(Editor’s Note: The following column was submitted by Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer.)
At the Legislature for the past year and a half, we have been focused on recovery from the pandemic. Personal, economic, and safe recovery is incredibly important, and without putting extreme effort into rebuilding our state, I am worried about what will follow.
Rental Support
While renters have been able to stay in their rental properties without consequence for late payment or damage throughout the pandemic, the eviction off-ramp will change things rather quickly. Housing providers have had issues with the eviction moratorium, losing income, and potentially having their property destroyed by unruly tenants they were unable to evict.
Minnesota received significant federal funding for renters to pay their back rent and avoid issues with their housing. With $672 million flooding our state, however, the RentHelpMN program is taking an unacceptably long time to get out the money to these Minnesotans in need. Close to 50,000 people have applied for assistance, totaling roughly 49,000 applications, yet only 30% of those applicants have received the assistance. Finally, state housing officials have stepped up their efforts along with local nonprofits and state and local leaders, committing to speed up the vetting process to send this money out to those who need and deserve it.
If you need rental assistance, you can find more information and resources at RentHelpMN.org or call 211. If you are having ongoing trouble, contact my office at the number below.
Cost of Living Inflation
A new issue facing Minnesota in all areas – urban, suburban, and rural – is the cost of living. Reports state 62% of voters feel their income is falling behind the cost of living. This crosses all socioeconomic boundaries including both men and women, no matter their geographic location, concerned they will not be able to make a budget with the rising cost of housing. While the assumption might be that this is a significant problem in the Twin Cities, it is actually those in rural Minnesota who show the most concern.
Inflation is taking over our state with the price of housing exceeding the cost acceptable to meet their everyday needs. We pride ourselves in being a safe, comfortable, and livable state for all who want to experience the beauty of Minnesota. If Minnesotans are unable to afford to live here after generations of families, our state will lose valuable members of our communities.
As your state senator, I want to hear from you on these topics. There is so much going on in our state and your opinions and needs are what shapes our policy decisions during Session. If you would like to discuss this or any other legislative issue, I encourage you to reach out to my office. I can be reached by email at Sen.Mary.Kiffmeyer@Senate.MN or you can call me at 651-296-5655.