MICAH August Policy Update

On August 13, the Senate Select Committee on Home Ownership Affordability and Availability held their first hearing in St. Paul.

Packets provided by MICAH included information on different types of home ownership/housing for consideration like tiny homes and manufactured housing cooperatives, disparity in home ownership opportunities, and some solutions including the HOME Law (passed in 2014) and Enhanced Homeownership Initiative (now a permanent MHFA program to increase home ownership by diverse populations). Several members referred to the materials during the hearing.

MICAH staff assisted the Homes for All Coalition (H4A) this summer, helping strengthen their organization and goals in preparation for next year’s session. As a result H4A will produce a full agenda of needed funding for affordable housing, even though this is primarily a bonding and policy year at the state capitol. Organizations will be able to submit bill ideas to be considered for the full agenda in September, with decisions made in mid-October.

Congratulations to Junail Freeman Anderson and Rome Darring, both MICAH Board Members.

On August 15, they were voted onto the H4A Coalition’s leadership team. H4A is undertaking a strategic planning campaign this fall to hear from coalition members on ways to better serve the entire state. Junail and Rome’s participation will be essential to this process.

Patti Whitney-Wise served on the nominating committee for a new co-chair and led the sub-committee effort, along with Sue Watlov Phillips, to include two people with lived experience on the H4A Coalition’s leadership team.