Committee adopts several amendments and sends housing omnibus to general register

The House Committee on Housing Finance and Policy adopted four amendments to House File 2309 and referred the bill to the General Register.

Committee members said the omnibus vehicle would include bipartisan items heard this session. Chair Howard moved the A1 amendment (House Bill 2480) to assist public housing entities with navigating and securing general obligation dollars; the committee adopted the amendment by voice vote. The A2 amendment—combining an adaptive-reuse provision and authorization for housing and redevelopment authorities (HRAs) to establish local housing trust funds—was adopted by voice vote. The A4 amendment requires Minnesota Housing Finance Agency to promote landlord and tenant rights and obligations on its website; the committee adopted it by voice vote. The A5 amendment adjusted the Workforce Housing Fund and related state housing tax credit language; the amendment was adopted by voice vote.

After adopting amendments, Representative Rehauer moved that House File 2309, as amended, be referred to the General Register. The motion carried by voice vote and the measure was sent on without a recorded roll-call tally in the committee record.

No new testimony was taken on the bill during this session; committee members offered brief comments about the content and intent of the included amendments. The committee indicated the omnibus would be a vehicle for bipartisan housing policies and that staff and proponents had negotiated language to include items heard earlier this session.