MHP's Executive Director Anne Mavity Testifies in US Senate Subcommittee

On Tuesday, May 2nd, MHP's Executive Director Anne Mavity testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Subcommittee on Housing Transportation and Community Development. The hearing focused on this year’s “Farm Bill” and the opportunity it represents to preserve deeply needed affordable housing in rural communities.

Mavity's testimony builds on the recently released report The USDA Section 515 Program and The Challenge of Preserving Affordable Housing in Greater Minnesota a collaboration between MHP, the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA), and Housing Justice Center. Read Mavity's written testimony from the hearing here. 

House Republicans Pass Limit, Save, Grow Act

Just last week, House Republicans passed the Limit, Save, Grow Act of 2023, which would increase the debt ceiling until $1.5 trillion is reached or March 24, whatever happens sooner. They have conditioned increasing the debt ceiling on agreement to reduce discretionary FY24 spending to FY22 levels, which would require a cut of approximately $130 billion, and would rescind unobligated funds from the Inflation Reduction Act, the American Rescue Plan Act, and other coronavirus relief measures.

In a letter outlining the potential impacts of the proposal, HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge observed that if enacted, the cuts proposed in the bill would cause “mass evictions.” The Administration continues to call for a "clean" debt bill that would raise the limit without conditions. Contact your member of Congress and ask them to support needed increases to housing programs, not cuts! 

The Legislature Begins Conference Committees

At the Minnesota Capitol, conference committees have begun meeting. With both the House and Senate passing their individual omnibus bills, conference committees are the process in which differences in the two bills are reconciled. To adjourn by May 12, most conference committees will finalize their reports by the end of this week. The housing conference committee met Tuesday, May 2 to hear public testimony. The House and Senate housing omnibus bills are similar, yet, there are some key differences that will need to be negotiated. You can read the side-by-side comparison here and look at the combined spreadsheet to compare investment levels here.  

One key difference in two omnibus bills of interest to housing advocates exists in the tax bills. The Minnesota Senate tax committee unveiled its omnibus tax bill late last week. The bill includes property tax reduction for multifamily affordable housing units. MHP has advocated for 4d tax relief for several years; the House does not include the uniform .25 tax rate in its tax bill.    

The Future of Rural Rental Housing: USDA Sec 515 Research & Remedies

This week, MHP hosted a webinar based on the report: The USDA Section 515 Program and The Challenge of Preserving Affordable Housing in Greater Minnesota. Guests Ryan Allen, Professor and Associate Dean of Research, Humphrey School of Public Affairs; Dani Salus, Preservation Supervisor, Multifamily Division, Minnesota Housing; and Adam Schiff, Agriculture Legislative Assistance, Office of Senator Tina Smith; and Elizabeth Glidden and Jill Henricksen held a conversation about the future of rural rental homes in Minnesota. 

The report is a collaboration between the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, MHP, and the Housing Justice Center. 

Join the Campaign for a Constitutional Amendment for Housing!

Barrett Family, Landfall MN

Our Future Starts at Home is driving the movement for an amendment to the Minnesota State Constitution to dedicate sustainable, predictable, and ongoing funding to real solutions to our housing crisis.

ourhomesmn.org

MHP Collaborates with the Grand Forks Community Land Trust

The northwest region of Minnesota is locally known as the manufacturing region of the state. Employers such as DigiKey, Marvin Windows, Polaris, and more are in desperate need of workers, and the limited supply of housing is a critical barrier to bringing in new employees.  One of the tools being considered to help increase the supply of affordable housing is a Community Land Trust (CLT), in which low- to moderate-income households purchase the home while leasing the land. Subsidy is brought in at the front end for the buyer, making the purchase of the home 

more affordable. This is a shared equity model in which buyers capture all of their earned equity and then typically 25% of the appreciated value based on an appraisal at the time the house is resold to a new buyer. The CLT model is a great way to increase homeownership among those who cannot afford to purchase a home at the appraised value.

MHP has begun working with the Grand Forks Community Land Trust (GFCLT) and the Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) on their plan to operationalize a CLT in this region. We are conducting feasibility analysis at the organizational and programmatic levels. This information, and more, will be included in a new business plan for a proposed CLT. 

Cory Boushee from the NMF and Emily Contreras from GFCLT, along with Diane Morey, a consultant with the NW Small Business Development Center comprises our core working team. Cory and Emily will present on the CLT model at the June 8th NW MN Housing Opportunity Workshop in Bemidji. See below!    

MHP is excited to host the regional workshop: Advancing Housing and Community Development in the Northwest Region of Minnesota on June 8, 2023. It will bring together leaders focused on housing solutions for the region and emphasize specific development opportunities in the region.

Topics will include:

• Legislative update on housing resources and funding
• Local municipality housing development goals within the region
• Project funding and financing efforts
• Ways the Minnesota AIA can support planning efforts, including through the Search for Shelter Design Charette and the Minnesota Design Team
• Perspectives from regional leaders around vision and next steps for the Northwest region to support housing development needs

Attendees will also have an opportunity to learn more about project concepts from the Northwest region’s cohort of emerging developers.

The National Housing Trust Offers IRA Bootcamps

The National Housing Trust is offering Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Bootcamps. These technical assistance programs will provide housing finance agencies and affordable housing multifamily developers the opportunity to get the support they need to fully access Inflation Reduction Act funding. These workshops are supported by the Wells Fargo Foundation.

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