St. Paul, MN – Rep. Michael Howard (DFL – Richfield), vice chair of the Minnesota House Housing Finance and Policy Division, released the following statement in support of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s “Homes for All Act” announced today:
“We need bold solutions if we are to meet the crisis facing Minnesota families who cannot afford their homes, and Congresswoman Omar’s plan is the kind of bold thinking we need at all levels of government,” said Rep. Howard. “Every Minnesotan should have access to housing stability. This aspirational goal is within reach, but only if we take an all-hands-on-deck approach to our housing crisis and take urgent action across the continuum of housing. That means solutions to eliminating student homelessness, building new homes, preserving existing affordable housing, creating accessible housing and empowering renters. We can do this.”
The “Homes for All Act” would establish a permanent federal funding stream for making homes more affordable, while also lifting the federal prohibition on funding new public housing projects. Over the next decade, Congresswoman Omar’s plan would invest $1 trillion in affordable housing projects, including the creation of 12 million new housing units.
In Minnesota alone, more than a quarter of Minnesotans pay more than they can afford on their housing. In addition, Wilder Research released a study earlier this year showing a 10% increase in those experiencing homelessness over the last three years, many of them children.
Rep. Howard said he looks forward to the 2020 session and efforts to make housing affordability solutions a key priority.
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