MHP hosts Federal Focus on Housing virtual events on the fourth Friday of the month, from 10:00 -11:00 a.m., or as needed. You can register for the meeting series here.
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Yes to Homes! Action Alert
Take Action TODAY:
Outreach to Legislators Leading Up to Next Committee Stop
Yes to Homes! has been busy at the State Capitol the last few weeks. We’re a large and diverse coalition united around the common goal of creating statewide housing policy focused on meaningfully increasing the variety and supply of housing options so that all Minnesotans have a safe and stable place to call home.
Great news – Thanks to advocacy from supporters like you, several of the Yes to Homes! bills were heard and passed out of the House & Senate Housing Committees! The next step at the legislature is a critical moment in need of your advocacy. The bills are on their way to their next committee stops, and we need to ensure that committee members hear from their constituents about the importance of abundant housing.
Between now and Monday, March 24th, you can support Yes to Homes! by calling your members of the House Elections Finance & Government Operations Committee and the Senate State & Local Government Committee to ask for their support. It is crucial that our elected leaders hear from as many constituents as possible about the Yes to Homes! package of legislation.
As a reminder, the coalition’s full agenda includes seven bills designed to make it easier for our state to increase the housing options we need to grow and prosper. By passing this legislation, we can make housing reform a reality and ensure that our state remains a place where every Minnesotan, from every neighborhood and every income level, has a roof over their head.
Tell Your Legislator to Support YES TO HOMES
Use the links below to find the full lists of committee members in both the House and the Senate. Use the Who Represents Me tool to see if you have a Representative or Senator on one of these committees. Call the phone number listed next to the member and use the phone script below as a guide to ask your lawmaker to please support our key legislation.
Template Phone Script:
Hello, my name is _______, I am a constituent in your district and I’m excited to share about key housing legislation that is scheduled to be heard in a committee you serve on.
[Share why this issue is important to you – Example: Housing in Minnesota is too expensive and we continue to face a housing shortfall of over 100,000 homes as housing production struggles to keep up with demand.]
The Yes to Homes! coalition is championing legislation that would address our growing housing shortage by increasing the variety and supply of housing options across our state.
This year, our bi-partisan coalition is supporting seven bills. Three key bills include: The Minnesota Starter Home Act (Senate File 2229 and House File 1987), the Increased Housing Options Act (Senate File 2231 and House File 2140), and the Transforming Downtowns Act (Senate File 2286 and House File 2018).
Together, these bills will help solve our housing shortage, and I am reaching out to ask you to please support them! I would love to discuss more and can be reached at __________. Thank you for your leadership and attention to this issue.
Yes to Homes! legislative champions authored an op-ed earlier this month – check it out: “A Bipartisan Vision to Build More Homes in Minnesota.”
For more on zoning and land use reform, read MHP’s Revitalizing Minnesota: A Call for Statewide Land use and Zoning Reforms
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MHP’s Legislative Update: Rep. Agbaje & Amy Koch
Friday, March 10th at 9 a.m. MHP hosted an update directly from lawmakers and community partners about the latest developments in St. Paul.
We were excited to have been joined by Amy Koch of Hylden Advocacy & Law, Annie Shapiro of Minn Cap and Rep. Esther Agbaje (DFL – Minneapolis). Rep. Agbaje serves as Vice Chair of the House Housing Committe, in caucus leadership, and co-chairs the People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) caucus.
Watch the update below.
Please contact Libby Murphy at [email protected] with any questions.
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Take Action Now! $2 Billion for Housing in 2023
We need your help! Join MHP in advocating for critical investments in housing.
With a historic budget surplus, we have the means and now is the time for lawmakers to prioritize desperately needed investments. $2 billion for housing are needed to ensure that people have access to safe, healthy, and affordable housing.
Contact legislative leaders today to ensure housing is a priority as targets are set for committees.
Please call and email Legislative Leaders TODAY:
Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman
Phone: 651-296-4280
E-mail: [email protected]
Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic (60, DFL)
651-296-7809
Suggested message:
Dear _______:
My name is __ and I live at [___address & city___].
