City/Town: Hibbing
Legislative District: Senate District 07
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
If elected, I will work on behalf of all constituents, with a particular focus on individuals and communities who have historically been underserved or face barriers to opportunity and care. Like so many issues, disparities for people of color are complex and we need to involve the voices of those most affected. I will work directly with community-based organizations, Tribal Nations, and directly from them to find the solutions needed to address racial disparities in housing.
Housing disparities threaten long-term stability and prevent thriving communities. When Indigenous people and other communities of color face barriers to safe, affordable housing and homeownership, they have fewer opportunities to build personal assets and generational wealth. They may also face less favorable mortgage terms than their white counterparts, making homeownership more costly and potentially contributing to lower credit scores and persistent economic disparities. Expanding access to safe, affordable housing across the housing continuum helps create communities that are more diverse, inclusive, and welcoming to all.
I would continue to support programs that increase outreach efforts to a broad range of communities, provide down payment and closing cost assistance, and prioritize assistance to first-time homebuyers in rural communities, especially those of color who are underserved.
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?
I understand the importance of and am a strong proponent of supportive housing and in meeting people where they are at. I believe that improves outcomes and long term success.
Taxpayers save money when people have stable housing rather than living on the streets. Whether it’s a young person aging out of foster care who needs life skills and case management, a veteran returning from combat who needs transitional housing and veteran services, or a senior who suddenly loses half their household income after the death of a partner, each person deserves help finding housing that meets their unique needs and circumstances.
We must also focus on prevention by helping people maintain their current housing through mortgage and rental counseling and financial assistance. At the same time, we must ensure access to skills training that aligns with employers’ needs. Long-term housing stability depends, in large part, on economic stability, and connecting people with employers who need their skills is a critical part of the solution.
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?
District 7 is home to some of the oldest housing stock in Minnesota. In our district low and middle-income first-time homeowners don’t have condo or cooperative ownership options for the most part. Their homeownership opportunities usually arise when elders move into senior living settings, making it essential to ensure that adequate, attractive, and supportive senior living options exist.
Oftentimes, the affordable single-family homes that seniors move out of have deferred maintenance issues and renting often costs more than a monthly mortgage. We need to expand homeownership education and assistance while providing rehabilitation funding to bring these homes up to safe, affordable, and livable standards for the new owners.
Housing rehabilitation and development provide jobs for Northland contractors and tradespeople. Housing is economic development. We need to align our local, regional, state, and federal resources to address the district’s housing needs, including the funding and programs available through the Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Agency. These investments can preserve existing housing and expand homeownership opportunities while supporting local jobs and strengthening our communities.
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?
Housing solutions must reflect local realities because one-size-fits-all approaches do not work across Greater Minnesota. I support modernizing local zoning where appropriate to increase housing production, expand options for multifamily housing, and remove barriers that may prevent low-income families and people of color from accessing housing in certain neighborhoods.
I would work closely with developers, local governments, Housing and Redevelopment Authorities, nonprofits, and other rural legislators to identify needs and support long-term housing investments through both policy and bonding priorities. Strong communities require strong housing opportunities that meet the needs of residents at every stage of life. Housing must remain a sustained priority for rural Minnesota, supporting both the people who call our communities home and the long-term vitality of our region.
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?
The need for affordable housing statewide for all income levels is great. Housing stability helps to ensure strong families and thriving communities. If we truly want to provide safe, accessible housing for everyone we must make housing a sustained, long-term priority. Otherwise, we will never catch up with the growing need.
I would consider supporting an amendment that dedicates revenues from sales tax to housing while also looking for less regressive ways to fund housing on a sustainable basis to meet future needs. A statewide discussion is essential for voters to understand how it would work, how such funding would affect their lives and communities, and the long term investment needed to meet the housing demand.
Ultimately, housing stability benefits more than the individuals and families who secure a home. When families are stable, children are better prepared to succeed in school, pursue employment, and build their futures. Investing in housing is an investment in our children, our families, and the long-term strength of our communities.
Q6: If you have other housing policy priorities, especially specific to your district’s housing needs, please share them here.
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