Click to open PDF of MHP’s progress on goals for the first year of our Strategic Plan.
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MHP’s 2025 Legislative Leader Awards
MHP is proud to present its 2025 Legislative Leader Awards to housing champions. These lawmakers have promoted homes we can afford as an issue of public importance, advanced impactful policies and housing investments, and championed MHP’s policy initiatives. All of MHP’s awardees have demonstrated a deep resolve to make a difference for Minnesotans.
2025 Awardees:
Rep. Dotseth, as co-vice chair of the Housing Finance and Policy Committee, was accessible to advocates and enthusiastically worked to advance meaningful solutions. As author of multiple housing bills, including the State Housing Tax Credit and land use and zoning reform, Rep. Dotseth was a key influencer in his caucus, and in the housing committee, for effective solutions and stable homes.
Rep. Howard has consistently acted to advance affordable housing investment and policy, and secure sustained support for housing as a top issue in the House of Representatives. As co-chair of the housing committee, he worked cooperatively to ensure bipartisan support for a robust housing target, lead bipartisan efforts to advance land use and zoning reform bills, and continued as chief author of the bill for dedicated revenue for home through a constitutional amendment.
As the co-chair of the Housing Finance and Policy Committee, Rep. Igo exhibited an inexhaustible desire to learn about statewide needs for affordable homes, and advance policies and funding for solutions. He was a present, engaging, and accessible leader—attending forums, rallies, and conversations where he elevated housing as a top issue for Minnesotans. He fought for a robust target for the housing committee, helped advance land use and zoning reform bills, and ensured that the housing omnibus bill addressed highest priority needs for housing, including for rural communities.
As Vice Chair of the Housing Finance and Policy committee, Rep Kozlowski has been a consistent champion for homes we can afford, advancing both policy and investment with significant effort. They have helped to shape the public narrative around housing by sharing personal stories and mentoring housing advocates, ensuring committee discussion is grounded in the personal experiences of Minnesota people and families. They have advanced and led on land use and zoning reform bills, helping to identify strategies and influence caucus support for structural change.
Rep. Kraft has provided critical leadership by convening bipartisan conversations and engaging diverse stakeholders, including MHP, as a champion for land use and zoning reform. He has worked tirelessly to build backing within his caucus, make a persuasive case for change, and advance substantial policy reforms to support homes Minnesotans can afford.
Rep. Mekeland promoted significant policy reform to support homes we can afford, including authoring a bill to advance regulatory reform for land use and zoning. He was accessible and engaged with MHP, lifted up the importance of homes for Minnesota families, and underscored housing as a top policy priority within his caucus.
Rep. Huldah Momanyi-Hiltsley advanced a vision for homes that all Minnesotans can afford, with enthusiasm and strategic effort. As chief author of a bill to increase emergency rental assistance, she fought tirelessly to prioritize support for renters and deeply affordable homes. Accessible to housing advocates and persuasive with her colleagues and leadership, she strove to establish bipartisan partnerships in support of home.
Rep. Nash has continued, year after year, to advance the case for homes we can afford in Minnesota. As a key leader of efforts to reform land use and zoning in Minnesota, Rep Nash has provided strategic insights to advance meaningful policy change for home and worked to build the case for affordable homes and homeownership within his caucus.
Sen. Boldon has been an engaged and influential housing leader, an important voice within her caucus, and a champion for Greater Minnesota housing solutions. She authored many housing bills and built support within her caucus, including for supportive housing, housing development, and emergency rental assistance. She has consistently championed structural change, including dedicated revenue for housing, as a necessary solution.
Sen. Mohamed has tenaciously advocated year after year for structural reforms that strengthen investments and policies supporting Minnesotans’ access to stable homes. As chief author of the constitutional amendment for housing, a supporter of innovations like adaptive reuse, and a leader ensuring grassroots partners have the resources to serve families needing stability effectively, she has been one of the legislature’s most consistent champions for making home a top priority.
As the Senate’s housing chair, Sen. Port continued to champion affordable homes, including fighting for a housing budget target, providing leadership on advancing multiple land use and zoning reform bills, and holding a hearing on the constitutional amendment for housing – helping to build support for dedicated revenue for affordable homes.
Sen. Rasmusson supported significant housing solutions through regulatory reform, working with his colleagues to advance the Minnesota Starter Home Act. He led meaningful conversations around policies that lead to safe and stable homes. His willingness to engage with MHP and its stakeholders reflected his commitment to addressing housing challenges.
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Housing Institute for SW MN: Workshop 2
When: August 12 · 4:30pm – August 13 · 3:15pm CDT
Where: Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort
Who: Participant organizations for Housing Institute 10 for Southwest Minnesota, 2025-2026
What: Established in 2010, the Housing Institute brings together housing leaders and stakeholders to share their experiences, learn best practices, and develop creative solutions for bringing quality affordable housing to their communities.
Learn more about the Housing Institute here.
