Greater Minnesota workforce housing bill draws business and city support
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Summary
House File 24‑62 would replenish and expand the Greater Minnesota Workforce Housing Development Program to help smaller communities finance workforce rental projects; developers and employers testified it’s critical to retain employees and fill hiring gaps due to housing shortages.
Representative Norris moved House File 24‑62, a bill to fund the Greater Minnesota Workforce Housing Development Program that targets small and mid‑sized communities (priority to places with 30,000 residents or fewer). The sponsor said the program fills a financing gap that otherwise makes workforce rental development infeasible in many communities.
Elizabeth Wafel of the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities testified the program helps local economies and enables communities to attract and retain businesses. Skip DeShano, president of DW Jones Inc., described a 65‑unit ICON project that needed roughly $1.4 million in gap dollars on a $9.2 million budget (including a $500,000 program award and employer deferred loan), and urged a $20 million appropriation to continue delivering projects across Greater Minnesota.
Dante Tomassoni of Cirrus Aircraft, representing a major regional employer, said hiring and retention suffer when workers cannot find housing and urged state assistance to close project financing gaps so companies can recruit and retain employees.
Members asked developers for gap estimates and discussed employer and local match participation. Several members signaled support for identifying funding pathways. The bill was laid over and the committee adjourned.
