UPDATE 5/17/23: This week, Representative Michael Howard and Senator Zaynab Mohamed introduced the Our Future Starts at Home bill for a constitutional amendment that would ensure long-term, sustainable, predictable, and ongoing investments to address Minnesota’s housing crisis. This bill, supported by the Our Future Starts at Home (OFSAH) coalition and over two dozen legislative authors, will help improve Minnesotans’ quality of life by creating new opportunities for many families across the state to have ongoing access to safe and stable homes. We’re excited that our partners and authors are coming together to create a path for guaranteed continued funding that builds on this year’s historic progress and addresses Minnesota’s persistent housing needs. Read the press release here.

Because we need to ensure the state is making the ongoing investments required to truly address our current housing crisis.

Our campaign principles include race equity, sustainability and climate resilience, uplifting rural voices, accessibility, and ensuring frontline leaders and grassroots groups are decision-makers and campaign leaders.

The constitutional amendment for housing will create a:

• Homeownership Opportunity Fund
• Rental Opportunity Fund (including a minimum investment of $100 million annually in universal rental assistance/Bring it Home, MN)
• Household & Community Stability Fund.

The funds are broad and flexible, able to accommodate innovative new concepts as well as existing programs, funds, and financing. A council of up to 24 people will be appointed for each fund to make budget and policy recommendations to the Governor and Legislature, with seats reserved for those with lived experience and frontline and grassroots organizations, among others.

DRAFT ballot language: A constitutional amendment for housing:

Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to remove barriers to homeownership, to make our rental housing safe and affordable, and to protect our vulnerable households and communities from displacement and homelessness by increasing the sales and use tax rate beginning July 1, 2025, by three-eighths of one percent on taxable sales until the year 2050?

MHP is proud to join more than 30 organizations in endorsing a constitutional amendment for housing.

Learn more at ourhomesmn.org

Download the one-pager here.

Download the FAQs here.