Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

Minnesota Senate Bill SF2745 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	1.1 A bill for an act
2	2	1.2 relating to housing; establishing a regional housing navigator program;
3	3	1.3 appropriating money for regional housing navigators; establishing the housing
4	4	1.4 choice voucher account; transferring money to the housing choice voucher account;
5	5	1.5 requiring reports; requiring the commissioner of the Housing Finance Agency to
6	6	1.6 identify recommendations for improvements to affordable housing rental voucher
7	7	1.7 programs; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 462A.
8	8	1.8BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
9	9	1.9 Section 1. [462A.2098] REGIONAL HOUSING NAVIGATOR PROGRAM.
10	10	1.10 Subdivision 1.Establishment.The commissioner of the Housing Finance Agency must
11	11	1.11establish a statewide network of at least five regional housing navigators. Each navigator
12	12	1.12must be in a different region of the state and support families who receive rental vouchers
13	13	1.13by connecting them with suitable housing.
14	14	1.14 Subd. 2.Definition.For the purposes of this section, "rental vouchers" includes housing
15	15	1.15assistance vouchers under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended,
16	16	1.16and rental assistance vouchers under section 462A.2095.
17	17	1.17 Subd. 3.Duties.Each housing navigator must assist families who receive rental vouchers
18	18	1.18in locating available rental housing, communicating with housing providers, connecting
19	19	1.19with additional resources, arranging inspections, and coordinating move-in procedures.
20	20	1.20Housing navigators must also serve as a resource for affordable rental housing providers to
21	21	1.21address issues that arise with people who receive rental vouchers.
22	22	1.22 Subd. 4.Regional planning.At least twice annually, each regional housing navigator
23	23	1.23must convene a meeting with local housing providers and other interested stakeholders to
24	24	1Section 1.
25	25	25-04462 as introduced03/07/25 REVISOR MS/RC
26	26	SENATE
27	27	STATE OF MINNESOTA
28	28	S.F. No. 2745NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
29	29	(SENATE AUTHORS: LATZ and Port)
30	30	OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
31	31	Introduction and first reading03/20/2025
32	32	Referred to Housing and Homelessness Prevention 2.1discuss issues, seek potential solutions, and identify opportunities for improvements in the
33	33	2.2affordable rental housing market.
34	34	2.3 Subd. 5.Statewide planning.At least once each year, the commissioner must convene
35	35	2.4a meeting with all regional housing navigators to discuss issues, seek potential solutions,
36	36	2.5and identify opportunities for improvements in the affordable rental housing market.
37	37	2.6 Sec. 2. [462A.2099] HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER ACCOUNT.
38	38	2.7 Subdivision 1.Creation.The housing choice voucher account is created as a separate
39	39	2.8account in the housing development fund.
40	40	2.9 Subd. 2.Rental housing.The agency may use money from the housing choice voucher
41	41	2.10account to provide incentives to affordable rental housing providers who lease to people
42	42	2.11who receive rental vouchers, as defined in section 462A.2098, subdivision 2. Grants may
43	43	2.12be awarded to rental housing providers for:
44	44	2.13 (1) signing bonuses for leasing to new families;
45	45	2.14 (2) costs associated with initiating new leases;
46	46	2.15 (3) reimbursement for losses incurred when holding units open for people who receive
47	47	2.16rental vouchers; and
48	48	2.17 (4) reimbursement for the cost of repairs.
49	49	2.18 Subd. 3.Report.(a) The agency must work with regional housing navigators established
50	50	2.19under section 462A.2098, affordable rental housing providers, and other stakeholders to
51	51	2.20identify recommendations for improvements to the process and procedures for providing
52	52	2.21suitable housing to families who receive rental vouchers, as defined in section 462A.2098,
53	53	2.22subdivision 2. The agency must consider:
54	54	2.23 (1) developing policies for the portability of rental vouchers;
55	55	2.24 (2) streamlining administration and procedures across different affordable rental housing
56	56	2.25programs;
57	57	2.26 (3) providing consistency in rental housing inspections; and
58	58	2.27 (4) developing improvements to the rental assistance program in section 462A.2095.
59	59	2.28 (b) By January 10 each year, the commissioner shall report to the chairs and ranking
60	60	2.29minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over housing finance and
61	61	2.30policy on the administrative and procedural improvements that were identified and
62	62	2Sec. 2.
63	63	25-04462 as introduced03/07/25 REVISOR MS/RC 3.1implemented, as well as any potential changes to legislation that may be needed to support
64	64	3.2these improvements.
65	65	3.3 Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; REGIONAL HOUSING NAVIGATOR PROGRAM.
66	66	3.4 $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the housing
67	67	3.5development fund to the commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for the
68	68	3.6regional housing navigator program under Minnesota Statutes, section 462A.2098.
69	69	3.7 Sec. 4. TRANSFER; HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHER ACCOUNT.
70	70	3.8 $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are transferred from the general
71	71	3.9fund to the housing development fund. Of this transfer, $....... in each year is to the housing
72	72	3.10choice voucher account under Minnesota Statutes, section 462A.2099, in the housing
73	73	3.11development fund. This transfer is $....... in fiscal year 2028 and each year thereafter.
74	74	3Sec. 4.
75	75	25-04462 as introduced03/07/25 REVISOR MS/RC