Bonding Request

Full bill text here: HF 3326 | SF 3257

The total bonding request has been increased to $500M for the 2020 legislative session and will be the top priority of the coalition this year, given that it is a bonding year.

• General Obligation Bonds (GO) - $100M request: To support public housing rehabilitation, including safety upgrades.
• Housing Infrastructure Bonds (HIB) - $400M request: Preservation of federally subsidized rental housing, construction of permanent supportive housing for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and for Community Land Trust land acquisitions for single family home ownership
• New Uses for Bonding:  Added in advance of 2020 legislative session:
  • Allow for the development of units at 50% AMI (especially targeted at 30% AMI) and under, not necessarily tied to supportive services.
  • Allow a one-time use (10% set-aside of Housing Infrastructure Bonds [HIBs]) of bonds to be used for shelter capital needs.

Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) Request 

• Challenge Program HF 859 - $15M biennium base increase: A flexible tool used for the development and preservation of multi and single family housing statewide
• Local Housing Trust Fund HF 1402 | SF 1961 - $10M one-time funding request: State match to incentivize local communities to support development and preservation of affordable housing
• Homework Starts with Home HF 1401 | SF 1214 - $8M per biennium and add to the base: Supports collaborative efforts between schools, housing organizations, and local governments to identify, engage, and stabilize students experiencing homelessness and their families
• Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) - $4M biennium base increase: Rental Assistance funding to serve adults, youth and children at risk of experiencing homelessness.
• Bridges HF 964 | SF 1611 - $2M biennium base increase: Funds necessary rental assistance for adults with a serious mental illness
• Capacity Building Grant HF 2336 | SF 1784 - $200,000 biennium base increase: Supports statewide tenant hotline legal services
• Lead Safe Homes HF 1007 | SF 1798: $2M to make homes lead-safe

Department of Human Services/Health & Human Services (DHS)

• Emergency Services Program (ESP) HF 1805 - $15M biennium base increase: Funds emergency shelters and homeless support programs (low barriers, etc.)
• Housing Support (formerly Group Residential Housing) - $100 per month increase to offset rent increases (approximately $8M biennium base increase): Funds room and board for long-term homeless Minnesotans
• Supportive Housing for Adults with Serious Mental Illness HF 964 | SF 1611 - $2M biennium base increase: Funds scattered and site-based housing supports for adults with serious mental illness
• Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services - $1.8M biennium base increase: Expands services to Minnesotans experience chronic homelessness
• Homeless Youth Act HF 1542 | SF 1730 - $11.238M biennium base increase: Funds programs and supportive services for youth experiencing homelessness

Taxes

• Tax Credit Contribution Fund HF 3253 | SF 3558  - $50M annually: Create a fund where in exchange for contributions to affordable housing projects, contributors can support local projects and receive a dollar for dollar credit on their state tax liability.
• Restore Renter’s Credit for Resident Owned Manufactured Housing Parks HF 458 | SF 1043 - $180K per biennium: Taxpayers living in resident-owned manufactured housing cooperatives will be able to claim property taxes on the land their home is on
• Workforce Homeownership Minnesota (WHOM) HF 884 | SF 942 – Approximately $10M annually: Dedicate the annual growth in the mortgage registry and deed taxes to affordable homeownership opportunities

Policy Request

• Longer Minimum Affordability Terms HF 1574: Require affordable housing development or preservation projects that receive a financial and/or tax credit award from MHFA to maintain affordability for a minimum of 30 years
• Manufactured Housing Right of First Refusal HF 1571 | SF 615: Allow residents of manufactured home parks to the opportunity to match the developers' price when a sale of an MH is taking place and require park owners to engage in fair purchasing agreement with residents or nonprofits interested in purchasing the park
• Tax Exempt Bond Reinstate Cost Oversight Language and Include Five Consensus Items HF 2273: Repeal the changes to the TEB allocations passed in 2018 and replace it with the five consensus agreements support by H4A in 2018
• Pay or Quit Eviction Protection HF 1972 | SF 338:  A notice so tenants are notified before an eviction is filed against them and allow for 14 days before a formal eviction action can be brought in court in order to provide tenants an opportunity to fix the problem  -  Added in advance of 2020 legislative session:  Slow down the eviction process; tenants should have ample time to prepare for their defense to an eviction and additional time before a final judgement forces them out of their home. Judges and housing court referees should have more discretion to extend the court timeline throughout the eviction process.
• Amend the Tenants Remedies Act (TRA):  Would ensure that a court appointed administrator of rental properties receives a priority lien on those properties so an administrator will have access to necessary capital to make required repairs to improve the standard of the affected rental housing in a timely manner.  (Added in advance of 2020 legislative session)
• Eviction Expungement Reform HF 1511 | SF 1751: The proposal limits eviction reporting until a court judgement is rendered. It means the court must order an expungement if the defendant prevailed, the case is dismissed, the court finds that the eviction was ordered 3 years ago or more, the parties have agreed to expungement, or upon request of the tenant if the case is settled and the tenant fulfills the terms of settlement.  (This proposal was on the support agenda from 2019.)
• Heat & Repairs Requirements HF 3349 | SF 3323:  Added in advance of 2020 legislative session
  a. Minnesota should have a statewide minimum heat code of 68 degrees if a tenant does not control the heat, from October 1 to April 30.
  b. Equal fees; Currently, non-emergency court fees cost roughly $70, while the full filing court fee for emergencies is around $300. 
  c. In addition to the emergency issues currently listed under Minnesota law (i.e. no running water or heat), the following should be added: no working refrigerator, no working air conditioning (if advertised), notice of condemnation for unsafe/unsanitary conditions, non-working elevators, and infestations. 
• Lease Fairness HF 3348 | SF 3415: Added in advance of 2020 legislative session
  a. Prohibit any non-refundable fees for non-optional services (i.e administrative fees, lease processing fees, and carpet cleaning fees). Administrative costs must be incorporated in the tenant's rent so they understand how much they’ll be paying each month before they enter into a lease. 
  b. Tenants are entitled to privacy. Unless an emergency, a tenant should have a minimum of 24 hours-notice from the landlord prior to them entering the tenant's home. 
  c. HF 1918 | SF 2118: Renters who have a physician-certified medical condition, illness, or disability that hinders their ability to remain in their current housing situation should be able to end their lease with a 2-month notice if they must move to a medically-assisted or accessible housing unit.