Take Action at the State Legislature TODAY!

Call Leadership to Invest$2 Billion in Housing

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 is 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.

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. As recently reported in the Star Tribune, Minnesota eviction filings soared in 2022 to 18,855, and the upward trend continues; evictions are at their highest level since the recession in 2013. 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. 

Source of Income Protections is Heard in the MN House

On Jan. 24th the Minnesota House Housing Committee heard a host of important renter protection bills including HF445, which would prohibit source of income discrimination and grant protections to housing seekers. Housing Justice Center's President, Margaret Kaplan, accurately described it as a "tragedy" when people receive their golden ticket in the form of a housing voucher only to have to return it because they cannot find anywhere to use it. After further discussion, the committee voted to refer HF445 to the House's Judiciary Finance and Civil Law Committee. Meeting minutes and a video recording can be found here.   

Photo: Rep. Kaohly Vang Her

Photo: Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten

MHP would like to thank the bill's two chief authors. In the House, Rep. Kaohly Vang Her is once again carrying this bill. Having authored this legislation in previous sessions, Rep. Her has long been a housing champion and an advocate for those most in need of housing protections. In the Senate, the bill is chief authored by Sen. Clare Oumou Verbeten. We are tremendously inspired by Sen. Oumou Verbeten's enthusiasm and readiness to get to work. We are looking forward to continuing work with both of authors and champions!

Funding for Local Housing Trust Funds Heard in Housing Committees  

MHP's Jill Henricksen, Community Development Manager, testifies before the MN House Housing Committee, accompanied by Rep. Jeff Brand

On Tuesday, February 7, the House's Housing Committee heard HF950 which would appropriate funding for the Local Housing Trust Funds state match. The bill, chief authored by Rep. Jeff Brand, heard supporting testimony from Jill Henricksen, Manager, MHP's Community Development team, and Daniel Lightfoot of the League of Minnesota Cities. Testifiers emphasized that each community has unique challenges and that a flexible and creative solution such as matching local trust fund dollars can go a long way in supporting communities. The hearing can be viewed in its entirety here. 

A companion bill (SF609) chief authored by Sen. Liz Boldon will be heard in the Senate's Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee today (02/09).  

The Minnesota ERASE Campaign Opens Grant Opportunities

The Minnesota ERASE Campaign (End Rental Arrears and Stop Evictions) is an effort working to eliminate rental indebtedness caused by the pandemic, prevent evictions, and create support for long-term policy changes to end housing instability and homelessness. The campaign has recently opened grant opportunities to assist both residents and organizations in participating in  campaign activities.

Join the Campaign for Housing on the Ballot!

Our Future Starts at Home is a statewide housing campaign for a constitutional amendment for housing. The goal is to ensure the state is making the investments Minnesotans need in housing, and to secure sustainable, predictable, and ongoing funding and structurally change our housing system - so we all have a place to call home. Our campaign principles include race equity, sustainability and climate resilience, uplifting rural voices, and accessibility. 

Read more about the policy proposal here, follow us at @Ourhomesmn, and endorse the constitutional amendment for housing, letting us know how you’d like to be involved! 

Part One: North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network's Work with MHP: "It saved our agency."

Once houseless veterans served by Sarge's Place.

It all began with a Google search. In 2020, with the global pandemic raging, Cheri Tinker felt overwhelmed in her position as Executive Director of the North Olympic Regional Veterans Housing Network (NORVHN), an organization she founded. While NORVHN was experiencing growth, it was all set up on one person's shoulders. Like many nonprofits, NORVHN evolved from the passion of one individual - in this case, Cheri's passion was helping homeless vets in her community. But never having run a organization like this before, she built it the only way she knew how. NORVHN's foundation wasn't solid, making their important work unsustainable. Cheri turned to an internet search, and stumbled upon MHP. That, she says, was "transformative."

NORVHN works with homeless Veterans of Clallam and Jefferson Counties on the Olympic Penninsula of Washington State, providing emergency shelter and permanent housing for Veterans in Washington State. This includes a 7-unit permanent supportive project built using modular housing, the first of its kind in the State of Washington. They also have a 2-story apartment building in Forks (Sarge's Place), a second-hand store, a farm, a 4-plex in Port Angeles, and more. At the time Cheri contacted MHP, they had the projects and momentum, what they needed was the structure and support to make it sustainable.

When COVID struck, and NORVHN's access to grants dried up, they applied for technical assistance with MHP with the goal of making them "whole." MHP's work came via the uber capable hands of Deputy Community Development Director Barbara Dolan. Barbara helped Cheri on all of the aspects of an organization that are hidden from the public--the unsexy yet critical work like sound practices, procedures, policies, manuals. She helped streamline their bookkeeping processes, transforming their audits and how grantors viewed their finances. They worked on restructuring the board of directors from elderly Vietnam Vets who didn't have the capacity to support Cheri's work, to a highly functioning board who could make important connections in the community. They did strategic planning, succession planning, and built an incredible structure for the organization. As Cheri gushes, "MHP saved our agency—you made it vibrant and healthy again!"

This is Part One in a two-part series on MHP's work with NORVHN. Stay tuned to our next issue in which we'll tell Veteran David's Story - and how the work of MHP with NORVHN changes lives. 

MHP Releases Update on Local Housing Trust Funds in Minnesota

This update from MHP provides information on the numerous Minnesota cities and counties that have adopted Local Housing Trust Funds (LHTFs). With Minnesota having adopted a state match program, we have continued to see a steady increase of funds established across the state. This report includes information from MHPs most recent survey of cities and counties regarding local housing trust funds. 

Survey for Developing Minnesota Housing's 2024-2027 Strategic Plan 

Minnesota Housing is soliciting stakeholder input as the develop their 2024-2027 Strategic Plan. The plan will help guide Minnesota Housing's work for the next four years. The survey will take between 15 and 30 minutes and responses are requested by Tuesday, February 21.

The City of Lakes Community Land Trust seeks an Executive Director

The City of Lakes Community Land Trust is seeking an Executive Director who is passionate about their mission to create community ownership that preserves affordability and inclusivity. 

The City of Lakes Community Land Trust was founded in 2002 through a collective and committed effort by Minneapolis residents and neighborhood associations to create and preserve affordable homeownership in Minneapolis. 

CONTACT US