, chapter 291, article 
  7.26  1, section 55, the property will be assessed at the rate 
  7.27  provided for class 4a or class 4b property, as appropriate.  
  7.28  Properties described in clauses (1)(ii), (3), and (4) may apply 
  7.29  to the assessor for valuation under Laws 1991, chapter 291, 
  7.30  article 1, section 55.  The land on which these structures are 
  7.31  situated has the class rate given in paragraph (b) if the 
  7.32  structure contains fewer than four units, and the class rate 
  7.33  given in paragraph (a) if the structure contains four or more 
  7.34  units.  This clause applies only to the property of a nonprofit 
  7.35  or limited dividend entity.  
  7.36     (4) a parcel of land, not to exceed one acre, and its 
  8.1   improvements or a parcel of unimproved land, not to exceed one 
  8.2   acre, if it is owned by a neighborhood real estate trust and at 
  8.3   least 60 percent of the dwelling units, if any, on all land 
  8.4   owned by the trust are leased to or occupied by lower income 
  8.5   families or individuals.  This clause does not apply to any 
  8.6   portion of the land or improvements used for nonresidential 
  8.7   purposes.  For purposes of this clause, a lower income family is 
  8.8   a family with an income that does not exceed 65 percent of the 
  8.9   median family income for the area, and a lower income individual 
  8.10  is an individual whose income does not exceed 65 percent of the 
  8.11  median individual income for the area, as determined by the 
  8.12  United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.  For 
  8.13  purposes of this clause, "neighborhood real estate trust" means 
  8.14  an entity which is certified by the governing body of the 
  8.15  municipality in which it is located to have the following 
  8.16  characteristics: 
  8.17     (a) it is a nonprofit corporation organized under chapter 
  8.18  317A; 
  8.19     (b) it has as its principal purpose providing housing for 
  8.20  lower income families in a specific geographic community 
  8.21  designated in its articles or bylaws; 
  8.22     (c) it limits membership with voting rights to residents of 
  8.23  the designated community; and 
  8.24     (d) it has a board of directors consisting of at least 
  8.25  seven directors, 60 percent of whom are members with voting 
  8.26  rights and, to the extent feasible, 25 percent of whom are 
  8.27  elected by resident members of buildings owned by the trust; and 
  8.28     (5) except as provided in subdivision 22, paragraph (c), 
  8.29  real property devoted to temporary and seasonal residential 
  8.30  occupancy for recreation purposes, including real property 
  8.31  devoted to temporary and seasonal residential occupancy for 
  8.32  recreation purposes and not devoted to commercial purposes for 
  8.33  more than 250 days in the year preceding the year of 
  8.34  assessment.  For purposes of this clause, property is devoted to 
  8.35  a commercial purpose on a specific day if any portion of the 
  8.36  property is used for residential occupancy, and a fee is charged 
  9.1   for residential occupancy.  Class 4c also includes commercial 
  9.2   use real property used exclusively for recreational purposes in 
  9.3   conjunction with class 4c property devoted to temporary and 
  9.4   seasonal residential occupancy for recreational purposes, up to 
  9.5   a total of two acres, provided the property is not devoted to 
  9.6   commercial recreational use for more than 250 days in the year 
  9.7   preceding the year of assessment and is located within two miles 
  9.8   of the class 4c property with which it is used.  Class 4c 
  9.9   property classified in this clause also includes the remainder 
  9.10  of class 1c resorts.  Owners of real property devoted to 
  9.11  temporary and seasonal residential occupancy for recreation 
  9.12  purposes and all or a portion of which was devoted to commercial 
  9.13  purposes for not more than 250 days in the year preceding the 
  9.14  year of assessment desiring classification as class 1c or 4c, 
  9.15  must submit a declaration to the assessor designating the cabins 
  9.16  or units occupied for 250 days or less in the year preceding the 
  9.17  year of assessment by January 15 of the assessment year.  Those 
  9.18  cabins or units and a proportionate share of the land on which 
  9.19  they are located will be designated class 1c or 4c as otherwise 
  9.20  provided.  The remainder of the cabins or units and a 
  9.21  proportionate share of the land on which they are located will 
  9.22  be designated as class 3a.  The first $100,000 of the market 
  9.23  value of the remainder of the cabins or units and a 
  9.24  proportionate share of the land on which they are located shall 
  9.25  have a class rate of three percent.  The owner of property 
  9.26  desiring designation as class 1c or 4c property must provide 
  9.27  guest registers or other records demonstrating that the units 
  9.28  for which class 1c or 4c designation is sought were not occupied 
  9.29  for more than 250 days in the year preceding the assessment if 
