How many people in a Single Family?

Question

I know this probably varies from state to state or county to county, but how many unrelated people can you typically rent to in a single familiy house? I am looking to buy and rent out a house to six girls near a college campus in Minnesota they go to school but I am not sure if I can legally rent one house to all six of them. Does anyone know where I could figure this.

Thanks, this site is a great resource.

Richard F. · Answer

Generally speaking, the more bodies (big, little, or furry) in a unit, the more damage you will have. The definition of "normal wear and tear" seems to expand exponentially...Noise increases (which may affect the neighbors) and the amount of trash generated (that might not make it to the dumpster) increases as well.

Of course, if you are renting to the roomates in a college area, none of this may be a concern, but it WILL likely be a source of additional expenses for you long term.

Jon Holdman · Answer

I think there are multiple reasons.  One is parking.  A couple and kids probably have one or two cars.  At least until the kids get old enough to drive.  Six roommates may well have six cars.  Another is the "style" of housing   Single family residences are intended for a single family.  A bunch of college students in a house brings a very different tone to a house, as described in other threads.  So, I guess you're right about the overpopulation.

Afsheen Akbar · Answer

Thanks Wheatie. This make more sense.  So would u say the purpose of doing so is to make sure that no one area of the town gets overly populated??
Thanks for the clarification

Afsheen Akbar · Answer

I can use some help here :D 
When we say two unrelated adults sharing a house are we bascially talking about having two different leases for one SFH. What if there are only two leases but one bedroom is occupied by two people. Would that be the same sceniro.

If thats the case what about the apartments w/four bedrooms that have four different lease or would that again be a different situation cuz one is SFH and other is apartment.

I am sorry if this is alreayd answered here....im trying to catch on to the concepts here.
Thanks alot

Jon Holdman · Answer

Nothing to do with leases here.  You could have two or six or whatever unrelated people on the same lease or separate leases.  Wouldn't matter.  For student housing, like OracleofMN was discussing, I've seen it done both ways.  How you do it is up to you as the landlord.

The number of people living in one house or apartment may be limited by local zoning.  Its very common in "low density residential" zoning areas to have a limit that says no more than two unrelated people.  So two roommates is fine but three or more is not.  The number of leases is irrelevant.  But a married couple with three kids is OK.  Three brothers would be OK, too.

Sometimes there are limits based on bedrooms, such as max two people per bedroom.

The only way to know is to check with your local planning and zoning department.

Now, a landlord can impose additional limitations, if desired, as long as these don't violate fair housing guidelines.

Richard F. · Answer

As REI said, check your local laws. Or, more specifically, your building codes,  zoning information, and landlord tenant laws. Possibly health dept. regulations. In many locales the number of occupants is determined by the total number of square feet in the unit, and they only "count" certain rooms. And the rooms must have a minimum ceiling height. And in addition, it is not uncommon to have a requirement, for example, that a "bedroom" consists of a minimum of 100 sf, plus it must have a closet. And some locales, as well as certain privatized military housing, have complicated formulas regarding the ages/sex of minors that can share the same bedroom with other minors and/or adults.

Account Closed · Answer

Check the local laws. They work both ways. You can not rent to more people than is legal and at the same time you can not turn down a family for having too many people in a house if they fit the regulations.

In CA the law used to be 2 per bedroom was the max. It has been a real long time since I last checked the CA regulations.

It could also depend on how you identify the rooms. For college housing I have seen a number of properties where the living room is turned into a bedroom and done so legally. The conversion might only require you making a decision with no structural changes. A 3 bedroom becomes a 4 bedroom house and the cash-flow is dramatically different.

John Corey

Jon Holdman · Answer

Its a zoning issue.  You need to have a look at the city zoning map and the descriptions of the different categories.  In the particular city where I've looked (college town), you would need to be in an area with RH zoning to do this.  There are a number of blocks near the campus that are zoned this way.  Further away are RL or RM zonings, which allow only two unrelated persons in a property.  The exact naming varies from place to place, but the concepts are similar.

You might be able to find this online.  If not, call the city planning department.  I've found them to be very helpful and not at all confrontational.   Tell them what you want to do and the address and ask if there are any issues.

All that said, there are exceptions.  Sometimes properties are grandfathered or otherwise allowed a variance to the current zoning.  Again, the planning department can help you out.