Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Rental Assistance topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Lawmakers press Minnesota Housing over timing and geographic gaps in "Bring It Home" rental assistance awards
Summary
Members questioned why "Bring It Home" awards show fuller use of metro sales-tax funds than statewide appropriations and why some program lines appear unawarded; agency staff cited timing of RFP cycles, sales-tax receipts and partner caution in rollout.
During the April 7 informational hearing, several lawmakers raised concerns about the pace and geographic distribution of awards for the "Bring It Home" rental assistance program.
Committee members noted the agency's public spreadsheet showed the metro sales-tax-funded portion of the program was largely allocated while the statewide general fund line had more unawarded dollars. Lawmakers asked why the agency's RFP cycles did not yield similar award rates for statewide funds and whether unused appropriations were simply being held and earning interest.
Deputy or staff testimony from Cody Argo explained that the statewide program and the metro sales-tax-funded program follow different timelines and authorities: the metro sales-tax funds must be used for metro-area applicants, while the general fund awards statewide. Argo said the program had completed one RFP cycle in three years and noted sales-tax receipts and administrator capacity affected timing of subsequent rounds. He said partners administering rental assistance urged a cautious rollout to avoid overpromising commitments they could not sustain given rent inflation and variable family needs.
Why it matters: Lawmakers emphasized that rental-assistance dollars are urgent for families and that long delays in awards can leave money unused while households wait for assistance. Agency staff said that in some cases lack of applications from greater Minnesota affected geographic distribution and that staff are working with partners to improve outreach and administrator capacity.
Members requested that the agency provide a clear, program-level timeline of past and planned RFPs, and that it explain any statutory or programmatic barriers to shifting unawarded funds to regions with demonstrated demand. The agency said some awards are in final review and will go to the board, and that sales-tax timing and constraints on guaranteed future receipts affect the pace of awards.
Ending: The committee asked Minnesota Housing to return written follow-up materials listing RFP schedules, amounts awarded and the statutory authority governing award methods for the Bring It Home program; no policy changes were adopted at the hearing.
