| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to housing; establishing an Accessible Housing Task Force; requiring |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 reports; appropriating money. |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 Section 1. ACCESSIBLE HOUSING TASK FORCE. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7the meanings given. |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8 (b) "Accessible housing" means housing that is designed, constructed, or modified to |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9enable persons with disabilities to live independently. Accessible housing may be made |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10accessible through design or additional features, such as modified bathrooms, cabinetry, |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11appliances, furniture, space, shelves, or cupboards that improve the overall ability of persons |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12with disabilities to function in the housing. |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13 (c) "Person with a disability" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14256.481. |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15 Subd. 2.Establishment of task force.An Accessible Housing Task Force is established |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16to: |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17 (1) examine the housing experiences of persons with disabilities, including their |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18experiences seeking accessible housing or independent housing; |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19 (2) examine the practices of housing providers related to accessible housing and |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20independent housing and the issues preventing housing providers from providing accessible |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21housing or independent housing units to persons with disabilities; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 23 | 23 | | REVISOR MS/NS 25-0385102/20/25 |
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| 24 | 24 | | State of Minnesota |
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| 25 | 25 | | This Document can be made available |
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| 26 | 26 | | in alternative formats upon request |
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| 27 | 27 | | HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
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| 28 | 28 | | H. F. No. 1673 |
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| 29 | 29 | | NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 30 | 30 | | Authored by Howard02/27/2025 |
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| 31 | 31 | | The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Housing Finance and Policy 2.1 (3) recommend legislation to increase the supply of safe and affordable, accessible |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.2housing and independent housing units. |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.3 Subd. 3.Membership.(a) The task force consists of the following members appointed |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.4by the governor: |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.5 (1) five persons with disabilities who have experienced a lack of accessible housing; |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.6 (2) two parents of adult persons who have experienced a lack of affordable housing; |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.7 (3) one representative of the Minnesota Council on Disability; |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.8 (4) one representative of Arc Minnesota; |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.9 (5) one representative of the Minnesota Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities; |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.10 (6) one representative of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency; |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.11 (7) one representative of the Minnesota Department of Human Services; |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.12 (8) one representative of the Minnesota Department of Health; |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.13 (9) one staff person working for a housing stabilization services program; |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.14 (10) one representative of a housing contractor who has built accessible housing; |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.15 (11) one representative of a housing developer who has developed property that includes |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.16accessible housing; |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.17 (12) one representative of an agency that helps find housing for people with disabilities; |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.18and |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.19 (13) two representatives of organizations or groups who advocate for persons with |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.20disabilities. |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.21 (b) Appointments must be made no later than July 1, 2025, and must include |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.22representatives of both the metropolitan area and greater Minnesota. |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.23 (c) Task force members must serve without compensation, except for public members. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.24Members eligible for compensation must receive expenses as provided in Minnesota Statutes, |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.25section 15.059, subdivision 6. |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.26 (d) Vacancies must be filled by the governor consistent with the qualifications of the |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.27vacating member required by this subdivision. |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.28 Subd. 4.Meetings; officers.(a) The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency shall convene |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2.29the first meeting of the task force no later than August 15, 2025, and shall provide accessible |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2.30physical or virtual meeting space as necessary for the task force to conduct its work. |
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| 61 | 61 | | 2Section 1. |
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| 62 | 62 | | REVISOR MS/NS 25-0385102/20/25 3.1 (b) At its first meeting, the task force shall elect a chair and vice-chair from among the |
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| 63 | 63 | | 3.2task force members and may elect other officers as necessary. |
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| 64 | 64 | | 3.3 (c) The task force shall meet according to a schedule determined by the members or |
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| 65 | 65 | | 3.4upon the call of the task force's chair. The task force must meet as often as necessary to |
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| 66 | 66 | | 3.5accomplish the duties under subdivision 5. |
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| 67 | 67 | | 3.6 (d) Meetings of the task force are subject to Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13D. |
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| 68 | 68 | | 3.7 Subd. 5.Duties.(a) The task force must seek input from: |
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| 69 | 69 | | 3.8 (1) individuals who are experiencing or who have experienced the lack of affordable, |
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| 70 | 70 | | 3.9accessible housing; |
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| 71 | 71 | | 3.10 (2) providers of accessible housing; and |
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| 72 | 72 | | 3.11 (3) any other persons or organizations with experience or expertise in affordable, |
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| 73 | 73 | | 3.12accessible housing. |
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| 74 | 74 | | 3.13 (b) The task force must: |
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| 75 | 75 | | 3.14 (1) research and analyze how other states, cities, and counties address a lack of affordable, |
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| 76 | 76 | | 3.15accessible housing; and |
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| 77 | 77 | | 3.16 (2) develop recommendations to establish statewide education on affordable, accessible |
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| 78 | 78 | | 3.17housing to ensure that local units of government include affordable, accessible housing and |
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| 79 | 79 | | 3.18affordable housing policies in local planning. |
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| 80 | 80 | | 3.19 Subd. 6.Report.(a) No later than February 1, 2026, the task force shall submit an initial |
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| 81 | 81 | | 3.20report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions |
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| 82 | 82 | | 3.21with jurisdiction over housing on the findings and recommendations of the task force for |
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| 83 | 83 | | 3.22improving the supply, quality, and affordability of accessible housing statewide. |
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| 84 | 84 | | 3.23 (b) No later than August 31, 2026, the task force shall submit a final report to the chairs |
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| 85 | 85 | | 3.24and ranking minority members of the legislative committees and divisions with jurisdiction |
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| 86 | 86 | | 3.25over housing on the findings and recommendations in paragraph (a). |
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| 87 | 87 | | 3.26 Subd. 7.Expiration.The task force expires the day following submission of the final |
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| 88 | 88 | | 3.27report under subdivision 6. |
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| 89 | 89 | | 3.28 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment. |
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| 90 | 90 | | 3Section 1. |
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| 91 | 91 | | REVISOR MS/NS 25-0385102/20/25 4.1 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; ACCESSIBLE HOUSING TASK FORCE. |
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| 92 | 92 | | 4.2 $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of |
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| 93 | 93 | | 4.3the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for the Accessible Housing Task Force in section |
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| 94 | 94 | | 4.41. This is a onetime appropriation. |
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| 95 | 95 | | 4Sec. 2. |
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| 96 | 96 | | REVISOR MS/NS 25-0385102/20/25 |
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