Neighbors and Friends, Committees heard full slates of bills this week as our House DFL Economic Security Plan takes shape. In the Housing Finance & Policy committee, which I chair, we presented several proposals to address housing costs. I presented the Minnesota Housing policy and technical bill, of which I am author, to the committee. As the agency administers programs and works with partners, there are issues which arise from time to time. Historic levels of need and funding are being deployed, and it is important Minnesota Housing continues to make changes to improve access, to provide clarity to existing programs and expand program eligibility where they can. Other bills considered in committee include allowing for Housing Infrastructure Bonds (HIBs) to finance the costs of construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of permanent housing to households with eligible incomes and another to establish a housing grant program to make available mediation services between renters and landlords. We also discussed legislation to finance the costs of acquisition, rehabilitation, adaptive reuse, or new construction of senior housing which allows for up to 20% of the units to be used to house low-income individuals of any age, allowing senior housing developers to include units for other uses including those with disabilities. We heard compelling testimony from those with disabilities living in senior housing complexes and the benefits of cooperative housing. You can read more about these measures here. And you can watch the Housing committee on the House of Representatives’ YouTube Channel. Passenger Rail Funding In the Minnesota House Capital Investment committee this week, I presented legislation to fund passenger rail infrastructure in Minnesota. This bill makes funding available for several intercity passenger rail projects throughout Minnesota including a route between the Twin Cities and Northfield and Albert Lea, a dedicated passenger rail main line between St. Paul’s Union Depot and Target Field in Minneapolis, and a study of a passenger rail maintenance facility at St. Paul’s Midway Station, owned by Amtrak. On Wednesday, the Minnesota House, and Senate Transportation committee chairs, joined federal Minnesota and Wisconsin leaders to celebrate the second daily train to Chicago, a measure I authored last session. You can read more here. You can view the Capital Investment committee on the House of Representatives’ YouTube Channel, and watch a news story about the route here.  |