Policy Update: End of Special Session
Written by Ben Helvick Anderson, Director of Public Policy
We know hundreds of thousands of our neighbors are juggling their finances to meet this month’s rent. This housing instability crisis, intensified by COVID-19, hurts our communities, our kids, and will increase the homeless crisis we see in our parks and cities.
There is a lot to do because the Minnesota legislature hasn’t accomplished much. We need to renew our effort to build support for the transformative Bring It Home, MN bill that would provide housing stability for all Minnesotans. But we still have to keep advocating for this past session’s priorities, because the legislature failed again.
We’re disappointed, sad, and angry that this past Saturday morning, June 20, the Minnesota legislature adjourned – AGAIN – without passing our essential housing bills. No money for emergency rental assistance that would keep thousands of families from being turned out on the street. No money for the construction of desperately-needed homes for people with the lowest incomes. No money for the Minnesotans in every legislative district who are struggling for a home.
The Senate set an arbitrary deadline to adjourn last Friday, and when it arrived, Republican leadership abdicated responsibility and packed up without addressing the pressing needs of their constituents.
They got to go home Friday night. Too many Minnesotans didn’t.
Legislators also failed to reach agreement on long-overdue police and criminal justice reforms and that disagreement overflowed into all areas of their work, preventing essential priorities for home from passing.
It is more important than ever that we join together in action and demonstrate to the legislature we are not ceasing our advocacy.
Join us on July 1 to hear from Rep. Michael Howard and take action demanding the legislature pass this year’s measures and start supporting the long term solution of Bring It Home, MN.
