It is the final week of the legislative session. On Monday, Governor Walz, Sente Majority Leader Miller, and House Majority Leader Winkler announced a "global framework" agreement. With this announcement, lawmakers can get down to work and negotiate the details of their bills. The deal calls for $4 billion in a tax bill and $1.4 billion in bonds in a capital investment bill. The agreements also include spending $1 billion in education, $1 billion for health care and human services, and $450 million for public safety. $4 billion will be left unspent to help the state mange economic uncertainty. Leadership agreed to spend another $1.32 billion.

On Wednesday, leaders announced budget targets for housing. The agreement spends an additional $50 million in this biennium and adds $50 million to the base budget next biennium. Chair Draheim and Chair Hausman began exchanging offers yesterday afternoon.

It is still unclear if there is a path forward for Housing Infrastructure Bonds (HIBs). As of right now, HIBs are not a part of the larger bonding bill. Leadership continues to discuss a compromise that includes HIBs. If you haven't already, reach out to your lawmakers and to leadership and urge them to support HIBS. GO bonds for public housing are currently in the bonding bill.

Emergency Rental Assistance, County and Local Affordable Housing Aid, funding of the Workforce and Affordable Homeownership Program are still in play. 

Lawmakers need to hear from you on emergency rental assistance, which is still in play in the housing and tax bills. Over one hundred evictions are being filed daily. We know emergency rental assistance works and these programs are critically underfunded. Calling your lawmakers is crucial. 

If you have questions about any particular issue or contacting your lawmaker, please email Libby Murphy at libby.murphy@mhponline.org.

Call Leadership NOW!

Decisions are being made now about housing

Legislative leadership has negotiated a "global framework." Resources for housing are NOT guaranteed as part of this framework. 

STEP 1: Call Majority Leader Miller and Speaker Hortman NOW and tell them "we cannot delay investments in housing!" 

Speaker of the House Melissa Hortman

Phone: 651-296-4280

E-mail: rep.melissa.hortman@house.mn

Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller

Phone: 651-296-5649

E-mail: sen.jeremy.miller@senate.mn

Suggested message:

[Lawmaker],

My name is __ and I live/work at  ____. Please include Housing Infrastructure Bonds for housing. HIBs are critical to building and preserving homes for Minnesota's lowest-income families. Don't adjourn session without HIBs.

Thank you.

***

If you are interested in advocating on a specific item on MHP’s agenda, please contact Libby Murphy at libby.murphy@mhponline.org

Last month, MHP Board member Patrice Kunesh participated in a Roundtable with Native American Leaders on Economic Empowerment for the House Committee on Economic Disparity and Fairness in Growth. "Economic Empowerment for Native Communities: Harnessing Innovation & Self-Governance to Unlock Economic Potential," studied pathways for Native American communities to foster sustainable economic development and growth. 

WHO: Chairman Jim Himes (CT-04), Ranking Member Bryan Steil (WI-01), Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-04)

Select Committee Members and their Written Statements

Mr. Timothy Williams, Chairman, Fort Mojave Indian Tribe

Ms. Marie Summers, Councilwoman, Oneida Business Committee

Ms. Karena Thundercloud, Vice President, Ho-Chunk Nation

Mr. James Crawford, Tribal Secretary, Potawatomi Tribe

Mr. Dante Desiderio, Chief Executive Officer, National Congress of American Indians

Ms. Patrice Kunesh, Founder and Director, Peȟíŋ Haha Consulting

Watch the Event Recap Video •  Watch the Full Recording • Read Written Event Recap

Read Panelist Recommendations • Read the Panelist Statements

The three U.S. banking regulators charged with overseeing the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)—the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation—have issued a joint notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) to strengthen and modernize the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) regulatory framework. This joint NPR was widely anticipated following the release of the Federal Reserve Board’s advance notice of proposed rulemaking to modernize the CRA in September 2020 and the recision of the OCC’s standalone CRA changes late last year. The NPR is open to public comment through August 5.

