Dayton Sign-on Letter

* 1. Add your name and organization (if applicable) below to this letter to Gov Dayton and Legislative Leaders to prioritize homeless children and youth in the 2013 Legislative Session:



Dear Governor Dayton and Legislative Leaders:

Election season has come to an end and we now know who will serve during the 2013 legislative session. The hard work of moving Minnesota forward can finally begin. Over the past several months, dedicated organizations and volunteers throughout the state built relationships with legislative candidates and educated them about issues of housing and homelessness. This work has helped us develop and refine a legislative agenda that will have a meaningful impact on some of the most vulnerable members of our community: homeless children and youth. We seek $50 million in strategic investments divided between Minnesota Housing and the Department of Human Services.

The economy continues to improve. Job prospects look better and home values are on the rise. However, there is still a crisis to be addressed. Over 13,000 Minnesotans, the majority of which are children and youth, don’t have a place to call home. Additionally, 33% of Minnesota families are paying more than one-third of their income for housing. The impacts of our housing crisis are felt in schools, neighborhoods and communities throughout Minnesota.

Many people experiencing homelessness still face barriers to stable housing, such as chemical dependency, serious mental illness, or chronic health issues. Some are fleeing domestic violence. Others need education, childcare and/or transportation to get gainful employment so they can afford housing. Over the past several years, the face of homelessness has changed to include more families with children experiencing these challenges. At the same time, we are learning more about lasting negative impacts of housing instability and homelessness on children. We can do better. We must.

There are solutions to the housing challenges we face. If we want to be a healthy, productive and competitive state with broad prosperity, we have to take a comprehensive approach to addressing these challenges. During the 2012 legislative session, $37.5 million was included in the bonding bill for affordable housing preservation. This is a good start but there is more work to be done.

In the 2013 legislative session, a broad coalition of partners from the entire housing continuum will advocate for strategic investments in housing and homelessness programs in the Department of Human Services and Minnesota Housing. These programs have a record of positive outcomes for the people served and with additional resources, can increase their capacity to stabilize more households.

We are asking for your support and look forward to working with you, your administration and the legislature in the coming months.

Sincerely,