On Monday, Minnesota Sen. Omar Fateh introduced a bill that seeks a one-time State investment of $45 million to the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority to preserve its existing housing stock. Co-authors of the bill are Minnesota Sen. Kari Dziedzic, Zaynab Mohamed, and Scott Dibble.

Right now, more than 50% of the Public Housing Authority’s Community Housing Resources, which are deeply affordable family homes throughout the city, are in poor condition. Senate Bill 1899 asks the State for a cash grant to address the repairs needed in these homes.

The Minneapolis Public Authority used the Facility Condition Index to measure the conditions of its housing stock. This data will be presented to legislators.

“This investment will go a long way,”  Minneapolis Public Housing Authority Executive Director Abdi Warsame said this week in a small meeting with reporters.

In calculations made by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, the $45 million investment will get a significant amount of community housing out of poor condition.

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Top: A Kingfield public housing home with significant siding damage. Bottom: Siding repairs at the same house. According to the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, these types of repairs would be done with the $45 million State investment. Images courtesy of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority

The City of Minneapolis recently invested in public housing with $4.9 million earmarked in the 2023 budget for public housing high rise repairs. Warsame said that this kind of city investment hasn’t happened in the past because public housing is understood as a federal investment.

“We are very glad that the mayor is listening,” Warsame said. “But this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Warsame said that the affordable housing crisis is a city and county responsibility as much as it is a federal responsibility.

The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority is also building more deeply affordable housing throughout the city through separate funding.