Right now, leaders in the House and Senate and Governor Walz are negotiating joint budget targets. It’s not too late to influence Minnesota’s FY26-27 budget. The stakes are high, and state housing investments are more important than ever. President Trump just released his “Skinny Budget” last week. The proposed cuts to HUD would have devastating impact on Minnesota families. We need state leaders to prioritize housing. The Minnesota House’s initial budget proposal invests $75M in one-time appropriations and $100M in Housing Infrastructure Bonds. We need leaders to support the House’s position.
Governor Walz’s Telephone Number: 651-201-3400
Template Phone Script:
My name is [name] and I live [address]. Support $75M in appropriations to housing and $100M in Housing Infrastructure Bonds. Safe, stable, affordable homes are the foundation of a thriving state. Minnesota does poorly when Minnesotans don’t have homes that they can afford.
Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) is disappointed in Governor Walz’s proposed budget for FY2025. While no cuts to housing were proposed, Minnesota needs serious and robust long-term solutions to provide the housing our state needs to thrive. Inflationary pressures and chronically underfunded resources for housing mean that existing budgets are not keeping up with the stress of the housing needs of hard working Minnesota families and businesses.
MHP Executive Director Anne Mavity responded with a call for action:
“Housing is central to Minnesota’s prosperity. Having no cuts to the housing budget avoids further harm, but in the face of rising housing costs, growing demand, and the urgent need for solutions, flat funding isn’t enough. We need bold, forward-thinking policies and investments to meet the scale of the challenge.”
Mavity continued:
“Housing is a bipartisan issue that benefits every Minnesotan. Smart investments in housing strengthen businesses, support local economies, and prevent costly interventions later. By creating homes for workers near job opportunities, we help businesses grow and communities thrive. The future of Minnesota depends on our ability to invest in the resources that allow everyone to live, work, and contribute to our shared prosperity.”
Looking ahead, MHP urges state leaders to address stabilizing and preserving the housing we have and pursue zoning reforms and land use policies that unlock opportunity to create more homes more cost efficiently. In addition, capital investments, including Housing Infrastructure Bonds (HIBs) will be a critical tool for ensuring new homes can be created to keep up with population and job growth. As legislative discussions begin, we are looking forward to bipartisan collaboration to ensure that Minnesota remains a leader in housing solutions that benefit all.
The 2025 Minnesota Legislative Session commenced today. Lawmakers are tasked with passing a balanced budget before June 1. Lawmakers must adjourn on May 19. But the Governor can summon them back for a special session if they don’t finish their work by the May adjournment deadline. Legislators face escalating political tensions in the House of Representatives and a very different budget forecast than two years ago.
Things to watch:
In December, Minnesota Department of Management and Budget released the November Forecast. The forecast predicts a $616 million surplus at the end of FY26-27 (7/1/2025-6/30/2027). This forecast is $1.1billion less than previous estimates. The reduced surplus prediction is largely due to higher actual spending in health and human services and education. The forecast also projects a $5.1 billion budget deficit by FY28.
Going into session, the Senate is tied at 33-33.A special election in Minneapolis will break the tie later this month. Senate leaders reached a power sharing agreement over the weekend. Republican andDemocrats will share presiding officer posts and committee chair position. TheSenate named Senators Bobby Joe Champion (DFL) and Senator Jeremy Miller (R) as co-presidents of the Senate. Both parties will evenly split representation on committees. Lawmakers will likely undo the power sharing deal when one party holds a 34-seat majority.
First, the House was set to convene with a 67-67ntie. Leaders negotiated a power sharing deal like the temporary deal in theSenate. When a district judge ruled that Curtis Johnson (DFL) did not live in the district he was elected to represent, Republicans announced Representative Demuth would be the Speaker of the House for the two-year biennium. Republicans also announced their intention to prevent Representative Brad Tabke (DFL) from taking his seat in the House. To prevent this, Democrats boycotted the first day of session to prevent the body from establishing a quorum, which is needed to elect a speaker. All this has led to a constitutional crisis as Republicans and Democrats don’t agree on how a quorum is reached. Today, Secretary of State Steve Simon, who presides over the first day of session, declared that quorum was not reached and adjourned session. Republicans ruled that quorum was present and proceeded to elect Representative Lisa Demuth to be House speaker. Democrats will challenge theRepublicans actions in the Minnesota Supreme Court. You can read more about it with MPR News.
