Equity in Place releases 2023 state policy agenda
Regardless of our race, age or income, we know our communities are stronger when families, children and workers can put down roots in the neighborhoods they choose to call home. From the vibrant urban centers of the Twin Cities to increasingly diverse communities across Greater Minnesota, nearly 30% of residents in our state rent their homes, playing an essential role in our shared prosperity and potential every single day.
For generations, our state leaders have preferenced and subsidized property owners and big developers, stacking the deck against renters and giving landlords excessive power. Just like redlining locked out Black and brown, Indigenous and Jewish people from homeownership, Minnesota lawmakers have crafted some of the weakest tenant protections in the nation that actively and disproportionately harm people of color across the state. Now, a growing number of corporate and predatory landlords are spiking rents to make more money and forcing our neighbors who rent out of their homes — and legislators have stood aside and let it happen.
We aren’t fooled by the landlord and developer lobby claiming they need free reign to exploit our neighbors without any reasonable regulations. Government has always played a role in the housing market. During the COVID pandemic, lawmakers took swift and impactful steps to safeguard the health and stability of renters across the state, even with a deeply divided legislature.
With a nearly $18 billion budget surplus and united political will, there is no excuse for inaction in 2023. It’s time to create lasting change with policies that ensure tenants have dignity, fairness and respect in their homes.
Minnesota has some of the widest racial disparities in homeownership and housing stability nationwide, and delivering justice for renters is key to preventing homelessness and moving people to homeownership. Our 2023 legislative agenda includes proven solutions from tenant-led and community-based organizations that rebalance the scales to create lasting renter power and housing justice.
Our 2023 Policy Agenda
- Tenant right to organize
- Pre-eviction notice and expungement reform
- Source of income protection
- Good Neighbor eviction exemption
- Just Cause eviction protections
- Right to Counsel in public housing
- Curbing corporate speculation
- Repealing the state-wide preemption on rent control