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Candidate Questionnaire 2022

No matter what part of Minnesota you’re from, having a safe, stable place to come home to is the foundation for our wellbeing. But Minnesota is facing a housing shortage and affordability crisis that is making it harder for people to find a safe place to call home.

Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) and Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota (Habitat Minnesota) have invited candidates for the Minnesota House of Representatives and Minnesota Senate to complete our 2022 Candidate Questionnaire on Housing Issues. All candidates, regardless of party affiliation, have been invited to complete the questionnaire. The purpose of the questionnaire is to educate and inform residents of candidate responses to housing issues. This questionnaire is not meant to serve as an endorsement of or for any candidate or political party. 

Collected responses are posted below. Candidates were asked to limit their responses to each question to 300 words or fewer. 

For candidates

Submit the Candidate Questionnaire on Housing Issues TODAY: https://bit.ly/Candidate_Responses

Housing Fact Sheets and Reports:

Learn more about MHP and Habitat Minnesota:

Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) works to strengthen development capacity and promote policy change, serving communities throughout Minnesota and the Unites States. MHP provides capacity building for Native and rural communities, produces original research, and advocates for public policies that support housing stability and strengthen communities. You can view our most recent research, including reports on housing needs in every district in Minnesota, at mhponline.org.  

Habitat for Humanity of Minnesota (Habitat Minnesota) is a statewide support organization for Minnesota affiliates of Habitat for Humanity International. Today, Habitat Minnesota offers a range of programs, including resource development, advocacy, technical assistance and training, and lending and grant programs that are centered on advancing the work of Minnesota’s 25 Habitat for Humanity organizations to create and preserve affordable homeownership in nearly every county in our state. In pursuit of building a Minnesota where everyone has a safe, affordable, and stable place to call home, Habitat Minnesota also advances shared policy initiatives at the state level that lead to housing stability for all Minnesotans.

Read the questionnaire in full

Candidates can submit the questionnaire here: https://bit.ly/Candidate_Responses

  1. In July 2021, a national poll found that 68% of the public believes that elected officials are not paying enough attention to the rising cost of housing and ensuring everyone can afford a place to live. What do you believe is the role of government in ensuring everyone has a place to call home?   
  2. Nearly all counties in Minnesota (92%) are not able to provide sufficient shelter or temporary housing to those who are homeless. What will you do to end homelessness?  
  3. Emergency rental assistance keeps people stably housed, as we saw with federal pandemic-related funding. Historically, nonpayment of rent is the most common reason landlords evict their tenants. During times of financial crisis, families without access to financial resources may be displaced, evicted, or even become homeless. What will you do to prevent evictions? 
  4. Minnesota’s housing crisis disproportionately harms families of color, especially Black and Indigenous households. Minnesota is one of the worst states in the nation for racial disparities in homeownership. Additionally, 58 percent of Black renters are paying more than they can afford on housing costs. What meaningful steps will you take to eliminate racial disparities in housing? 
  5. There are approximately 170,000 renter households in the state that earn less than $31,200 per year. But rental assistance is only available to one out of every four income-qualifying households. Even though more than 100,000 lowest income households need homes, the state only supports the production of 100 homes each year for these families.  What will you do to support the housing needs of those at the lowest income level in Minnesota? 
  6. Energy efficiency improvements in multifamily buildings and weatherizing single family homes improve indoor air quality, eliminate drafts, and protect residents from extreme cold and heat—delivering health benefits and lower health care costs. What strategies do you support to improve housing conditions and reduce utility costs?  
  7. Minnesota’s home values are increasing rapidly, constraining low- and middle-income families from achieving affordable homeownership, including more than 64,000 households of color. What steps will you take to increase opportunities for renters to purchase homes, condos, or cooperative ownership models? 
  8. Including the recommendations of the community when developing policies and programs is a best practice for effective and lasting solutions. How will you include those most impacted by housing needs in developing and implementing housing solutions? 

Download a PDF of the 2022 Candidate Questionnaire on Housing Issues here. For candidates, the questionnaire must be filled out online.

Read candidate responses:

Candidates for Minnesota House of Representatives

1A

2A

4B

5A

5B

6A

8A

12B

18A

20A

21A

21B

22A

22B

23B

24A

27A

30A

32A

32B

35B

39B

40B

43A

44B

46A

46B

47A

50B

51A

51B

52A

56A

59B

64B

66A

Candidates for Minnesota State Senate

6

11

12

14

15

19

23

26

27

29

35

36

40

42

43

41

49

55

56

58

66

For Housing Advocates

What is your new Legislative District?

Every state and its municipalities are required by law to redraw their districts every 10 years based on the results of the U.S. Census. That means even without moving you may live in a new legislative district for the 2022 general election. Find your legislative district and 2022 candidates by looking up your sample ballot here.

Map Resources

View the new legislative districts using the Minnesota Legislature’s Geographic Information Services website here.

Advocacy and Social Media Toolkit

Direct outreach and social media are powerful ways to engage with candidates. Utilize MHP’s Advocacy and Social Media Toolkit for sample tweets, graphics, scripts, and more. Download an Advocacy and Social Media toolkit here.

Contact your Candidates for the MN Legislature

Directly contacting candidates, whether incumbents or challengers, can be a great way to increase the visibility on housing during election season. Find your candidates contact information here (information downloaded from Minnesota’s Secretary of State). Download a sample script here.

Vote Homes: Engaging Candidates in 2022 (Aug 18, 2022)

A webinar on the importance of candidate engagement during the 2022 election, with a focus on housing. Learn about the 2022 Candidate Questionnaire on Housing Issues, tips for non-profits engaging with candidates, social media engagement, and hosting candidate forums. You can find presentation slides (PDF) here, and a video recording here.