What this means for housing?
Committee budget targets will be much smaller than they were in 2023.
In the House, House Republicans will immediately get to work convening committee hearings and introducing bills. House Democrats will file a lawsuit and continue boycotting session until the courts rule on the matter.
In the Senate, Senator Port (DFL) and SenatorLucero (R) will co-chair the Housing Committee until a member is elected in theMinneapolis special election.
Location: 451 Lexington Parkway, North Saint Paul, MN 55104 (Wilder Foundation)
Register for the 2024 edition of MHP’s post-election breakfast! Join us for a dynamic, bipartisan panel discussion as experts from both sides of the aisle break down the election results and their impact on the future of housing! Coffee and light breakfast to be provided.
Abou B. Amara, Jr. is legal and political analyst and attorney at Gustafson Gluek PLLC. Prior to entering legal practice, Mr. Amara worked for nearly a decade in a variety of public affairs capacities, including in Congress, the Minnesota State Legislature, and in Minneapolis City Hall.
Amy Koch has been a commentator and political strategist at Hylden Advocacy & Law since 2016. Prior to this career, Ms. Koch served in the Minnesota Senate from 2005 to 2013. She was Minnesota’s first female Senate Majority Leader.
Attend Virtually
MHP is offering a virtual attendance option for individuals not based in the Twin Cities metro area.
The Our Future Starts at Home campaign welcomes you to attend our 2024 Duluth Area Candidate Forum to hear from 2024 House Candidates about their platforms and vision to make MN a better place to call home, and their stance on long-term housing solutions.
The event will be moderated by Tatianna Kirk of Divine Konnections, with invitiations to 2024 House Candidates of Districts 8A, 8B, and 3B.
The Our Future Starts at Home campaign welcomes you to join our Home is a MN Value – Mankato Area Event to listen to the housing experiences of our neighbors, build momentum for housing solutions statewide, and advocate for safe and healthy homes we can afford!
The event will include storytelling, and advocacy activities with light refreshments. Hear from Community Speakers, and Featured Speakers.
Building Public Support for Housing Solutions in Minnesota
The stories we tell about housing shape what people believe is possible — and what solutions they’re willing to support. Through the Minnesota Housing Narrative Change Project, MHP partnered with Housing Narrative Lab to better understand how Minnesotans across rural, suburban, and urban communities think and talk about housing.
This research, conducted by Lake Research Partners, included focus groups and a statewide survey of 850 Minnesotans. The findings showed that when housing is framed around shared values, stability, fairness, and opportunity, people across political and geographic lines are far more open to solutions.
This work laid the foundation for a broader, ongoing effort to change how Minnesotans talk about housing — not as a niche issue, but as something that affects everyone and strengthens communities. This work continues to shape how MHP and partners approach housing communications, organizing, and community-led development efforts across the state.
The Next Chapter: Home Stories
Home Stories is a statewide storytelling platform that lifts up real voices and builds shared understanding about housing in Minnesota. It grew out of the Narrative Change Project and is led by the Heading Home Minnesota Funders Collaborative, with MHP as a partner.
Many of the tools and resources from this project now live on the Home Stories site, with more continuing to move there over time.
Whether we’re lending our neighbor a bike pump or sharing a meal, Minnesota is a place where we look out for each other. But today, many of us know all too well the struggle to find a place to live, make rent, or cover our mortgage. Stable housing should not be something you have to think about—families should be able to count on it every day.
Join us as leaders from MHP, local housing organizations, and Team Slow Roll lead you on a (bicycle) journey of the challenges, opportunities, and innovations emerging in the housing sphere. We’ll explore a variety of solutions to the problem and what we should know to join the movement to ensure that all Minnesotans have safe, stable housing they can afford.
Bring your bike, lived experience, and curiosity to this extraordinary social justice immersion on a roll. Slow Roll Baby!
Need a bike? We got you! Please register for a bike (if needed) and the event soon; both bikes and riding spots are limited.
Location: Minneapolis Institute of Arts – 2400 3rd Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55404
Agenda:
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM Pre Slow Roll Fix Up, Pump and Bike Pick up
6:00 PM – 6:15 PM Slow Roll Announcements and Theme Introduction
