SF 2423

1st Engrossment - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/21/2025 09:42 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to housing; establishing the African American workforce and affordable
homeownership development program; appropriating money; proposing coding
for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 462A.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [462A.381] AFRICAN AMERICAN WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE
HOMEOWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The African American workforce and affordable
homeownership development program is established to award homeownership and workforce
development grants to cities, Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, cooperatives
created under chapter 308A, 308B, or 308C, and community land trusts created for the
purposes outlined in section 462A.31, subdivision 1, for development of affordable
homeownership projects targeted to African Americans using African Americans in the
workforce. The purpose of the program is to increase the supply of affordable,
owner-occupied multifamily or single-family housing throughout the state for African
Americans using African Americans as the production workforce.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Use of funds. new text end

new text begin (a) Grant funds awarded under this program shall be used for:
new text end

new text begin (1) land acquisition;
new text end

new text begin (2) environmental cleanup;
new text end

new text begin (3) design costs;
new text end

new text begin (4) rehabilitation costs;
new text end

new text begin (5) construction training and various job placement activities on projects funded under
this section; or
new text end

new text begin (6) affordable single-family residential housing development.
new text end

new text begin (b) Grant funds awarded under this program must be used for the following costs
associated with targeted African American affordable homeownership and workforce
development and utilization:
new text end

new text begin (1) creating or expanding African American-run business development programs;
new text end

new text begin (2) creating or expanding African American-run job training programs;
new text end

new text begin (3) creating or expanding African American-run job placement programs; or
new text end

new text begin (4) creating or expanding African American-run housing organizations' capacity to
participate in the objectives of this section.
new text end

new text begin (c) A project funded through the grant program shall serve African American households
with incomes at or below 80 percent of the state median income.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Application. new text end

new text begin The commissioner shall develop forms and procedures for soliciting
and reviewing applications for grants under this section. The commissioner shall consult
with interested stakeholders and African Americans selected by the Council for Minnesotans
of African Heritage when developing guidelines and procedures for the program. In making
grants, the commissioner shall establish semiannual application deadlines when grants may
be authorized from available appropriations.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; AFRICAN AMERICAN WORKFORCE AND
AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
housing finance for the African American workforce and affordable homeownership
development program as specified in section 1.
new text end