The Governor has not appointed a new commissioner for the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. There are massive cuts in homelessness prevention programs on the table. 

General Housing appropriations:

• HF 748 is the appropriations bill that reflects the governor's plan for funding a wide range of economic development plans. It includes the budget for the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Right now, the bill proposes a 33% cut in funding for that agency. The agency is prioritizing its resources to focus on those least able to afford housing. As a result, important programs will suffer. There is no companion bill in the Senate right now.

• Predatory Lending:  Senator Sandy Pappas introduced a bill to eliminate predatory lending practices. There is no companion bill in the House. Without a companion bill, this legislation has no "legs".

• Other:  HF 30 and its Senate companion would effectively eliminate the Metropolitan Council's ability to set affordable housing goals for cities participating in the livable communities act. This would be a major setback for affordable housing advocates. 

 
At present, these bills are not scheduled for hearings. In the Senate, it's unlikely that a hearing would happen unless the Met Council and Lake Elmo are unable to settle their differences.