• Ask Congress for Increased Housing Investments

    Ask Congress for Increased Housing Investments

    State and local governments and the communities they serve rely on federal resources to meet the housing, homelessness, and community development needs of their communities. However, Congress has underfunded these resources for decades. 


    Contact your members of Congress and urge them to support top housing priorities in FY23, including:  

    • An expansion of housing choice vouchers to an additional 200,000 households; 
    • Significant funding to preserve and operate public housing;
    • Additional Low Income Housing Tax Credits, to help produce and preserve homes 
    • Critical funding for rural rental housing needs, including $200 million for USDA’s 515 program;
    • $20.8 million to expand the Native American Section 502 relending pilot program, to increase access to affordable home loans in rural Native communities.

    Contact your Senators here.
    Contact your Representatives here.

    Brian Muhs

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  • Local Housing Trust Funds Action [2022]

    Local Housing Trust Funds Action [2022]

    Your action is needed now! Lawmakers released most omnibus supplemental spending and policy bills last week. Included in the House Housing Finance and Policy bill is an additional $7 million for Local Housing Trust Funds (LHTFs). As a reminder, MHP secured $1M in matching funds last year, an amount we know will be oversubscribed.  

    In order to ensure every community gets the full match, we need lawmakers to support $7 million for LHTF match funds! Please take a moment this week to make calls to Chairs Hausman and Draheim as well as Rep Howard and Senator Duckworth. The Chairs will ultimately decide what provisions get negotiated in the compromise Housing Finance and Policy bill. Howard and Duckworth, who are the bills’ chief authors, need your calls to keep championing this important legislation. Please see the sample script below. If you contact lawmakers, please email [email protected] with their feedback. 

    $1M for LHTF state match, approved in the 2021 legislative session – RFP update: MHFA is in the process of developing a survey that it will send out soon. This survey will help influence the RFP for LHTF state match funds that they hope to release early this summer. MHFA has delayed communicating program guidance as it waits to see if lawmakers will invest additional resources into this important program as part of the 2022 legislative session.  

    Legislators contact information: 

    Rep. Alice Hausman, Chair of House Housing Finance and Policy 

    Sen. Rich Draheim, Chair of Senate Housing Finance and Policy 

    Rep. Michael Howard, Vice-Chair of House Housing Finance and Policy 

    Sen. Zach Duckworth, Vice-Chair of Senate Housing Finance and Policy 

    Sample Script:  

    — 

    Dear lawmaker,  

    Please include $7M for Local Housing Trust Fund state matching funds in the final House Finance and Policy Omnibus Bill.  SF1803/HF528, which is currently included in the House Housing Omnibus Bill,  provides flexible funds to local jurisdictions that establish and fund local housing trust funds. These funds can be used to meetlocal community housing priorities . Examples include building single-family homes, providing downpayment assistance, building workforce housing, creating more affordable rental units, and providing rental assistance. In the past several years, more and more communities have established or are in the process of establishing these funds. [insert community story].  

    Thank you to Representative Howard and Senator Duckworth for leadership on this bill and Chair Hausman and Chair Draheim for support as co-authors.  

    Thank you, 

    [your name, org, address, and best contact] 

    —

    Jenny Jones

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  • Take Action Now! $2 Billion in Budget Targets for Housing

    Take Action Now! $2 Billion in Budget Targets for Housing

    We need your help! Join MHP in advocating for critical investments in housing.

    Minnesota Management and Budget has recently announced a revised projected state surplus of over $9 billion for fiscal year 2022-23. We have the means and now is the time for lawmakers to prioritize desperately needed investments. $2 billion budget targets 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]

    Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller

    Phone: 651-296-5649

    E-mail: [email protected]

    Suggested message:

    Dear _______: 

    My name is __ and I live at [___address & city___].

    With the release of the updated February forecast and a historic state 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!

    Jenny Jones

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  • MHP Applauds Governor Walz’s Announcement of Bonds for Housing

    MHP Applauds Governor Walz’s Announcement of Bonds for Housing

    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. 

    RobynLingen

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  • Action Alert: Call you lawmakers and demand they do their job and pass housing bills

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    RobynLingen

  • Action Alert: Tell your lawmakers to do their job and pass housing bills

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    RobynLingen

  • Action Alert: Tell lawmakers to support rental assistance for workers affected by COVID-19

     

    RobynLingen

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