Minnesota House Passes Housing Budget Bill

St. Paul, MN - Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed SF 2298/HF 2445, the House’s bipartisan Housing budget proposal, on a vote of 106-25. The bill, authored by Housing Committee Co-Chairs Rep. Michael Howard (DFL - Richfield) and Rep. Spencer Igo (R - Wabana Township), makes strategic investments aimed at keeping people in their homes and creating new affordable homeownership opportunities.

“Too many Minnesota families are being priced out of the American Dream by a housing shortage that is worsening by the day,” said Rep. Howard. “Today’s action takes necessary strides to prevent homelessness, build more homes, and continue to press toward a vision of Minnesota where everyone can find a safe and affordable home in a community where they want to live.”

The Housing budget invests over $31 million in emergency rental assistance at a time when Minnesota’s eviction rates are spiking. More than 8,000 families will be able to stay in their homes as a result of this investment. The bill also includes $100 million in Housing Infrastructure Bonds and an additional $45 million to build more affordable homes, both to rent and own, all over the state. 

“Housing is stability - we all do better when we all have a place to call home. The reality is Minnesota needs more homes - of all types, in every community - because housing shapes our shared future,” said Rep. Liish Kozlowski (DFL - Duluth) Co-Vice Chair of the Housing Committee. “In the face of Minnesota’s housing crisis and cruel funding cuts brought on by the Trump administration, this legislation will provide stability to thousands of Minnesotans by preventing rising evictions, keep seniors in their homes, expand workforce housing in Greater Minnesota, close shameful racial wealth gaps, and make the dream of homeownership a reality.

The bill also incentivizes cities to adopt pro-housing supply zoning policies to spark production of more homes, such as legalizing more townhomes, duplexes, and multi-family housing. Developers that apply for competitive grant dollars will receive a scoring boost in cities that adopt any of a menu of pro-housing local policies.  

The bill also establishes a statewide hotline to build on past efforts to strengthen tenants’ rights by providing education as well as free and confidential legal advice for renters. Investments are made in the Manufactured Home Community Redevelopment Program to address the infrastructure needs of aging manufactured home communities. To create more affordable and accessible housing units for Minnesotans with disabilities, the budget lifts up their experiences and seeks solutions through the creation of the Accessible Housing Task Force.

Video of today’s floor debate can be found on the House Public Information YouTube channel. 

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