Great housing debate waits

The 2023 legislative session has come to its conclusion after a flurry of housing industry issues were introduced and debated.

There was no shortage of new initiatives relating to housing regulation this session. From the creation of a housing tax to fund future road improvements to a ban on the construction of single-family homes for rent and a host of environmental protection provisions relating to the energy code and electric vehicle charging –new ideas were seemingly everywhere.

None of these initiatives were passed into law, likely due to a growing awareness that the staggering regulatory costs are already disrupting our housing market, along with the fact that newly built and remodeled homes are already the most energy efficient in the country.

One change did pass into law that will impact our industry. A new requirement will place wage and payroll liability with general contractors and their downstream subcontractors. Industry attorneys are reviewing the law to sort out its function, and Housing First Minnesota will be providing educational opportunities to ensure the industry fully understands the changes.

Perhaps the biggest legislative session story is the issue that barely got any debate at all: modernizing zoning and our housing approval process.

There isn’t anything more central to getting our housing market to a healthy place, than the great housing debate to modernize zoning. Minnesota is a curious outsider to this discussion thus far. Other states – both blue states and red states –have engaged in deep policy discussions about the future of housing choice and homeownership.

The debates are difficult, but critical to providing homeownership opportunities to tomorrow’s generation of Minnesotans. The Minnesota Legislature’s essential silence on this issue is a miss in 2023, but a silver lining emerged late in session where committee leaders shared their commitment to tackle this issue in 2024.

Looking ahead, the great housing debate

HousingIndustryNews.org

Subscribe in 2024 will be the top industry issue. We look forward to creating the opportunity for homeownership for all Minnesotans.

Make it a great summer, John Quinlivan

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Housing Industry News

June 2023, Volume 7, Issue 2

PUBLISHER

James Vagle James@HousingFirstMN.org

EDITOR Katie Elfstrom

Katie@HousingFirstMN.org

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Laura Burt

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Emily Doheny

ACCOUNTING

Janice Meyer

ADVERTISING SALES

Brad Meewes

Kori Meewes

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Katie Elfstrom Katie@HousingFirstMN.org

Nick Erickson Nick@HousingFirstMN.org

Mark Foster Mark@HousingFirstMN.org

Kristen Ober Kristen@HousingFirstMN.org

Kate Wigley Kate@HousingFirstMN.org

James Vagle James@HousingFirstMN.org

Sarah Hinderman Sarah@HousingFirstMN.org

Housing First Minnesota

James Vagle, Chief Executive Officer

John Quinlivan, Board Chair

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