Today, the Minnesota Senate passed the Housing Budget, which focused on helping Minnesotans attain homeownership by removing barriers to construction, encouraging more diversity in the housing stock, and supporting first-time and low-income home buyers. The bill also resolves issues caused by the eviction moratorium by providing an off-ramp for housing providers and renters impacted by the moratorium over the past 15 months. 

“Right now, Minnesota’s housing market is extremely tight and makes it very difficult for first-time buyers or young adults to purchase a home,” Senator Gene Dornink (R-Hayfield) said Monday. “Home ownership is the best way to create and sustain generational wealth in the future and it is time to reduce burdensome regulations in the housing code and get more Minnesotans into the housing market at a much lower cost.”

The eviction moratorium was put into place 15 months ago as the pandemic began to impact renters. This moratorium has been a large block in ending emergency powers and this bill will resolve that issue and provide protections to those facing hardship while allowing housing providers to remove tenants in violation of lease agreements. As rental assistance is dispersed via RentHelpMN, this change will encourage tenants to use the resources available while making housing providers whole after a difficult year.

This bill was passed by the House last week and with overwhelming bipartisan support passed the Senate. It will now go to Governor Walz’s desk to be signed into law.