Legislative Update - March 12, 2021

Dear Neighbors, 

Tomorrow morning, at 11am, I’ll be joining Rep. Esther Agbaje and Sen. Bobby Joe Champion for our District’s Community Conversation on Housing and Mental Health. We’ll be streaming on Facebook, but you can also join us on Zoom by RSVPing and submitting questions here.

Minnesota, and certainly our community, is experiencing a housing crisis. Housing insecurity can often exacerbate poor mental health - leading to a cycle made only worse by the ongoing pandemic and current events. While the goal of this conversation is to provide information and resources to our community, we would also like to take a moment during it to discuss the Derek Chauvin trial, and the impact it will have on all of us.

We’ll be joined by Commissioner Jennifer Ho of Minnesota Housing, Jackie Coleman from North Point Health & Wellness Center, and John Spieker from the Housing Division for Catholic Charities, who will help drive our discussion on the intersection between housing and mental health.

New Public Health Guidelines

As more Minnesotans continue to get vaccinated, Governor Walz turned the dials today on the state’s pandemic response, further loosening restrictions on businesses and gatherings.

These updates will go into effect on Monday, and you can read more about them here. 

Investing in Our Climate and Affordable Housing

This week in the House Capital Investment Committee, our most packed meetings yet focused on a series of bills that would support climate-conscious projects and affordable housing. While both of these issues impact every corner of our state, the negative effects of poor policy are especially felt in Black, Indigenous, and communities of color like ours.

Minnesota is leading the Midwest through state emissions reductions targets, which include the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 compared to 2005 levels. The state has already reduced emissions by more than 10%—but it is not enough. The state failed to meet its 2015 target, and is currently not on track for 2025. Natural climate solutions can help to meet these goals.

Right now, 61,000 families of color across Minnesota who have the income to afford homeownership, struggle to find a home to buy. By continuing to rent, they live in units that could otherwise be home to families with lower incomes. 

As we enter the second half of the legislative session, I’ll begin spearheading the process of incorporating proposals in a robust bonding bill that addresses these issues, and you can follow along with our work on the Capital Investment Committee webpage. For any question on this or my other work, please reach out to me at 651-296-4262 or email at rep.fue.lee@house.mn. I look forward to hearing from you. 

Sincerely, 

Fue Lee

State Representative