Diane Nguyen (DFL)

Minnesota Votes for Housing 2020

Candidate responses in italics.

Name: Diane Nguyen

City/Town: Elk River

Legislative District: SD30

Party: DFL

1: A national poll in May 2020 found that 78% of the public believes our elected leaders are not putting enough attention on people’s need for help to pay for their housing during the coronavirus outbreak. What do you believe is the role of government in ensuring everyone has access to housing?

Everyone should have access to affordable housing because it is a necessity, a basic human need - shelter, security.

2: In Minnesota, 80 of 87 counties do not have the capacity to provide sufficient shelter or temporary housing to those who are homeless. Nationally, a study of US cities found that 25 percent of all requests for emergency shelter went unmet. What will you do to end homelessness?

I will advocate for affordable housing , shelters and funds from the government for assistance to help pay for rent/ mortgage.

3: According to the Census Bureau's July 22 Household Pulse Survey for Minnesota, and Stout’s analysis of this data, there are 132,000 potential eviction filings over the next 4 months in Minnesota. Over 90% of evictions in Minnesota are for non-payment of rent. What will you do to prevent evictions?

Both parties need to work together for Americans and stop using it as political leverage. A bill needs to be passed by the White House to help our people and have evictions unlawful until this pandemic is under control.

4: Being denied where to live because of race, family status, or disability is discrimination. In Minnesota, 53% more whites are homeowners than Black residents, a statistic that dwarfs the national racial homeownership gap of 30%. What meaningful steps will you take to address the root problems of racial disparities in housing?

I am a real estate agent, and we all know it exists. I would like to build more affordable buildings in predominantly Caucasian neighborhoods so that all can have equal opportunity living.

5: Our housing crisis includes a lack of safe, stable homes in Minnesota. The 2018 Minnesota Task Force on Housing identified a need for 300,000 new ownership and rental homes over the next decade. While there are 180,000 Minnesota renters with incomes at 30% area median income, only 100 units affordable to these families are produced each year. What steps will you take to support Minnesotans’ access to homes, especially for under resourced households?

I will be an advocate if elected in November.

6: More than ever, the public understands the connection between housing and health, as well as education, transportation, and more. What housing-based strategy would you use to improve health outcomes for Minnesotans?

Affordable, quality and accessible healthcare.

7: Over 188,000 Minnesota renter households between the ages of 25 and 44 are income-qualified to purchase a home but continue to rent, including 64,000 households of color. What steps will you take to increase opportunities for renters to purchase homes, condos, or cooperative ownership models, if they choose?

There needs to be a program to help those who want to purchase a home to fix their credit and good counseling with step by step and follow up to ensure individuals who want to repair their credit do so because it is so easy to give up when the journey is for 6 months or a year to get credit going.

8: Including community recommendations when developing policies and programs is a best practice for effective and lasting solutions. How will you include those impacted by housing needs in developing and implementing housing solutions?

Classes that assist individuals about home loans, what to do when you fall behind and home insurance. The more an individual knows about their homes, insurance and mortgage, the more likely they will ask for help and get solutions, instead of avoiding and doing nothing until it's too late.

Diane Nguyen (DFL)

Policy

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