Housing Solutions Summit

With the welcome of those gathered and the introduction of the Justice Reflection giver Joy Friedman from Breaking Free and Jean MacFarland, Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing, the 2007 Housing Solutions Summit began.

Joy Friedman(right) spoke about breaking free and her own experiences with housing issues. Breaking Free, Inc. was started by Vendita Cater, Executive Director, in October 1996. It is a non-profit organization that serves women and girls involved in prostitution/sex trafficking as well as other battered women who have been through the criminal justice system. Breaking Free helps these women get off the streets and aide them in finding housing, among other things. She talked about how the organization got her off the streets and how she has a good job now. She eventually bought a four bedroom house that is now unfortunately in foreclosure. Yes, even with her good job, like many others in today’s housing market, she is facing foreclosure.

Next up was Warren Hanson, President, Greater MN Housing Fund. Although we generally think of homelessness in the metro area, it is hitting hard across the entire state. In 2000, 297,000 low-income households statewide could not afford housing. By 2010, it is estimated that that number will grow to 330,000. Homelessness is hitting places from border to border, urban to suburban to rural.

Michael Dahl(right width State Representative Shelly Madore) spoke about the proposed Housing Solutions Act. The Housing Solutions Act is funded by a small increase in the deed tax on the sale of an existing home. There are three components to this act. The first one is more rental assistance for people in need, the Housing Trust Fund using 42% of deed revenue. The second is titled The Challenge Fund and would fund more workforce housing. It would have 33% of the money dedicated to it. And lastly more local leverage, the Housing Account for Leverage Opportunity. That would garner 25% of the new monies. The Housing Solutions Act is not a large sum of money. The bill calls for a .17% increase in the transfer tax that already exists. Not much of an increase, but with all the homes sold it will create a revenue of about $53 million a year.

Not surprisingly, many realtors were outraged by this new fee. They sent thousands of emails to State Legislators, including Shelly Madore, Scott Dibble and Hal Clapp- all speakers at the Housing Summit. For a form to fill out in favor of this act you can go to http://www.mnhomelesscoalition.org/act/alerts/endorse-the-housing-solutions-act/ and download the form. It makes sense.

Theresa Dolata has been a member of SJA since 2002. She is a writer, a stand-up comic, photographer and massage therapist. Theresa currently resides in South Minneapolis and is a member of Vail Place, a support program for people with mental illness, and a member of St. Joan's Mental Illness Ministry.