City/Town: Mora
Legislative District: House District 11B
Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Candidate responses in italics.
Q1: Housing plays a critical role in economic stability, health, and quality of life for individuals and families. However, disparities in housing continue to affect communities of color, people with disabilities, rural communities, and other historically underserved populations. What meaningful actions should be taken to acknowledge, address, and eliminate housing inequities and advance housing opportunities for all Minnesotans
I believe that the state of Minnesota should allocate dollars for projects that would address these inequities. I also believe that a good portion of the allocated funds should go to projects in the rural areas where there is a significant shortage for affordable housing for seniors and people with disabilities. I am on the board of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Mora and know first hand the shortages of affordable housing for seniors and disabled citizens in our four counties (Kanabec, Pine, Chisago, and Isanti).
Q2: Supportive housing combines affordable housing with support services that help people who face the most complex challenges to live with stability, autonomy, and dignity. Supportive housing provides better outcomes and is fiscally responsible. What will you do to ensure community members who are unhoused or unstably housed receive the support they need to obtain or keep their own homes?
As a legislator I would prioritize funding to address this issue. This might be difficult this coming year due to the federal government’s cuts in funding. I have experience in working with tight budgets that require prioritization. With that said, if our budget requires more funds I would support asking the higher income citizens of the state to their fair share of supporting the state.
Q3: Homeownership is a way to build generational wealth, provide family and household stability, and support community vibrancy. More and more Minnesotans are priced out of owning a home because of rising housing costs, including purchase price, homeowners’ insurance, and property taxes. What steps will you take to increase opportunities for renters and first-time homebuyers to purchase homes, condos, or cooperative ownership models?
This is a complex situation which requires a multiple approach.
- Review the building codes and permitting requirements to see if there can be modifications to make the process less expensive and reduce the time required to get permit approval. This has to be done while maintaining safe and solid structures.
- Adequately fund “First Time Home Owner” assistance programs that can help reduce the initial cost to acquire their first home. Provisions could be made to give preference to underserved population.
- Minnesota already has a Property Tax Refund program. I would review the process and make sure that the program is adequately funded.
- Not sure what program could be developed to help lower homeowners insurance. I will have to do more research on this.
Q4: In the last several years, bipartisan action to streamline building of new homes and apartments has passed in several states, including: allowing for multifamily buildings in select commercial areas, limiting parking requirements, allowing smaller homes on smaller lots, and more homes per lot in residential areas like duplexes, fourplexes, and accessory dwelling units. What reforms do you support to modernize zoning to both enable homes to be more affordable statewide and improve city tax bases?
I do support modernizing zoning, building codes, and permitting. In my district I have seen some pretty creative solutions to address affordable housing. City of Mora updated their zoning to decrease lot size and allow smaller single-family homes to be develop in my neighborhood. It has been a positive event, bring young families to my neighborhood. I have also seen creativity in housing in Sandstone, Askov, Pine City, and Rush City. This is very encouraging, but the demand still out paces the supply.
I would support legislation that funds creativity in building affordable, safe, and livable units in the rural area.
Q5: Despite housing being the largest cost in the average household budget, housing receives only a small fraction of the total state budget at just 0.3%. A lack of ongoing reliable funding for housing in Minnesota’s state budget has resulted in an undersupply of stable homes affordable to our workforce, our elders, and our families. In recent years, a constitutional amendment for housing, which would dedicate revenues from a sales tax increase to housing, has gained momentum at the legislature. What revenue options will you champion to more adequately meet our need for reliable funding for homes we can afford?
I would support legislation that commits more funding to housing in Minnesota. Minnesota currently has a program through Minnesota Housing Finance. The program is currently underfunded so they offer funding opportunities through a competitive grant opportunity. Again, there are too many applications to fund. I would look at this program’s funding to see how it could be increased to address more of the projects that require funding assistance.
Q6: If you have other housing policy priorities, especially specific to your district’s housing needs, please share them here.
I live in an aging district with a shortage of affordable housing. I feel that projects that help low income senior find affordable housing is required. But I also feel that economic development in rural Minnesota is needed to bring in more young families, but this would require investment in cost effective new housing.