2023-2024 MN Legislative Budget Targets Released; MHP Responds

MHP PRESS STATEMENT 3/22/23: 

Landmark 2023-2024 Legislative Budget Targets for Housing will Significantly Improve the Lives of Minnesotans

Lack of Future Investment in the Ongoing Housing Crisis Illustrates the Need for a Constitutional Amendment

MHP applauds the Legislative budget targets announced today, which identify a much needed $1 billion in housing investment this biennium. We are grateful to legislative housing champions who are working hard for Minnesota families with this major investment.

Home serves as a foundation upon which other aspects of life and well-being are balanced. A stable home leads to healthier families, quality education, and generational wealth opportunities – our future truly starts at home. This legislative target for housing recognizes the scale at which we need to increase our housing investments for Minnesota. And we still don't have a plan for our future needs for housing Minnesotans can afford. 

Acknowledging this important milestone, it is clear through the notable contrast of $50 million in affordable housing investment in the tails that it is also imperative to secure sustainable, predictable, and ongoing funding for the basic human need of housing. Our decades-long underinvestment in housing will not be solved in just one biennium. A clear solution is through a Constitutional Amendment for housing, which would guarantee ongoing funding regardless of who sits in lawmaker seats in the future, or changing priorities for the state budget.

"No child in Minnesota should worry about where they will sleep today, tomorrow, or any day, says Executive Director Anne Mavity. "In order to secure our future, we need bold investments both now and for years to come."

$50 Million in EmergencyRental Assistance Passes House Floor 

Rep. Micheal Howard speaks in support of HF1440 on the House floor 

On Thursday, March 16th, by a 73-50 vote, the Minnesota House passed HF1440, which would appropriate $50 million for the Family Homeless and Prevention Program. This is a major step in getting critical resources out the door that help renters stay in their homes. We know there is tremendous need. “Last year, over 20,000 Minnesotans were evicted. It is truly a statewide problem,” the bill's chief author Rep. Michael Howard said. The bill will now head to the Senate floor for approval. At this moment a date is yet to be identified. 

MHP Hosts Mid-Session Legislative Update

Photo: MHP's Policy Director, Libby Murphy (left), interviews Rep. Esther Agbaje (right)

On March 10th, MHP hosted a Legislative Update to provide information on the latest happenings in St. Paul. Weren’t able to attend? Check out the recording on MHP's YouTube page. We were thrilled to have hosted guest speakers: 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.

MHP Launches Housing Bill Tracker 

The Minnesota legislative session is moving fast! We know it can be challenging to stay up to date on the latest developments in St. Paul. That's why MHP has created a bill tracker to track some of the most important housing bills.

Join the Campaign for Housing on the Ballot!

New Read from the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity blog:

We Need A Constitutional Amendment for Housing

Everything starts at home. Your health. Your education. Your wealth-building. Your sense of support and stability. If you have a stable, affordable place to call home, all these positive outcomes become possible. We see this every day at Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. But we also see the housing crisis growing worse by the year. Home prices and construction costs are skyrocketing to astronomical heights. Wages can’t keep up. And Minnesota has the nation’s worst racial disparity in homeownership. If we truly want to expand access to affordable housing for our fellow Minnesotans, we can’t keep trying the same solutions.

Read more »

Our Future Starts at Home is a statewide housing campaign for a constitutional amendment for housing. The goal is to ensure the state starts making the investments Minnesotans need in housing, and secure sustainable, predictable, and ongoing funding. 

QUESTIONS? Here are answers to frequently asked ones: bit.ly/CA4Housing_FAQ

Read more about the policy proposal at bit.ly/CA4Housing, follow us at @Ourhomesmn, and endorse the constitutional amendment!

MHP Releases 2023 State Housing Profile

MHP announces the 2023 State Housing Profile, a precursor to MHP’s seminal State of the State’s Housing report. Released once every two years, this resource provides new data measurements at the state level in critical housing areas for 2023. MHP’s State Profile features data on cost-burdened households paying at least 30% of their income for housing, a spotlight on children affected by housing insecurity, the rise of evictions, homeownership disparities, a comparison of what jobs pay vs what renting and owning actually costs, and more.

Photo: Billboard artists Cas and Sonni at unveiling celebration. 

Keya Wakpala Unveils New South Dakota Billboard 

Keya Wakpala Woiċaġeyapi will be a living community that nourishes the Siċaŋġu spirit and way of life. Affordable and accessible quality-built homes, centered around a community garden and a multi-use gathering space, with places for people to shop and work and for children to play together, Keya Wakpala is a pathway for the Siċaŋġu Lak̇ota Oyate "to reclaim who they are" near Mission, South Dakota. 

From its very beginning, Keya Wakpala has been shaped and guided by community voices speaking what they need and want, including dedicated space for food and agriculture, livelihood, and recreation. The homes will be culturally-relevant, adaptable to all family sizes and generations, with room for future growth. This 600-acre site will eventually incorporate athletic facilities, sports fields, a network of walking, biking and hiking trails, small business incubators, retail, restaurants, as well as many other businesses and amenities.

Recently, a new billboard was unveiled to help promote the project! MHP, a technical assistance provider for the project, was thrilled to have the opportunity to use grant funds to commission two talented Siċaŋġu artists Cas and Sonni, as well as a Lakota graphic design professional to bring the project to life!

Emerging Developers Initiative Cohort Members Gather for Real Estate Training

Photo: Cohort members gather in Bemidji

The Northwest Minnesota Emerging Developers Initiative (EDI) Cohort met in Bemidji, MN on February 11 for an intensive day-long real estate training. Andy Babula, Director of the Real Estate Program and the Shenehon Center for Real Estate at the University of St Thomas, engagingly covered the scope of the development process from site selection, due diligence, design and entitlements, financing, construction, and financial feasibility.

Five EDI cohort teams participated in the training and had the opportunity to hone and apply skills such as calculating the buildable area of a site and calculating different rate of return considerations. Cohort members are currently working on Project Concept Plans including determining unit mixes, a site description, development team members, and a draft development budget. Cohort members are also working on draft project proformas, which will be further refined at the next Northwest EDI cohort training which takes place on April 1 in Bemidji. We are excited to see the Northwest cohort advance and refine project concepts.  

The EDI is approximately a yearlong program to increase the number of potential developers in the Northwest region through training and education, assistance identifying funding, and other supports. It was created to help close the housing gap in the region by facilitating the emergence and professional development of new housing developers from rural communities. The EDI centers the participation of Indigenous and people of color, who comprise at least half of the cohort.

President Biden Releases Budget Request for FY24

This marks the official start of the FY24 appropriations cycle. In the coming months, the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate will start drafting their own FY24 spending proposals. The President’s budget includes increases to many HUD and USDA housing programs and also includes a proposal to increase Housing Credits by $28 billion over the next decade. Finally, the President’s budget includes an increase in mandatory funding for housing programs, including rental vouchers, of $100 billion. Enterprise Community Partners has a budget chart for FY24 programs, as does NLIHC, found here.  

MHP Investors Council Breakfast Event: Homelessness is a Housing Problem

Interested in supporting MHP's work in driving housing solutions? Investor Council events bring housing champions together to learn, network, and support MHP.

Join us for an exciting event with author/researcher Gregg Colburn, who will present his provocative new research on why there is substantial variation in homelessness rates throughout the county.

When: Tuesday, April 25th at 9 am

Where: Sunrise Banks Headquarters

2525 Wabash Ave, St. Paul, MN 55114. 

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