Minnesota Housing Partnership Candidate Questionnaire (supported by Homes for All)
Candidate responses in italics.
Name: Jill Galvan
City/Town: Cosmos
Legislative District: 18A
Party: Libertarian Party
District Issues: How would you characterize the housing needs in your district, for both renters and for homeowners?
Rentals are difficult to find for many income brackets. Home ownership is somewhat easier if a loan can be acquired.
Availability of Affordable Housing: More than 25% of households in Minnesota pay more than 30 percent of their income on housing, meaning they must sacrifice in other areas like food and medicine to make ends meet. What steps will you take to encourage the production of more affordable homes?
I would support changing regulations on homes and restrictions on the types of homes allowed in areas so that inexpensively created housing is a viable option.
Workers: A full-time minimum wage worker cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment in any county in Minnesota — and many of the fastest growing jobs are in low-wage industries. What investments or policy would you champion to address the growing gap between what workers can afford and housing costs?
This is based on averages, which is misleading, though it's certainly difficult. As I was out doorknocking, I found many abandoned properties that should be available to people but are not. Zoning regulations and government interference in the market in general make properties unavailable and create artificial scarcity. This drives up housing costs. That worker might consider a two bedroom apartment and a roommate, however. That would be significantly cheaper.
Homelessness: A lack of affordable housing options is one of the top reasons for homelessness, for individuals or families. What will you do to end homelessness in Minnesota?
Much of the problem is not at the state level, but rather at the local level. A couple of things that can be done, however, are to stop making homelessness illegal (some are unable to manage living in a home) and promote affordable housing options like tiny homes, 3D printed houses, and other non-traditional living spaces.
Seniors and children: More than half of senior renters and more than 1 in 4 senior homeowners pay more than they can afford for housing. Meanwhile, children without stable, affordable housing have lower educational and health outcomes. What will you do to ensure housing policy and resources support Minnesota's seniors and students?
Without government backing, the market has to reduce prices to compete. It makes no sense for houses and apartments to sit empty when there is a need to house people but the cost can't be met by the customer. The benefit to the owner is made somewhere and that's what we need to look into.
Racial Disparities: Minnesota's racial disparities in housing are among the worst in the nation, for renters and homeowners. For instance, 22 percent of Black households are homeowners, compared to 76 percent of white households. How will you reduce the racial homeownership gap and other disparities in housing for households of color?
While I understand the problems that have led to this, in my district it's not as institutionalized a problem as it is in large cities and housing is far more a class issue than a racial issue.
Rental Stability: Rental assistance is proven to reduce homelessness, housing instability, and overcrowding, but 75% of residents who qualify for rental assistance do not receive this limited resource. What will you do to expand access to housing assistance to every household that needs it?
I would not expand housing assistance.
Funding: We cannot meet our growing, statewide housing needs without significant additional resources. Will you support a dedicated source of funding for affordable housing? Why or why not?
No. We need to reduce spending and government altogether to make a freer, less expensive society to live in. Subsidizing housing is in large part what increases the cost of it. Why be frugal or build something affordable if we step in and pay for it either way.