With the historic budget surplus, I urge you to support $2 billion budget targets for housing.
With our budget surplus, we can make a substantial impact on mitigating our housing crisis and creating a more just, equitable housing system. Please prioritize housing this legislative session!
Thank you!
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Action Alert! Call Leadership to Fast Track Emergency Rental Assistance NOW!
While lawmakers and Minnesota Housing have indicated their interest in fast-tracking emergency rental assistance, through the legislative process, we are still waiting to see a bill. Every day we wait is a day that more Minnesota families face eviction. Please contact legislative leaders to let them know emergency rental assistance is needed NOW to help individuals and families remain housed.
Lawmakers must do everything to ensure no family is displaced and unhoused, especially in the coldest winter months. The result of inaction is families facing an increased risk of homelessness and harm to health, educational outcomes, work stability, and more. When families are evicted, children’s education is disrupted in the middle of the school year. Individuals can’t focus on work when they are worried about finding shelter. With a $17.5 billion surplus, we have the resources to prevent evictions and keep families stably housed.
Call and email Legislative Leaders TODAY:
Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman (34B, DFL)
651-296-4280
E-mail: [email protected]
Majority Leader Kari Dziedzic (60, DFL)
651-296-7809
Rep Michael Howard (51A, DFL): Chair, Housing Finance & Policy
651-296-7158
E-mail: [email protected]
Senator Lindsey Port (DFL): 55, Chair, Housing and Homelessness
651-296-5975
Call your lawmaker too! Find out who represents you: here
Suggested message:
My name is __ and I live at [___address & city___]. Please fast-track a bill to provide emergency rental assistance to Minnesota families. Evictions are happening at historically high rates, with children experiencing some of the greatest harms from housing instability and poverty. From Duluth to Rochester to St Paul, families need ERA to prevent homelessness! Without state ERA funds, Minnesotans have nowhere to go for help.
[tell your story – why is this important, why we need ERA now (we can’t wait)].
The vast majority of evictions are avoidable by providing families with assistance to pay the rent – fast-tracking emergency rental assistance is a win-win for renters and housing providers. Thank you!
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Vote Homes: Engaging Candidates in 2022
A webinar on the importance of candidate engagement during the 2020 election, with a focus on housing. Learn about the 2022 Candidate Questionnaire on Housing Issues, tips for non-profits engaging with candidates, social media engagement, and hosting candidate forums. You can find presentation slides (PDF) here, and a video recording here.
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Special Session Hopes for Housing
Minnesota is so close to legislative deal – let’s get all sides together to get the job done! As time (and the legislative session) passes, the needs for housing have only grown. Minnesota families need safe, stable housing to thrive
Star Tribune on the possibility of a special session.
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Join our Advocacy Phone Bank!
Join us in urging lawmakers to pass a bonding bill that includes significant housing investments. Bonds are essential resources that help create deeply affordable rental housing and single-family homes and preserve existing subsidized homes and manufactured home parks. Here is a one-pager on Bonds for Housing
As the end of the legislative session fast approaches, we have an opportunity to ensure lawmakers prioritize housing as they head into their final weeks. Let’s make sure legislative leaders know that housing is essential for Minnesotans!
If you just have time for one call:
Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller
Phone: 651-296-5649
E-mail: [email protected]
If you can make a second critical call:
Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman
Phone: 651-296-4280
E-mail: [email protected]
And, if you can, call:
If you have time for additional calls:
Sen. Tom Bakk
Senate Capital Investment Chair
Phone: 651-296-8881
E-mail: Use Mail Form
Rep. Fue Lee
House Capital Investment Chair
Phone: 651-296-4262
Email: [email protected]
Your lawmaker: Find your lawmakers here
Suggested message for calls and emails:
****
My name is __ and I live in __________ (say address) / I work in ______ (say address).
Please support a bonding bill that includes $500 million in bonds for homes. Bonding is a vital, commonsense tool that supports housing of all types and supports thousands of jobs.
[YOUR MESSAGE: Why is housing important?]
- i.e. in my community, homes are unaffordable/we even find affordable homes
With stable housing that is affordable, Minnesota families can thrive, businesses can hire, and communities can prosper. Shovel-ready housing projects are ready to be built; please support Housing Infrastructure Bonds.
Thank you!
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Support Source of Income Protections TODAY!
Source of Income Protections have been included in the House omnibus bill (HF4376) but not in the Senate omnibus. Action is needed to ensure SOI protections becomes law. We are asking folks to call their MN Senator, MN Representative, and if they have extra time Sen. Draheim.
Find your legislators contact information:
- Find your legislators: https://www.gis.lcc.mn.gov/iMaps/districts/
- Contact Senator Rich Draheim: 651-296-5558 E-mail: [email protected]
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Scripts:
Your Rep and Senator Pick up:
Community Member: Hello, I am a constituent of Representative __________________and would like to make a comment about: HF4376 which includes Source of Income Protections for Housing.
Legislative Secretary: Certainly. I can transfer you. (Or they may be able to help you.)
Community Member: Thank you. My name is __________________, and I live at ________________. I’m calling to urge Representative _______________________ to support the Source of Income Protections for Housing included in HF4376. [INSERT INFO ABOUT YOUR WORK OR COMMUNITY]
Legislative Secretary: I will give your message to Representative
_________, would you like for him/her/they to send a response to you?
Your Rep and Senator Voicemail:
Dear _______:
My name is __ and I live at [___address & city___].
I’m calling as part of the campaign to implement Source of Income Protections for Housing. This is an important protection that can help to expand the housing choices available to voucher holders, including in resource-rich neighborhoods where affordable housing options might otherwise be unavailable. In Minnesota landlords can legally discriminate against prospective tenants with any form of public assistance. As a result, some landlords refuse to rent to tenants with housing vouchers. The promise of finding a quality, healthy home in a neighborhood of your choice is denied. SOI Protections is currently included in HF4376, the House Housing Omnibus Bill. Please urge Chair Hausman to fight for SOI Protections in conference committee.
If implemented Source of Income protections would [INSERT INFO ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY]
Thank you!
Senator Draheim Voicemail and/or email:
Dear _______:
My name is __ and I live at [___address & city___].
I’m calling as part of the campaign to implement Source of Income Protections for Housing. This is an important protection that can help to expand the housing choices available to voucher holders, including in resource-rich neighborhoods where affordable housing options might otherwise be unavailable. Minnesota’s SOI statute needs amending to ensure it covers all forms of public assistance so households can actually use the resources intended to help address our affordable housing challenges. Chair Draheim please support SOI Protections in conference committee.
If implemented Source of Income protections would [INSERT INFO ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY]
Thank you!
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Weekly Action!
ADVOCACY NEEDED FOR EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE
Legislative leadership has negotiated a “global framework.” Resources for housing are not guaranteed as part of this framework.
As the legislature heads into its spring break this week (April 11-17), MHP is kicking our advocacy into high gear with weekly actions. The priorities of lawmakers are becoming more clear. While we do not yet see the amount of rental assistance needed proposed by the House, Senate or Governor, we need all advocates to continue fighting for the resources needed to support housing for Minnesotans.
Rental assistance increases, spread through a number of House bills, total approximately $59 million, with $49 million of that for resources similar to emergency rental assistance.
Please contact your lawmakers to let them know rental assistance is essential to Minnesota families and should be included at the highest levels possible.Call and email Legislative Leaders TODAY
Taxes Chair Paul Marquart
Phone: 651-296-6829
E-mail: [email protected]Speaker of the House
Melissa Hortman
Phone: 651-296-4280
E-mail: [email protected]Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller
Phone: 651-296-5649
E-mail: [email protected]Suggested message:****My name is __ and I live at [___address & city___]. Please support rental assistance in the state’s supplemental budget, which is desperately needed by Minnesota families across our state. RentHelpMN closed with only a few days notice and we need $330 million to serve qualifying households through June 2022 with this pandemic-related assistance. Evictions are already beginning to skyrocket, with the vast majority avoidable by providing families with assistance to pay the rent, a win-win for housing providers and renters.
[tell your story – why is this important]. Thank you!***