MOORHEAD, Minn. (KFGO) - City leaders in Moorhead say the repeal of a state law that required fire sprinklers in newly-built twin homes will help more people find affordable housing.
Gov. Mark Dayton recently signed a bill that rolls back the requirements.
Mayor Del Rae Williams says when the law went into effect last year, it was scaring away potential homeowners. Williams says the number of twin home building permits in Moorhead dropped from 48 in January, 2016 to effectively none during the rest of the year.
Williams says the sprinkler mandate was adding nearly $10,000 to the cost of a new twin home. She says now that the law is repealed, she expects the number of building permits to start rising.