  9.30  so requested.  The portion of a property operated as a (1) 
  9.31  restaurant, (2) bar, (3) gift shop, and (4) other nonresidential 
  9.32  facility operated on a commercial basis not directly related to 
  9.33  temporary and seasonal residential occupancy for recreation 
  9.34  purposes shall not qualify for class 1c or 4c; 
  9.35     (6) real property up to a maximum of one acre of land owned 
  9.36  by a nonprofit community service oriented organization; provided 
 10.1   that the property is not used for a revenue-producing activity 
 10.2   for more than six days in the calendar year preceding the year 
 10.3   of assessment and the property is not used for residential 
 10.4   purposes on either a temporary or permanent basis.  For purposes 
 10.5   of this clause, a "nonprofit community service oriented 
 10.6   organization" means any corporation, society, association, 
 10.7   foundation, or institution organized and operated exclusively 
 10.8   for charitable, religious, fraternal, civic, or educational 
 10.9   purposes, and which is exempt from federal income taxation 
 10.10  pursuant to section 501(c)(3), (10), or (19) of the Internal 
 10.11  Revenue Code of 1986, as amended through December 31, 1990.  For 
 10.12  purposes of this clause, "revenue-producing activities" shall 
 10.13  include but not be limited to property or that portion of the 
 10.14  property that is used as an on-sale intoxicating liquor or 3.2 
 10.15  percent malt liquor establishment licensed under chapter 340A, a 
 10.16  restaurant open to the public, bowling alley, a retail store, 
 10.17  gambling conducted by organizations licensed under chapter 349, 
 10.18  an insurance business, or office or other space leased or rented 
 10.19  to a lessee who conducts a for-profit enterprise on the 
 10.20  premises.  Any portion of the property which is used for 
 10.21  revenue-producing activities for more than six days in the 
 10.22  calendar year preceding the year of assessment shall be assessed 
 10.23  as class 3a.  The use of the property for social events open 
 10.24  exclusively to members and their guests for periods of less than 
 10.25  24 hours, when an admission is not charged nor any revenues are 
 10.26  received by the organization shall not be considered a 
 10.27  revenue-producing activity; 
 10.28     (7) post-secondary student housing of not more than one 
 10.29  acre of land that is owned by a nonprofit corporation organized 
 10.30  under chapter 317A and is used exclusively by a student 
 10.31  cooperative, sorority, or fraternity for on-campus housing or 
 10.32  housing located within two miles of the border of a college 
 10.33  campus; and 
 10.34     (8) manufactured home parks as defined in section 327.14, 
 10.35  subdivision 3. 
 10.36     Class 4c property has a class rate of 2.3 percent of market 
 11.1   value for taxes payable in 1997, 2.2 percent of market value for 
 11.2   taxes payable in 1998, 2.1 percent of market value for taxes 
 11.3   payable in 1999, and 2.0 percent of market value for taxes 
 11.4   payable in 2000 and thereafter, except that (i) for each parcel 
 11.5   of seasonal residential recreational property not used for 
 11.6   commercial purposes under clause (5) the first $72,000 of market 
 11.7   value on each parcel has a class rate of 1.75 percent for taxes 
 11.8   payable in 1997 and 1.5 percent for taxes payable in 1998 and 
 11.9   thereafter, and the market value of each parcel that exceeds 
 11.10  $72,000 has a class rate of 2.5 percent, and (ii) manufactured 
 11.11  home parks assessed under clause (8) have a class rate of two 
 11.12  percent for taxes payable in 1996, and thereafter.  
 11.13     (d) Class 4d property includes: 
 11.14     (1) a structure that is: 
 11.15     (i) situated on real property that is used for housing for 
 11.16  the elderly or for low and moderate income families as defined 
 11.17  by the Farmers Home Administration; 
 11.18     (ii) located in a municipality of less than 10,000 
 11.19  population; and 
 11.20     (iii) financed by a direct loan or insured loan from the 
 11.21  Farmers Home Administration.  Property is classified under this 
 11.22  clause for 15 years from the date of the completion of the 
 11.23  original construction or for the original term of the loan.  
 11.24     The class rates in paragraph (c), clauses (1), (2), and (3) 
 11.25  and this clause apply to the properties described in them, only 
 11.26  in proportion to occupancy of the structure by elderly or 
 11.27  handicapped persons or low and moderate income families as 
 11.28  defined in the applicable laws unless construction of the 
 11.29  structure had been commenced prior to January 1, 1984; or the 
 11.30  project had been approved by the governing body of the 
 11.31  municipality in which it is located prior to June 30, 1983; or 
 11.32  financing of the project had been approved by a federal or state 
 11.33  agency prior to June 30, 1983.  For those properties, 4c or 4d 
 11.34  classification is available only for those units meeting the 
 11.35  requirements of section 273.1318. 
