Minn. committee adopts housing finance bill to authorize $100M in bonds, refer to Ways and Means

The House Housing Finance and Policy Committee on April 8 adopted an amended housing finance and policy package, House File 1141, that would authorize $100,000,000 in Housing Infrastructure Bonds (HIBs), direct $20,000,000 toward a Greater Minnesota workforce housing program and channel Tyler settlement funds into the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP). The committee voted to refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee on Ways and Means.

The legislation, presented by Chair Howard, would also include targeted investments such as $150,000 for homeownership counseling through HECAT and a $150,000 pilot for senior housing, and it directs existing FHPAP providers — counties and long-standing social-service partners — to administer rental-assistance dollars drawn from the Tyler settlement rather than creating a new program. "The bill authorizes 100,000,000 in housing infrastructure bonds," Chair Howard said while walking members through the package, describing the measure…