Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP), along with other housing champions, announces the necessity for transformative investments in housing in the 2023 legislative session. $2 billion in 2023 for housing would be an investment in healthy families, children thriving in school, diverse and inclusive communities, jobs and economic competitiveness. Housing is an essential need, and fundamental to a prosperous community.
With a $17 billion surplus lawmakers have the opportunity to make real progress and reduce housing cost burden, improve the condition of homes, reduce home ownership disparity, and increase stability. In doing so, lawmakers will ensure children and families thrive, workers perform, businesses succeed.
Housing champions are asking for $2 billion in 2023. That includes: $1 billion to create and save homes, which would build new rental and ownership homes for 8,000 families and ensure 10,000 families can remain in their homes. $1 billion to create access and opportunity to housing would ensure over 137,000 families have the rental assistance to afford safe, quality homes and expand homeownership to roughly 5,000 first generation homeowners.
All Minnesota should have a safe, secure place to call home. Minnesotans of color, particularly Black, Latino, and Indigenous, are disproportionately harmed by poor housing quality, inequitable policies, and one of the largest homeownership gaps in the nation. Investing in housing will provide stability, choice in rental for low-income renters, and homeownership and wealth-building opportunities for generations to come.
“MHP is excited that housing investments are being prioritized, and looks forward to working with the Governor and State legislative leaders to ensure that Minnesota invests in families by investing in housing in 2023.” —Anne Mavity, MHP
Download the 2 Billion in 2023 one-pager (PDF): here
Read more on a Constitutional Amendment for housing here.
MHP is pleased to announce the recipients of our 2021 Outstanding Advocate awards! These awards recognize community members and selected organizations for demonstrated dedication to affordable housing. During 2022 session, these advocates engaged their elected officials, motivated others to advocate, and raised the public profile of affordable housing issues. They shared personal and professional experience to further MHP’s policy agenda and secure more resources for affordable housing.
MHP’s work would be impossible without the partnership of these outstanding individuals. We’re incredibly grateful for all the ways in which they used their voices, ingenuity, talent, and resources to draw attention to housing as a critical public issue. These awards are a small gesture in appreciation of big contributions!
2021 Outstanding Advocates!
Pam Kramer, Formerly LISC Duluth
Pam’s strong leadership over many years has advanced MHP’s policy goals and built political will for housing solutions at the local, state, and federal levels. Time and again, Pam engaged directly with lawmakers on housing priorities, building knowledge and support for the Minnesota affordable housing tax credit, local housing trust funds, and more. Pam has also been a central organizing force within her community of Northeast Minnesota and Duluth, working with elected officials, housing advocates, business and community leaders to support housing priorities. With Pam’s efforts playing a key role, the City of Duluth is launching a local housing trust fund, with funds dedicated to housing. MHP thanks Pam for her partnership and congratulates her on her legacy of housing achievements for the State of Minnesota.
Metric Giles, Community Stabilization Project
Metric championed many organizing, research, and advocacy efforts in partnership with MHP in the past year, including as a guest speaker at MHP-sponsored events. He has provided crucial expertise in developing a narrative and policy advocacy strategy that centers experiences of renters, people of color, and those marginalized by structural racism. Metric is a co-leader of the Minnesota Multifamily Affordable Housing Energy Network) (MMAHEN), of which MHP is a member, using that platform to develop a statewide network of organizations at the intersection of energy and housing. He is a core partner with MHP in federal advocacy efforts, through the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign. In 2021, Metric worked with MHP to develop a report on energy efficiency impacts for multifamily buildings, a publication already of note to lawmakers, program staff, and media.
James Archer
James has contributed to MHP policy development as an engaged member of MHP’s Public Policy Advisory Group in 2020 and in 2022, influencing MHP’s policy agenda and criteria assessing race equity impact for policies. James has contributed to administrative advocacy efforts, including for the QAP, with insights on changes that better support small, emerging, and developers of color as competitive for funding applications. James also used his knowledge as a developer of affordable housing to engage with legislators through direct lobbying, working with MHP to advocate for housing infrastructure bonds and the Challenge Fund.
