City/Town: Andover

Legislative District: Senate District 31

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?

I came to Minnesota nearly two decades ago and worked hard to build a life and raise my family here. I understand how important a safe and stable home is, especially for families trying to get established.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets the same opportunity. People can face barriers because of their income, race, disability, age, language, or where they live. I support stronger enforcement of fair housing laws, more affordable and accessible homes, down-payment assistance, and home-repair programs. Housing information should also be available in different languages so people can understand their rights and the help available to them.

Before making housing decisions, we should listen to the people directly affected, including renters, homeowners, seniors, people with disabilities, immigrant families, and local community leaders.

A home is more than a building. It is where children grow, families feel safe, and people build their future. Every Minnesotan deserves that opportunity.

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?

People become homeless for many reasons. It could be a lost job, a medical emergency, mental-health challenges, domestic violence, or rent increasing beyond what they can afford. We should not judge people without understanding their situation.

I support helping people find stable housing while also connecting them with mental-health care, addiction treatment, employment assistance, and other services they may need. Giving someone a safe place to live makes it easier for that person to rebuild their life.

We also need to help people before they become homeless. Emergency rental assistance, help with utility bills, eviction prevention, and legal support can keep a temporary problem from turning into a much bigger crisis.

I will listen to people who have experienced homelessness, veterans, seniors, service providers, local officials, and neighborhood residents. Our focus should be on helping people become stable, independent, and able to live with dignity.

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?

As a husband and father, I know that owning a home is about more than having property. It gives a family stability, a place to raise children, and an opportunity to build something for the next generation.

Many hardworking families can afford a monthly mortgage payment but cannot save enough for the down payment and closing costs. It is difficult to save when you are also paying rent, childcare, groceries, health care, and other bills.
I support down-payment and closing-cost assistance, affordable mortgage programs, and homebuyer education. We also need more starter homes, townhomes, condominiums, cooperative housing, and other affordable options—not only large and expensive houses.

We must also address the rising costs of property taxes, homeowners’ insurance, repairs, and utilities. I support targeted property-tax relief and programs that help families repair and improve the energy efficiency of their homes.
People who work hard should have a fair chance to own a home, even if they do not come from a family with money.

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?

People need different kinds of homes. A young family may need a smaller starter home. A senior may want to downsize but remain close to family. Another family may need a small additional unit for an aging parent or an adult child with a disability.

I support allowing more starter homes, townhomes, duplexes, accessory dwelling units, and apartments in appropriate areas. We should also review rules such as excessive parking requirements, large minimum lot sizes, and unnecessary permitting delays that add to the cost of housing.

At the same time, local communities must have a voice. District 31 includes both suburban and rural areas. What works in one community may not work in another, especially when roads, wells, septic systems, and other infrastructure are different.

The state should help communities pay for needed infrastructure so the cost is not simply passed on to current homeowners. Any zoning changes should be practical, responsible, and focused on giving people more affordable housing choices.

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?

Minnesota cannot solve its housing shortage with one-time funding that comes and goes. We need a reliable, long-term plan to help build affordable homes, preserve the homes we already have, and prevent families from losing their housing.

I support allowing Minnesota voters to decide on the proposed constitutional amendment that would provide dedicated funding for housing. I also support using responsible state investments, housing bonds, federal matching funds, and housing tax credits.

As a project manager and business owner, I believe public money must be used carefully. There should be clear goals, regular reporting, and accountability. Minnesotans deserve to know how the money is being spent, how many people are being helped, and whether the housing remains affordable.

Funding should reach suburban and rural communities as well as larger cities. Local residents, taxpayers, housing organizations, builders, and community leaders should all have a voice in deciding how these resources are used.

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

When I talk with people in District 31, I hear concerns about the rising cost of housing. Young people wonder if they will ever be able to buy their first home. Parents worry that their children will not be able to afford to live in the community where they grew up. Seniors are struggling with property taxes, insurance, repairs, and utility bills.

I want District 31 to be a place where people can start their lives, raise a family, and remain after retirement. We need more starter homes, townhomes, affordable rentals, senior housing, and accessible homes for people with disabilities.
I also support home-repair and weatherization assistance so seniors and working families can remain safely in the homes they already have. We should protect manufactured-home residents and preserve affordable housing before it disappears.

The people who teach our children, care for our families, protect our communities, and work in local businesses should be able to afford to live here.