City/Town: Lakeville

Legislative District: House District 57B

Party: Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party

Candidate responses in italics.

Q1: Housing plays a critical role in economic stability, health, and quality of life for individuals and families. However, disparities in housing continue to affect communities of color, people with disabilities, rural communities, and other historically underserved populations. What meaningful actions should be taken to acknowledge, address, and eliminate housing inequities and advance housing opportunities for all Minnesotans?

Eliminating housing disparities requires a comprehensive approach that targets the root economic causes of inequality while expanding supply across all communities.

Address the Wealth and Income Gap – Housing inequities, particularly the stark racial homeownership gap, are primarily symptoms of underlying wealth disparities. We must expand access to high-paying trade pathways, strengthen local job-training partnerships, and build robust career pipelines in underrepresented communities to foster foundational economic stability.

Targeted Down Payment and Ownership Assistance – High upfront costs severely impact first-time and underserved buyers. Supporting targeted, first-generation down payment assistance programs, as well as cooperative ownership models, helps lower barriers to entry and enables working families to build generational wealth.

Modernize Zoning and Streamline Development – Outdated land-use policies limit the variety of available housing. By reforming zoning regulations to allow a broader range of entry-level options—such as starter homes, duplexes, and accessory dwelling units (ADUs)—we can decrease construction delays, lower development costs, and create affordable inventory in all neighborhoods.

Invest in Rural and Accessible Housing Infrastructure – We must preserve and expand affordable rental housing in rural areas (such as USDA Section 515 properties) and incentivize accessible development for individuals with disabilities and fixed-income seniors.

Combining market modernization with targeted support ensures every Minnesotan has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing.

Q2: Supportive housing combines affordable housing with support services that help people who face the most complex challenges to live with stability, autonomy, and dignity. Supportive housing provides better outcomes and is fiscally responsible. What will you do to ensure community members who are unhoused or unstably housed receive the support they need to obtain or keep their own homes?

To address homelessness and housing instability effectively, we need a balanced approach that pairs targeted state investments with sustainable long-term support services.

Strengthen State Funding for Supportive Services – Affordable housing units alone are often not enough for individuals facing complex challenges such as behavioral health needs, disabilities, or chronic homelessness. I support strengthening state investments in Housing Stabilization Services and funding integrated mental health, addiction recovery, and case management services tied directly to permanent supportive housing.

Expand Transitional and Emergency Options – We must bolster local emergency shelter capacity and rapid re-housing programs while individuals transition into permanent homes. Ensuring local service providers and nonprofits have predictable, stream-lined state grant access allows them to provide immediate crisis intervention without administrative bottlenecks.

Promote Cross-Agency Accountability and Efficiency – To maximize fiscal responsibility, state programs across housing, human services, and corrections must coordinate to prevent individuals from falling through the cracks when transitioning out of state care or custody. Streamlining these systems ensures state dollars directly reach community members in need.

Foster Community-Based Partnerships – Local nonprofits and faith-based organizations are often best equipped to deliver compassionate, dignity-first care. I will advocate for policy frameworks that empower local community partners to expand supportive housing capacity tailored to our region’s specific needs.

Q3: Homeownership is a way to build generational wealth, provide family and household stability, and support community vibrancy. More and more Minnesotans are priced out of owning a home because of rising housing costs, including purchase price, homeowners’ insurance, and property taxes. What steps will you take to increase opportunities for renters and first-time homebuyers to purchase homes, condos, or cooperative ownership models?

To make homeownership accessible again for renters and first-time buyers, we must reduce initial entry costs, address ongoing affordability pressures, and expand the supply of diverse, entry-level housing options.

Expand First-Generation Down Payment Assistance – Saving for a down payment remains a primary barrier for first-time buyers. I support expanding state-backed first-generation down payment assistance programs, as well as zero-interest or forgivable loan models, which allow families without generational wealth to cross the threshold into homeownership.

Incentivize Starter Homes, Condos, and Cooperative Models – We must encourage developers to build modest entry-level homes—such as starter single-family homes, townhomes, condos, and limited-equity housing cooperatives. I support streamlining state and local permitting rules and adjusting zoning to allow smaller lot sizes and diverse housing types, which inherently drives down upfront purchase costs.

Mitigate Cost Traps (Property Taxes & Fees) – Rising insurance premiums, property taxes, and mandatory Homeowners Association (HOA) fees add significant monthly strain. I will advocate for targeted property tax relief for primary homeowners (such as expanding the homestead credit), prohibiting municipal mandates that force expensive HOA structures on standard developments, and supporting measures to stabilize insurance markets.

Q4: In the last several years, bipartisan action to streamline building of new homes and apartments has passed in several states, including: allowing for multifamily buildings in select commercial areas, limiting parking requirements, allowing smaller homes on smaller lots, and more homes per lot in residential areas like duplexes, fourplexes, and accessory dwelling units. What reforms do you support to modernize zoning to both enable homes to be more affordable statewide and improve city tax bases?

Modernizing land-use rules unlocks housing supply, lowers unit construction costs, and expands city tax bases by using existing infrastructure efficiently.

Streamline Approvals and Permit Timelines – Excessive review periods add carrying costs that directly inflate home prices. The Legislature should set clear approval timelines and limit local mandates on aesthetic features that go beyond building code standards.

Allow Starter Homes, ADUs, and Missing Middle Housing – Legalizing accessory dwelling units (ADUs), duplexes, townhomes, and smaller lot sizes gives families affordable entry-level choices while maximizing municipal infrastructure.

Incentivize Multifamily in Commercial Zones – Allowing housing in commercial corridors creates walkable districts that support local businesses and boost local tax bases without expanding city services.

Coordinate Infrastructure and Local Capacity – While state frameworks should prevent exclusionary zoning, cities need flexibility to ensure new development aligns with local safety and utility capacities. Crucially, local leaders must coordinate with school districts to ensure adequate classroom capacity as communities grow.

Q5: Despite housing being the largest cost in the average household budget, housing receives only a small fraction of the total state budget at just 0.3%. A lack of ongoing reliable funding for housing in Minnesota’s state budget has resulted in an undersupply of stable homes affordable to our workforce, our elders, and our families. In recent years, a constitutional amendment for housing, which would dedicate revenues from a sales tax increase to housing, has gained momentum at the legislature. What revenue options will you champion to more adequately meet our need for reliable funding for homes we can afford?

To ensure reliable funding for affordable housing, we need sustainable revenue models that treat housing as critical state infrastructure rather than a secondary budget line.

Elevate State Housing Base Funding – I support prioritizing permanent, predictable base appropriations in the state budget for housing finance. Increasing base funding ensures steady resources for entry-level starter home development, down payment assistance, and supportive services without relying on one-time budget surpluses.

Leverage Housing Infrastructure Bonds & Public-Private Partnerships – We should continue expanding state Housing Infrastructure Bonds to catalyze private investment and draw down federal matching funds. Structuring low-interest capital funds encourages private-sector developers to build affordable units at a lower net cost to taxpayers.

Clarify & Broaden Local Housing Aid Flexibility – I advocate for expanding Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA) and granting cities and counties broader flexibility in how funds are deployed. Specifically, state statutes should be clarified so local governments can use LAHA dollars directly for capital investments, adaptive reuse, and the construction of emergency shelter facilities to meet unique local needs.

Q6: If you have other housing policy priorities, especially specific to your district’s housing needs, please share them here.

Nothing more to add at this time.