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MHP Presenting at Enterprise’s 2025 Rural Housing Preservation Academy
Enterprise Community Partners is hosting two days of conversation August 6-7 about Affordable housing development and preservation in Knoxville, Tennessee. This in-person convening is an extension of the Rural Rental Preservation Academy and will focus on policies, funding, and innovative strategies to address rural affordability at the federal, state, and local level. MHP Community Development staff Leah Hall and Jen Oscarson will be presenting on Day One.
Day One’s presentations will be on successful approaches to preserving affordable housing in rural communities across the country, with a particular focus on the preservation of the USDA 515 portfolio. There will be a focus on layering new financing into preservation projects and national policy efforts to support the preservation of the USDA housing portfolio. Day Two will focus on policy, research and programs in the Appalachian region that support affordable housing development and preservation in rural communities. Register by Aug 4, 2025
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New Resource: Federal Housing Advocacy Toolkit
Congress is drafting the FY26 federal budget, which includes funding for vital housing programs that prevent homelessness and keep families safe at home. Many essential programs are facing cuts, including public housing and rental assistance. The U.S. House has already advanced a bill that makes deep and dangerous cuts to housing programs. Full overview of the federal budget proposals can be found here.
This toolkit was created to make it easier for advocates across the state to speak up for strong federal investments in housing. Inside, you’ll find everything you need to take action—including key talking points, contact information for your members of Congress, sample social media posts, and more. By using a shared message and speaking out together, we can show lawmakers that funding housing is a priority in every community.
- Messaging & Talking Points
- Calls to Action
- Congressional Contact Info
- Content Library (Social Media, LTEs, etc.)
- Storytelling & Messaging Amplification
- Events & Engagement
- Policy & Data Resources
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Immigration Issues for Housers and Housing Advocates
Friday, July 18th | 10:00 – 11:00 am
Please join us for a special presentation with Juventino Meza, the New Americans Immigration Hub Attorney with the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. Juventino will provide an overview presentation with some time for questions.
You are invited to submit questions for our presenter along with your registration – this will help guide the content of the presentation.
Register to Attend!
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Tell your Legislators: Protect Federal Rental Assistance, Homes, and MN Families
Take Action on Rental Assistance with Easy Form to Contact Your Lawmakers
Minnesotans want to live near their work, send their kids to neighborhood schools, and feel safe at home. More than 100,000 Minnesota households—seniors, families, people with disabilities—rely on federal rental assistance to afford a place to live. Many more Minnesotans qualify for rental assistance but don’t receive it, due to insufficient funding. Now, proposed federal cuts threaten to take away Minnesotans’ ability to stay in their homes, putting lives and local economies at risk.
Congress is drafting their fiscal year (FY) 2026 spending bills, including those that fund vital housing programs that prevent homelessness and keep families safe at home. While the draft spending bill released on July 13 by the House rejects the extreme dismantling of HUD programs proposed by President Trump in his FY26 budget request, many vital programs are facing cuts. For details, see NLIHC’s complete analysis and updated budget chart.
The draft House bill would cut public housing and rental assistance by millions of dollars, leaving thousands of people without safe access to home. Even a 1% reduction to rental assistance would displace about a thousand Minnesota families—pushing more people into homelessness, straining shelters, schools, rural hospitals, and county safety nets, and drive up costs for our communities.
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MHP Statement on the Tragic Loss of Speaker Emerita Melissa and Mark Hortman
MHP joins Minnesotans in grief and anguish over the political assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, and the attempted assassination of State Senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette. We wish Senator Hoffman and his wife a full and continued recovery.
Serving as House Minority Leader from 2017 to 2019 and Speaker of the House from 2019 until 2025, Representative Hortman was a visionary and results-driven lawmaker who cared deeply about delivering for the people of Minnesota. She was also known for prioritizing personal relationships across the aisle and within community. Her leadership included securing the greatest investment in affordable homes in the history of Minnesota, during the 2023 Session.
There is no room for threats or violence as we envision, design, and create policy to address the challenges our state faces. The best policies emerge when we approach diverse perspectives with curiosity and respect. MHP is committed to working across geographies and political differences to ensure that everyone has a home that is safe, decent, and affordable. We will continue to work in partnership with bipartisan leaders and coalitions of advocates, to respectfully and rigorously debate and develop policies that advance this goal.
As we grieve, we will honor Speaker Emerita Hortman by carrying forward her determination, humanity, clarity, and focus on results into our own efforts—letting her legacy inspire us to make a meaningful difference in improving Minnesotans’ lives.
Anne Mavity, Executive Director
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Pints, Policy and Progress (Happy Hour)
Thursday, June 12 | 3:30 PM
Location: Lake Monster Brewing Company (550 Vandalia St #160, St Paul, MN 55114)
Join fellow housing advocates, MHP, and co-hosts from 3:30-5:30 pm on June 12th at Lake Monster Brewing as we recognize, celebrate, and toast the hard work done by housing champions and lawmakers during the 2025 Legislative Session.
Co-hosts include the MN ERASE Campaign, Family Housing Fund, Habitat for Humantity Minnesota, Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF), Minnesota Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD), Minnesota Housing Stability Coalition, Our Future Starts at Home, Twin Cities Habitat for Humantity, and Yes To Homes MN.