MHP, along with other housing champions, announced the necessity for transformative investments in housing in the 2022 legislative session. $2 billion in 2022 for housing would be an investment in healthy families, children thriving in school, diverse and inclusive communities, jobs and economic competitiveness.

We are asking for $2 billion in 2022. That includes: $1 billion to create and save homes, which would build new rental and ownership homes for 8,000 families and ensure 10,000 families can remain in their homes. $1 billion to create access and opportunity to housing would ensure over 137,000 families have the rental assistance to afford safe, quality homes and expand homeownership to roughly 5,000 first generation homeowners. 

Learn more here and join us to Invest in Housing by contacting Libby Murphy, MHP’s Director of Policy, at libby.murphy@mhponline.org.

To get this done, MHP is supporting bonding, general fund appropriations for NOAH, new development, especially resources that target the lowest income households, Bring it Home, and proposals to prepare homebuyers and provide down payment assistance to expand ownership, and smart tax policies like 4d. In partnership with our MN ERASE campaign partners, we are already leading efforts to secure additional resources for emergency rental assistance. 

We are also calling for investments to improve the condition of home so that fewer Minnesotans experience energy burden. And, we will continue to advocate for Source of Income Protections so that those with public assistance, like a Section 8 voucher, are not denied housing on the premise of their income.

Find MHP’s 2022 agenda here. 

Yesterday, Governor Walz released his spending and policy priorities for the 2022 legislative session. The Walz administration will invest $1 billion over the next three years in housing. Through bonding and general fund appropriations, the administration supports new construction and preservation of all types of housing. This includes $100 million to save naturally occurring affordable rental and owner-occupied homes. The budget proposal increases investments to the Challenge Fund, the Greater Minnesota Workforce Housing Program, the Workforce and Affordable Homeownership Fund. In response to escalating construction costs, the Governor also includes $10M in flexible financing to cover unanticipated gaps in financing due to changing market conditions. The proposal also increases investments to a number of rental assistance and homelessness prevention programs operated by both Minnesota Housing and the Department of Human Services.

In addition to strong investments, Governor Walz added a number of renter protection policies to last year’s policy agenda, which included eviction expungements, pre-eviction notice, and source of income protections.  
Additionally, the Governor recommends additional funding to supplement the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) by offering relief to income-eligible households throughout Minnesota. The proposal expands to include services that cannot be covered by existing federal funding including pre-weatherization work that prevent structures from qualifying for weatherization services.

Read the Governor’s statement here. Learn about the details here.

The Senate GOP announced its 2022 session priorities yesterday. While most of the details will be released in the coming weeks, we know that the caucus is prioritizing public safety, education, with a special emphasis on literacy and mental health, and providing tax relief to all Minnesotans and additional, targeted tax relief to low and moderate income families. No mention of housing was made in written statements or at the press conference. 

Minnesota Housing has announced, as of Tuesday January 25, that the deadline for applications to RentHelpMN is January 28, 2022, at 9:00 pm. RentHelpMN is closing due to lack of ongoing funds. The Minnesota ERASE Campaign (End Rental Arrears and Stop Evictions), co-convened by ACER (African Career Education Resource); Housing Justice Center, and MHP, released a statement yesterday:

"We are concerned that RentHelpMN is closed to application as many Minnesotans remain in dire need, in the dead of winter, with a continuing COVID-19 pandemic. We urge the Governor and Legislature to appropriate funds for emergency housing assistance to ensure housing stability for Minnesota families; without continued funding, the number of Minnesotans facing displacement, eviction, and even homelessness will escalate."

Read ERASE's full statement here.

Thank you to the lawmakers who participated in MHP's Virtual Legislative Panel today!

If you missed the panel, check it out on MHP's YouTube channel.

For more information on MHP's Investor Council, a professional network of businesses and organizations involved in the affordable housing industry that support the important work of MHP, contact investorscouncil@mhponline.org.

MHP is pleased to announce the recipients of our 2021 Outstanding Advocate awards! These awards recognize community members and select organizations for demonstrated dedication to affordable housing. During 2021, these advocates engaged their elected officials, motivated others to advocate, and raised the public profile of affordable housing issues. They shared personal and professional experience to further MHP’s policy agenda and secure more support – through policy and resources - for affordable homes.

MHP’s work would be impossible without relationships, and our partnership with many other outstanding individuals and organizations. For our Outstanding Advocate awardees, we’re incredibly grateful for all the ways in which they used their voices, ingenuity, talent, and resources to draw attention to housing as a critical public issue. These awards are a small gesture in appreciation of big contributions! 

2021 Outstanding Advocates:

• Dayna Norvold, Executive Director, Rice County Habitat for Humanity

• Chris Sherman, President, Sherman Associates

• Metric Giles, Director, Community Stabilization Project (CSP)

• James Archer (developer, property owner, realtor)

• Pam Kramer, formerly Director of LISC, Duluth

• HOME Line: Outstanding Organization

MHP's 2022 agenda requests state law be clarified so that "discrimination" encompasses all forms of housing assistance. Watch MHP's Source of Income Protections Webinar with advocate Linda Soderstrom, Eric Hauge of HOME Line, and Rep Her, and then endorse this important issue! 

"A Better Building Code: Recommendations for Increasing Housing Resilience and Racial Equity for Minnesota Renters" analyzes the potential impact an advanced building code would have on multifamily buildings in Minnesota, with a particular focus on buildings serving households most impacted by economic and racial disparities. Data was examined for four+ story multifamily buildings and interviews conducted with renters and property owners, developers, and managers. The report concludes with ten recommendations.