Lutheran Advocacy—Minnesota
2023 Legislative Agenda
Clean Energy
1. Infrastructure Funding Matches: Funding to take advantage of federal funds available through the Bipartisan Infrastructure legislation.
2. Climate/Clean Energy: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase clean energy through stand-alone legislation or portions of other bills, including the 100% Bills.
3. Energy Transition: Increase the role and funding of the Minnesota Energy Transition Office to support both community and worker transition from fossil fuels.
Affordable Housing
The Homes for All Coalition has a very large list of 35 issues. Lutheran Advocacy-MN will take major roles on the first two issues, with additional action on the other six issues through action alerts and legislative meetings as appropriate.
1. Sacred Tiny Home Communities (Communities of tiny homes on premises of places of worship with formerly homeless and “missioner” households): Change zoning laws to allow houses under 400 square feet.
2. Capital Requests for Production & Rehab Funding:
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$500M for Housing Infrastructure Bonds;
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$250M for General Obligation Bonds for publicly owned housing rehab;
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$250M cash for homeownership, community land trusts, and manufactured home park infrastructure;
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$200M for emergency shelter capital.
3. Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH): Provide significant annual funding for acquisition and rehab.
4. Down Payment Assistance: Create a first-generation down payment assistance program targeted to BIPOC homebuyers.
5. Housing Support Income Modifications: Reform calculations to ensure those receiving SSI, RSDI, veterans benefits, tribal payments and lived experience stipends can to retain more of their personal income.
6. Pre-Eviction Notice & Eviction Expungement: Mandate a landlord-provided 14-day pre-eviction notice, and make reforms including a requirement that evictions 3 years or older be removed from a renter’s record.
7. Source of Income Protection: Amend the Minnesota Human Rights Act to clarify that housing discrimination based on a person’s source of income is illegal.
8. Lead-Free Homes: Create a fund for small grants to do lead-remediation in low-income rental homes.