State leaders offered dramatically different visions this week for helping Minnesotans struggling with rising housing costs and the short supply of homes and rental properties.
Senate Republicans proposed adding $50 million to the state's current two-year budget to help people become homeowners, while House Democrats' housing bill includes nearly five times that sum for a mix of homebuyer and renter assistance, as well as programs to preserve and repair existing affordable housing.
"Minnesota faced a housing crisis before the pandemic and some of those challenges have only worsened," said Rep. Mike Howard, DFL-Richfield, noting that housing-related spending across all House bills amounts to $2 billion over three years. "This bill and the historic commitment we're making will help tens of thousands of Minnesotans afford their home, from renters to homeowners."
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