Across the state, growing ranks of renter households are facing an increasingly challenging housing market with rising rents and declining vacancy rates—a problem which has been exacerbated by the impacts of COVID-19. Current owners of unsubsidized rental properties lack the tools to preserve and improve aging properties necessary to maintain homes for current and future tenants. MHP's Market Watch research series tracks key trends in the unsubsidized multifamily rental markets throughout Minnesota. MHP's eighth report in the series, in partnership with Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, tracks trends in the rental markets of Mankato, Moorhead, and St. Cloud, analyzing data for approximately 25,987 unsubsidized rental units.

Minnesota Housing is hosting public listening sessions to gain input on the proposed changes to the 2024-2025 Qualified Allocation Plan 2023-2024 Funding Priorities.

• Thursday, June 9, 2022, 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. CT 

   Minnesota Housing discussion and webinar - Register here to attend

• Tuesday, June 14, 2022, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. CT 

  Minnesota Housing Partnership/Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers co-sponsored discussion with Minnesota Housing.

Meetings will be held via Zoom at https://mccdmn-org.zoom.us/j/81376675806 
Meeting ID: 813 7667 5806 • Dial-in: 312-626-6799 • Passcode: 81376675806# 

Join Minnesota’s Opportunity Starts at Home (OSAH-MN) Campaign on Tuesday, June 14, 10-11:30 am to learn what action Congress is taking to support housing justice through resources and policy. You will learn about the OSAH-MN campaign, get

updates on what is happening in Washington, DC, and receive training on federal advocacy activities. Presenters include Henry Banks, housing activist and Board Chair of the Damiano Center as our moderator for the event and Sarah Saadian, Seniors Vice President, Policy and Field Organizing, National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC). 

Affordable housing is a major concern across the nation and in Minnesota. Housing disparities persist, housing costs continue to increase, and wages are not keeping up with housing costs. Agency staff and service providers concerned about affordable housing are invited to participate in this FREE webinar on June 22, 1-2 pm.

Emma Foley, research analyst from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and Anne Mavity, executive director MHP will share data from the NLIHC’s Out of Reach report and MHP’s State of the State’s Housing 2021 report. Resources and strategies to create and preserve housing and community assets will be introduced.

The National Low Income Housing Coalition has released a new report, Balancing Act: An Analysis of Remaining Emergency Rental Assistance Funds, Reallocation, and Outstanding Need. The report summarizes emergency rental assistance (ERA) spending trends, projects when state and large local grantees may exhaust their ERA1 and ERA2 funds, and estimates the amount of funding the U.S. Department of the Treasury could reallocate from slow-spending to fast-spending grantees. 

On May 23, housing advocates meet with Rural Housing Administrator Joaquin Altoro

On May 23 - 24, Rural Housing Administrator Joaquin Altoro traveled to Minnesota to meet with partners about rural rental housing and Native homeownership and tour USDA financed housing. MHP was pleased to join in discussions of USDA 515 properties in Minnesota.

On May 25, U.S. Senator Tina Smith, Chair of the Subcommittee on Housing, Transportation, and Community Development, led a hearing on rural housing programs. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Under Secretary for Rural Development Xochitl Torres Small testified before the Subcommittee. 

In her testimony, she pointed out that while RSH currently has approximately 400,000 units within its portfolio, in the absence of robust federal funding for USDA’s Multi-Family Preservation and Rehabilitation program, the agency will likely lose 333,780 affordable units from its portfolio by 2050. Torres Small called on Congress to allow multifamily rental properties with paid off USDA mortgages to continue receiving Rental Assistance, a step that is essential to preserve affordability across the USDA multifamily housing portfolio. As well, she highlighted the positive impact of the Section 502 Single Family Housing Direct Loan Relending Program for Native Americans and opportunities to extend the program nationwide.

On May 11, the LIHTC Financing Enabling Long-term Investment in Neighborhood Excellence Act, or LIFELINE Act (S. 4181), was introduced by Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Susan Collins (R-ME). The legislation seeks to allow the use of Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) authorized under the American Rescue Plan Act in March of 2021 to make long-term loans to Housing Credit developments. Among other provisions, the bill clarifies that Housing Credit properties placed in service after the date of enactment of the bill are eligible for a SLFRF loan.

Citing burdensome housing costs and a shortfall of available units, on May 16 the Biden-Harris Administration released a Housing Supply Action Plan that includes administrative and legislative proposals to improve existing housing finance mechanisms. It also calls on Congress to establish a Housing Supply Fund and incentivize zoning reform to accelerate the building of more housing nationwide.

It is still unclear whether lawmakers will convene a special session for bills that were near final but didn’t have time to pass before the Legislature’s adjournment at midnight on May 23. The tax bill, which was agreed to in conference committee but did not have floor hearings, contained several policy changes and investments in housing, including emergency rental assistance, property tax relief for affordable housing providers, and investments in the workforce and affordable homeownership program. Members of the housing conference committee were still trading offers up until midnight and it is uncertain whether this bill will be included in a special session agreement.

Affordable housing in Grand Marais

Members of MHP's Community Development Team provided an in-person training in Grand Marais on the powers of the HRA and housing development basics, with guest speakers from Minnesota Housing and 1 Roof Community Housing. In attendance: members of the Cook County HRA and the EDA, the executive directors of each body, County Commissioners, and County Administrator.

To learn more about MHP's community development, technical assistance, and capacity-building programs around the country, visit our website or contact Barbara Dolan, Deputy Director of Community Development at [email protected].

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