The U.S. Treasury has released the latest national spending and recipient demographic data for the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program. Nationally, over 80% of ERA assistance has been allocated to very low-income households with more than 40% self-identifying as Black, 20% as Latino, and nearly two thirds as female-headed households. 

Additionally, the Treasury reports that through the end of 2021, nearly 570 state, local and tribal governments committed $11.7 billion in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) for housing, and urged state, local and tribal governments to deepen their housing investments. Treasury’s new fact sheet highlights how state, local and tribal governments are using SLFRF allocations to keep families in their homes and build more affordable housing.

COVID-19 has exacerbated housing insecurity for millions of households, especially for low-income, Black, Indigenous, and other people of color households. The solution is clear—when given access to emergency rental assistance, the renters most in need experienced housing stability. Despite the success of emergency rental assistance in addressing housing instability, more resources are needed; over half of low income renters behind on rent have not applied for rental assistance. Read the report.

HomeHelpMN is a federally-funded program assisting homeowners who are at risk of default, foreclosure, or displacement as a result of a financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The program includes financial assistance for mortgage reinstatement, and eligible past due property expenses, and will complement the solutions offered by mortgage loan servicers. Homeowners can submit an application via the website or by calling the Call Center at 800-388-3226. (A paper application may also be requested by calling, however, online or phone applications are recommended for the fastest completion.) Funds for the program are limited, and need is expected to be high. Homeowners should submit their applications as soon as possible through June 17 at 5 pm. Visit HomeHelpMN.org or watch the Introduction to HomeHelpMN webinar to learn more or get ready to submit an application.

NLIHC announces the launch of the Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-racism, and Systems-thinking (IDEAS) webpage, with resources, research, videos, and more. The initiative provides tools and tactics to help partner organizations incorporate IDEAS into all aspects of work. 

The webpage provides historical context for understanding the housing disparities we see today; helps advocates better understand the interconnected, dynamic, and adaptive nature of systems; and provides tools to help advocates advance anti-racist policies and redress the impacts of decades of intentionally racist housing and transportation policies.

In a recent Our Homes, Our Votes: 2022 webinar, Tim Mooney, senior counsel with the Bolder Advocacy program of the Alliance for Justice, provided a comprehensive overview of the legal landscape for 501(c)(3) nonprofits that are launching voter and candidate engagement activities. 

Bolder Advocacy provides free, year-round technical assistance to nonprofits by helping resolve advocacy-related questions. Watch a recording and view presentation slides from the May 2 webinar.

On a windy Rochester day, Housing Institute 8 teams gathered to learn how to achieve more affordable housing in their community.

MHP established the Housing Institute in 2010, bringing together housing leaders and stakeholders to share experiences and best practices to catalyze the development of affordable housing throughout the state. This peer-to-peer exchange drives the formation of regional partnerships through a team-based approach, capitalizing on local expertise and resources. Now in its eighth iteration, the 2022-2023 Housing Institute (HI8) features four teams Southeastern Minnesota communities: Janesville, Wabasha, Winnebago, and Winona. Throughout the next year and a half, the teams will pursue a specific project addressing the housing challenges they face. MHP supports these efforts via direct technical assistance and workshops.

This past month, MHP kicked off HI8's first workshop in Rochester, Minnesota with a hybrid in-person/virtual format. MHP worked with the teams in identifying community housing challenges they each hope to address―establishing a firm foundation for the work to come.

Future workshops will include exploration of development models and strategies, existing resources, funding opportunities, and more. Curriculum is tailored to each teams' needs, driving solutions in supportive and senior housing opportunities, addressing homelessness, and identifying viable building territory.

Keep an eye on MHP Connect to see how teams progress at the Institute! Questions about the Housing Institute? Contact Housing Institute Coordinator Harlan Buckalew via phone at 651-925-5536 or email.

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