Tackling the Housing Crisis
Make Homes Affordable Again
Nearly half of all U.S. renters now spend more than 30% of their income on housing, a threshold the federal government classifies as “cost-burdened.” That burden hits even harder in working-class communities across Southern Minnesota, where wages haven’t kept up with rent or mortgage payments.
Housing costs start with construction. Material prices are still inflated due to outdated international trade rules and a fragile global supply chain. Slashing unnecessary tariffs and boosting domestic production of critical goods like lumber, steel, and concrete would cut costs across the board and revitalize American manufacturing along the way.
Expanding practical home construction initiatives such as the Neighborhood Homes Investment Act would help address the estimated 3.7 million unit housing shortage, while putting tradespeople back to work in small towns across the district.
Stop Corporate Takeovers of Our Neighborhoods
Over 25% of single-family homes sold in 2022 were purchased by investors, many of them hedge funds or institutional landlords. These buyers inflate home prices, reduce inventory, and drive lifelong Minnesotans out of their own towns.
Ban corporate bulk-buying of homes in residential neighborhoods and enforce existing antitrust laws to stop price-fixing and rent-gouging in the housing market.
Real people, not Wall Street portfolios, should own and live in our communities.
Fix a Broken Property Tax System
Owning your home shouldn’t mean renting it back from the government every year. In many rural counties, rising land values have pushed property taxes beyond what working families or seniors on fixed incomes can afford.
A comprehensive overhaul of property tax structures would prioritize fairness and protect generational land ownership. Tax relief programs should be expanded and modernized especially for primary residences, family farms, and long-time owners facing rapid assessments.
Restore Fair Access to Housing Support
Housing assistance should be a lifeline, not a dead end. But right now, too many families who qualify are stuck waiting, tangled in paperwork, or priced out by outdated rent limits.
It’s time for a smarter approach. Rent caps in voucher programs need to reflect actual local markets, not old federal estimates, so support keeps up with the real cost of living. Streamlining applications and cutting red tape would help people get assistance when they need it, without delays or runaround.
This doesn’t mean spending more, it means spending better. By modernizing verification systems and cutting waste in the approval process, more help can reach families without ballooning the budget.
When housing support works efficiently it keeps families stable, neighborhoods strong, and communities moving forward.
Protecting Housing Rights
Working families in Southern Minnesota deserve a fair shot at finding a place to live, not endless hurdles and outdated screening practices that keep good people locked out. Renters shouldn’t be disqualified over medical debt, temporary job loss, or arbitrary income thresholds. Housing applications should focus on a person’s current ability to pay and maintain a lease, not punish them for circumstances beyond their control.
To level the playing field, this campaign supports fair screening standards that prioritize relevant financial history and recent stability. A federal pilot program could help renters cover up-front costs like security deposits through low-interest loans or matching grants especially for first-time renters or those recovering from hardship. These changes don’t require massive spending or top-down mandates; they simply remove the barriers that keep working people from rebuilding and moving forward. Clear, standardized leases and renter education initiatives would give Minnesotans the knowledge and tools to make informed choices and avoid exploitation.