Question Title

Image
Minnesota Housing Partnership, with support from our Homes for All coalition partners, invites you to complete this 2020 Candidate Questionnaire on housing issues. Candidates of all parties have been invited to complete the questionnaire. Its purpose is to educate and inform community members on how candidates are tackling housing issues directly impacting their neighborhoods. This questionnaire is not meant to serve as an endorsement of or for any particular candidate or political party.

Responses will be posted at www.mhponline.org. We will also use social media to connect the public to your completed questionnaire. 

Please keep each response to fewer than 300 words.

Question Title

* 1. Contact Information

Question Title

* 2. District Issues: How would you characterize the housing needs in your district, for both renters and for homeowners?

Question Title

* 3. Availability of Affordable Housing: More than 25% of households in Minnesota pay more than 30 percent of their income on housing, meaning they must sacrifice in other areas like food and medicine to make ends meet. What steps will you take to encourage the production of more affordable homes?

Question Title

* 4. Workers: A full-time minimum wage worker cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment in any county in Minnesota — and many of the fastest growing jobs are in low-wage industries. What investments or policy would you champion to address the growing gap between what workers can afford and housing costs?

Question Title

* 5. Homelessness: A lack of affordable housing options is one of the top reasons for homelessness, for individuals or families. What will you do to end homelessness in Minnesota?

Question Title

* 6. Seniors and children: More than half of senior renters and more than 1 in 4 senior homeowners pay more than they can afford for housing. Meanwhile, children without stable, affordable housing have lower educational and health outcomes. What will you do to ensure housing policy and resources support Minnesota's seniors and students?

Question Title

* 7. Racial Disparities: Minnesota's racial disparities in housing are among the worst in the nation, for renters and homeowners. For instance, 22 percent of Black households are homeowners, compared to 76 percent of white households. How will you reduce the racial homeownership gap and other disparities in housing for households of color?

Question Title

* 8. Rental Stability: Rental assistance is proven to reduce homelessness, housing instability, and overcrowding, but 75% of residents who qualify for rental assistance do not receive this limited resource. What will you do to expand access to housing assistance to every household that needs it?

Question Title

* 9. Funding: We cannot meet our growing, statewide housing needs without significant additional resources. Will you support a dedicated source of funding for affordable housing? Why or why not?

Thanks for taking the time to complete the questionnaire! Responses will be posted at www.mhponline.org. We will also use social media to connect the public to your completed questionnaire. 

About Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP):
MHP convenes, guides and mobilizes a diversity of stakeholders, from private developers and tribal leaders to elected officials. Crossing boundaries to forge broad coalitions, we amplify a common vision: Building strong, equitable communities that provide opportunity for everyone, especially those with lower incomes. We provide capacity building in rural areas, produce original research, and advocate for policies that advance affordable housing and strengthen communities. You can view our most recent research, including reports on housing needs in every district in Minnesota, on our website. 

About Homes for All MN:
MHP is a member of Homes for All MN, a statewide coalition that advances shared policy initiatives at the state level that lead to housing stability for all Minnesotans. The coalition has grown to more than 200 endorsing organizations across the state, including nonprofits, service providers, affordable housing developers, faith groups, government agencies and more. More information can be found on the Homes for All MN website.

T