MHP Connect

Why invest in #Bonds4Housing? Good jobs and safe homes

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Created: Friday, 05 May 2017 10:56

This week, the Minnesota House released an $600 million bonding bill that includes only $10 million general obligation bonds for public housing and no new Housing Infrastructure bonds. On Wednesday, nearly 70 people attended the House Capital Investment Committee hearing to testify against the bill.

Chad Olson (pictured right) was one of them. As a co-owner of Frerichs Construction Company in St. Paul, Olson directly employs more than 90 people — and subcontracts many more. As he told lawmakers, Housing Infrastructure Bonds are a critical resource in building and rehabilitating multi-family housing, providing work for his employees and changing the lives of families stuck in aging units in need of rehab.

Here's what he said.

Read more: Why invest in #Bonds4Housing? Good jobs and safe homes

Take Action: Tell your state lawmakers we need bonds for housing!

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Created: Thursday, 04 May 2017 13:39

This week, the Minnesota House released a $600 million bonding bill. The bill includes only $10 million general obligation bonds for public housing and no new Housing Infrastructure bonds. While the bill does reauthorize $20 million in housing infrastructure bonds (HIB) from 2014 and 2015, these are not new investments.

Pipeline projects across the state will continue to be delayed if there are no new HIB in this year’s bonding bill.

Please take a moment to urge Speaker Daudt and your House Representative to include $100 million in bonds for housing: $80 million in Housing Infrastructure Bonds and $20 million in General Obligation bonds.

Speaker Daudt and your House Representative need to hear from you today! Email Speaker Daudt at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call at 651-296-5364. Find your lawmaker here. 

Here's a script for your call or email.

Read more: Take Action: Tell your state lawmakers we need bonds for housing!

Omnibus housing bill, bonding bill released as time runs out at the Capitol

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Created: Thursday, 04 May 2017 13:35

The housing omnibus bill (S.F. 1937 / H.F. 2209) is finally here.

Until this Monday around noon, the policy team was gearing up to fight hard against a cut in the Minnesota House budget to the Challenge Fund. Leading up to that point, there was no indication that we should be hopeful that the House wouldn’t cut the program.

But, when the housing omnibus bill came out on Monday, we were pleasantly surprised. 

All in all, the bill is better than expected. For the most part, it adopts the Senate’s housing bill, meaning it does not cut Challenge, and it maintains the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) budget at last year's numbers. 

Read more: Omnibus housing bill, bonding bill released as time runs out at the Capitol

Chip Halbach to retire after 40 years of leadership

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Created: Tuesday, 25 April 2017 10:08

From tenant organizing to founding and leading a nonprofit advocacy and community development organization, the Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP), Chip Halbach has dedicated his life to advancing stable, affordable housing in Minnesota and beyond.

This September, he'll end his tenure as Executive Director, making way for new leadership at MHP and new outlets for his deep commitment to homes for all.

"Before Google, the answer to your affordable housing questions was usually found in Chip Halbach," says Warren Hanson, Executive Director of the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund. "As the founder of MHP, Chip created and built and led MHP to become the go-to housing organization to respond to housing demands and create strategic solutions.”

Read more: Chip Halbach to retire after 40 years of leadership