 11.36     Classification under this clause is only available to 
 12.1   property of a nonprofit or limited dividend entity. 
 12.2      In the case of a structure financed or refinanced under any 
 12.3   federal or state mortgage insurance or direct loan program 
 12.4   exclusively for housing for the elderly or for housing for the 
 12.5   handicapped, a unit shall be considered occupied so long as it 
 12.6   is actually occupied by an elderly or handicapped person or, if 
 12.7   vacant, is held for rental to an elderly or handicapped person. 
 12.8      (2) For taxes payable in 1992, 1993, and 1994, only, 
 12.9   buildings and appurtenances, together with the land upon which 
 12.10  they are located, leased by the occupant under the community 
 12.11  lending model lease-purchase mortgage loan program administered 
 12.12  by the Federal National Mortgage Association, provided the 
 12.13  occupant's income is no greater than 60 percent of the county or 
 12.14  area median income, adjusted for family size and the building 
 12.15  consists of existing single family or duplex housing.  The lease 
 12.16  agreement must provide for a portion of the lease payment to be 
 12.17  escrowed as a nonrefundable down payment on the housing.  To 
 12.18  qualify under this clause, the taxpayer must apply to the county 
 12.19  assessor by May 30 of each year.  The application must be 
 12.20  accompanied by an affidavit or other proof required by the 
 12.21  assessor to determine qualification under this clause. 
 12.22     (3) Qualifying buildings and appurtenances, together with 
 12.23  the land upon which they are located, leased for a period of up 
 12.24  to five years by the occupant under a lease-purchase program 
 12.25  administered by the Minnesota housing finance agency or a 
 12.26  housing and redevelopment authority authorized under sections 
 12.27  469.001 to 469.047, provided the occupant's income is no greater 
 12.28  than 80 percent of the county or area median income, adjusted 
 12.29  for family size, and the building consists of two or less 
 12.30  dwelling units.  The lease agreement must provide for a portion 
 12.31  of the lease payment to be escrowed as a nonrefundable down 
 12.32  payment on the housing.  The administering agency shall verify 
 12.33  the occupants income eligibility and certify to the county 
 12.34  assessor that the occupant meets the income criteria under this 
 12.35  paragraph.  To qualify under this clause, the taxpayer must 
 12.36  apply to the county assessor by May 30 of each year.  For 
 13.1   purposes of this section, "qualifying buildings and 
 13.2   appurtenances" shall be defined as one or two unit residential 
 13.3   buildings which are unoccupied and have been abandoned and 
 13.4   boarded for at least six months. 
 13.5      Class 4d property has a class rate of two percent of market 
 13.6   value except that property classified under clause (3), shall 
 13.7   have the same class rate as class 1a property. 
 13.8      (e) Residential rental property that would otherwise be 
 13.9   assessed as class 4 property under paragraph (a); paragraph (b), 
 13.10  clauses (1) and (3); paragraph (c), clause (1), (2), (3), or 
 13.11  (4), is assessed at the class rate applicable to it under 
 13.12  Minnesota Statutes 1988, section 273.13, if it is found to be a 
 13.13  substandard building under section 273.1316.  Residential rental 
 13.14  property that would otherwise be assessed as class 4 property 
 13.15  under paragraph (d) is assessed at 2.3 percent of market value 
 13.16  if it is found to be a substandard building under section 
 13.17  273.1316. 
 13.18     (f) Class 4e property consists of the residential portion 
 13.19  of any structure located within a city that was converted from 
 13.20  nonresidential use to residential use, provided that: 
 13.21     (1) the structure had formerly been used as a warehouse; 
 13.22     (2) the structure was originally constructed prior to 1940; 
 13.23     (3) the conversion was done after December 31, 1995, but 
 13.24  before January 1, 2003; and 
 13.25     (4) the conversion involved an investment of at least 
 13.26  $25,000 per residential unit. 
 13.27     Class 4e property has a class rate of 2.3 percent, provided 
 13.28  that a structure is eligible for class 4e classification only in 
 13.29  the 12 assessment years immediately following the conversion. 
 13.30     Sec. 4.  [REPEALER.] 
 13.31     Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 273.13, subdivision 32, is 
 13.32  repealed. 
 13.33     Sec. 5.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
 13.34     Sections 2 to 4 are effective for taxes levied in 1997, 
 13.35  payable in 1998, and thereafter.