Chris Sherman, Sherman Associates
Chris has been critical to many MHP campaigns, influencing policy development with examples and experiences as an affordable housing developer, direct lobbying, and testifying at the legislature. As a leader in the campaign for 4d reforms, Chris compellingly testified about the importance of this finance tool to households and the ability it gives developers to prioritize affordable housing projects. Chris’ contributions have helped develop political will at the state level for housing policy and influenced administrative decisions on the QAP and more. Finally, as a developer, property owner, and manager with experience in energy efficiency programs, Chris contributed essential feedback to MHP’s 2022 report on the impact of energy efficiency requirements for multifamily buildings.
Dayna Norvold, Rice County Habitat
Dayna was critical to MHP’s success in advocating for a state match fund for local housing trust funds. For years, Dayna has been a champion of local housing trust funds, educating her local community, city elected officials and program staff, and state lawmakers on the importance of dedicated funds to housing. At MHP’s request, Dayna has engaged in direct lobbying of state lawmakers through in-person and virtual meetings, explaining the impact and benefits of local housing trust funds to achieving local housing priorities. Dayna has also helped MHP develop community connections in the Northfield area and contributed to policy development as a participant in the rural development workgroup hosted by MHP.
HOME Line
HOME Line is recognized as providing essential support to renters and advocating for prevention of evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a vital partner to MHP, HOME Line has contributed to policy development, organizing, and advocacy activities including federal advocacy with the Opportunity Starts at Home campaign, providing eviction data and strategic advice as part of the ERASE campaign, and participating as a core leader in the campaign for source of income protections against housing discrimination. Throughout the pandemic and continuing today, HOME Line has provided statewide leadership with educational programs on landlord-tenant law and Governor Waltz’s housing-related peacetime emergency and negotiating the bi-partisan eviction off-ramp to protect renters from eviction.
PRESS STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE MINNESOTA ERASE CAMPAIGN
Minnesota Housing has announced, as of Tuesday January 25, that the deadline for applications to RentHelpMN is January 28, 2022, at 9:00 pm. RentHelpMN is closing due to lack of ongoing funds. We are concerned that RentHelpMN is closed to application as many Minnesotans remain in dire need, in the dead of winter, with a continuing COVID-19 pandemic. We urge the Governor and Legislature to appropriate funds for emergency housing assistance to ensure housing stability for Minnesota families; without continued funding, the number of Minnesotans facing displacement, eviction, and even homelessness will escalate.
Of note is that RentHelpMN’s closure precedes the planned bi-partisan approved eviction off-ramp, that included protections for renter households from eviction for non-payment of rent until June 1, 2022, as long as they had an application pending at RentHelpMN or similarly-funded local programs.
The pandemic has affected Minnesotans disproportionately; while many have felt a strain on health and income, Black, Indigenous, and people of color have suffered the effects of Covid-19 the most. The ERASE campaign urges lawmakers to pass emergency rental assistance as soon as the legislative session begins.
The abrupt depletion of federal emergency assistance through RentHelpMN, a state program that has assisted tens of thousands of Minnesota households remain stably housed through a pandemic and economic turmoil, underscores the importance of emergency housing assistance for Minnesotans as well as implementing a universal rental assistance program.
The Minnesota ERASE Campaign (End Rental Arrears and Stop Evictions) is an effort to ensure that the historic aid enacted by Congress reaches the lowest-income and most marginalized renters it is intended to help. Co-conveners of the campaign include ACER (African Career Education Resource); Housing Justice Center, and MHP (Minnesota Housing Partnership).
African Career Education & Resources, Inc (ACER) is an issue-based African organization working to end disparities within the African immigrant and African heritage community in Minnesota. For over 13 years, ACER has led in advancing equity in our community through organizing, education and advocating for policies that will result in equitable outcomes in our communities. ACER serves as a Field Partner of the RENTHelpMN program to expand access through outreach and navigation support to the most impacted community members in need of rental assistance.
Housing Justice Center (HJC) is a nonprofit public interest advocacy and legal organization, founded in 1999 as the Housing Preservation Project, whose primary mission is to preserve and expand affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. HJC attorneys work with tenant and advocacy organizations, public and private housing funders, owners, developers, and policy makers in their efforts to protect and expand affordable housing. Based in Minnesota, HJC works nationwide.
Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) expands housing and community development opportunity for those most impacted by economic and racial disparities by leading collaborative work to promote systems change and grow equitable development capacity. For more than 30 years, MHP has accomplished this mission by producing data-informed research, advocating for equitable housing policy, and providing community development services across the US.
Today Governor Walz announced a $2.7 billion infrastructure to support projects across the state. MHP was pleased that the Governor’s announcement included a request for $250 million in housing infrastructure bonds and $60 million in general obligation bonds for public housing.
“The Governor’s bonding investment proposal for over $300M in housing reflects the recognition that Minnesota thrives when Minnesota families have stable housing,” says Anne Mavity, MHP Executive Director. “We appreciate his leadership in continuing to prioritize housing. We also recognize that if we want every corner of Minnesota to thrive, we need solutions that scale to the demand for housing. When we invest in housing, we invest in Minnesota families and communities and our State’s businesses.”
MHP appreciates the Governor’s leadership in continuing to prioritize housing. The proposal is a bold start, and much more is needed.
The Build Back Better Act is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to end homelessness in America, repair public housing, and pave path to universal rental assistance for everyone in need. The HoUSed campaign’s top priorities – rental assistance, public housing, and the national Housing Trust Fund.
Margaret Kaplan, President of Housing Justice Center and Elizabeth Glidden, Deputy Executive Director of MHP hosted this webinar, featuring examples of Minnesota local jurisdictions utilizing ARPA funds to address housing needs. Thank you to our panelists:
OSAH-MN meeting with Sophia Schilling of US Representative Betty McCollum’s staff to discuss the need for rental assistance, the importance of home to health, the intersection of child protection services and home, and much more.
The Minnesota Chapter of Opportunity Starts at Home (OSAH-MN) is a federal advocacy campaign working to meet the housing needs of under resourced Minnesotans. OSAH-MN is committed to organizing locally and acting at the federal level to secure the resources necessary to ensure that everyone has a home.
Ready to participate In federal housing advocacy activities?Join the campaign!
Engaging with candidates during election season is a great way to ensure they prioritize housing issues. Utilize these suggested questions to ensure a housing question is asked in every forum and town hall or in one-on-one engagement with candidates.
Find your legislative district and 2024 candidates by looking up your sample ballot here.
Webinar: Federal updates and advocacy training (06/14/22), Presentation slides (PDF): here, Recording: here.
Participated in June 7 national day of action for federal housing advocacy
Organized a virtual Capitol Hill day on March 24, coordinating meetings for 30 advocates with Senator Smith and staff from the offices of Congresswoman Craig, Congresswoman McCollum, and Congressman Stauber.
Letter urging the Minnesota Congressional Delegation support robust housing investments in a reconciliation bill (02/01/22).
Letter to the Minnesota Congressional Delegation in support of Housing in an Infrastructure Bill (10/14/22).
Letter urging Minnesota’s Congressional Delegation to allocate the highest possible funding for housing purposes in the forthcoming economic recovery bills. (9/23/21)
Letter to Minnesota Members of Congress to support the HoUSed Campaign. (5/23/21)
Webinar: on effectively engaging your congressional delegation on housing issues (10/20/20). Presentation slides (PDF): here, Recording: here
Letter urging the Minnesota Congressional Delegation support emergency housing assistance, a national uniform moratorium on evictions and foreclosures, unsheltered homelessness. (7/15/20)
Letter to Minnesota’s Congressional Delegation with the National Campaign’s COVID-10 Round 4 Recommendations. (4/8/20)
The Minnesota ERASE Campaign (End Rental Arrears and Stop Evictions) is an effort to eliminate rental indebtedness, prevent evictions, and create support for long-term policy changes to end housing instability and homelessness. Co-convenors of the campaign are ACER (African Career Education Resource) and MHP (Minnesota Housing Partnership).
The Minnesota ERASE campaign launched during the pandemic, growing from an informal collaborative effort of housing advocates to ensure that the historic housing aid enacted by Congress reached the people it was intended to help – renters with low incomes. Since 2020, Minnesota ERASE and its partners have helped secure more than $270 million to help Minnesotans remain housed, primarily through increased flexible financial assistance available through the Family Homeless Prevention Assistance Program (FHPAP).
