HF 567

as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 02/11/2021 04:38pm

A bill for an act
relating to housing; appropriating money for housing discrimination testing.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. new text begin HOUSING DISCRIMINATION TESTING.
new text end

new text begin $500,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2022 from the general fund to the commissioner
of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency to make grants to nonprofit organizations to
investigate and report on housing discrimination based on race, national origin, disability,
or familial status by conducting fair housing testing statewide. The grant funds may be used
to recruit and train testers and analyze test results to evaluate evidence of housing
discrimination in the rental or purchase of a home, apartment, or other dwelling. The
organizations receiving grant funds may convey test results to state or federal agencies that
receive and have the authority to act on fair housing discrimination complaints or otherwise
use the information to advocate for the rights of the prospective renter or purchaser. The
organizations receiving grant funds must provide a preliminary report to the chairs and
ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over housing
policy and finance by February 15, 2022, and a final report by February 15, 2023, identifying
the organizations receiving grants and how the grant funds were spent, the number of
investigations or tests conducted, the types of housing tested, location of tests, any other
activities undertaken, and, if known, the outcomes of the cases.
new text end