Leaders of Minnesota’s affordable housing organizations sent a letter to Gov. Tim Walz on Sunday asking Minnesota officials to act quickly to support low-wage workers at risk for homelessness as COVID 19 shuts down much of Minnesota’s economy. 

“To responsibly support Minnesotans at this time of crisis, the State must dedicate $100 million in emergency COVID-19 funds for housing supports through the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP),” the letter states. “$100 million will provide one month of FHPAP, at an estimated rate of $400 per month per household, for 250,000 families.”

“It’s impossible to stay home when you are sick if you have no home,” said Anne Mavity, executive director of Minnesota Housing Partnership, a signer of the letter to Gov. Walz. “Ensuring stable housing through this crisis is vital to public health.”

The letter also notes that Minnesota’s elected leaders and housing organizations must prepare now to avoid a repeat of what happened during the foreclosure crisis of the late 2000s, which left the state with a lasting shortage of affordable housing and exacerbated racial disparities in housing. 

Signatories to the letter were: 

Anne Mavity, Executive Director, Minnesota Housing Partnership 
Jenny Larson, Executive Director, Three Rivers Community Action 
Deidre Schmidt, President and CEO, CommonBond Communities 
Alan Arthur, President and CEO, Aeon 
Paul Williams, President and CEO, Project for Pride in Living 
Lee Blons, President, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative 
Chris Coleman, President and CEO, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
Warren Hanson, President and CEO, Greater Minnesota Housing Fund 
Ellen Sahli, President and CEO, Family Housing Fund 
Buffy Beranek, Southeast MN Multi-county HRA 
Cristin Incitti, Executive Director, Habitat for Humanity Minnesota 
Barb Jeanetta, Executive Director, Alliance Housing
Jim Roth, Executive Director, Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers

Read the full letter here.

Endorse the letter here: