1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to housing; appropriating money for a pilot 
  1.3             program to encourage landlords to rent to high-risk 
  1.4             tenants in certain counties. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [RENTAL HOUSING PILOT PROGRAM.] 
  1.7      (a) The housing finance agency shall establish a rental 
  1.8   housing pilot program, to encourage landlords to rent to 
  1.9   high-risk tenants with poor rental histories, in the counties of 
  1.10  Benton, Dakota, Hennepin, Olmsted, Ramsey, St. Louis, Sherburne, 
  1.11  and Stearns.  The program shall allow local agencies to provide 
  1.12  payment bonds to landlords to reimburse a portion of losses 
  1.13  sustained by landlords willing to accept high-risk tenants.  In 
  1.14  selecting recipients for funding under this section, priority 
  1.15  must be given to proposals that include accountability 
  1.16  provisions for participating landlords and training and 
  1.17  certification requirements for participating tenants. 
  1.18     (b) Local government units, nonprofit agencies, or 
  1.19  partnerships between local government units and nonprofit 
  1.20  agencies are eligible for funding under this section.  Local 
  1.21  government units must provide matching funds, which may include 
  1.22  administrative costs, payment bond funding, or property tax 
  1.23  credits.  
  1.24     (c) The housing finance agency shall establish an advisory 
  1.25  committee to assist in selecting recipients for funding under 
  2.1   this section.  Members of the advisory committee must represent 
  2.2   organizations who advocate for tenants and provide tenant 
  2.3   training, nonprofit and for-profit housing providers, supportive 
  2.4   housing service providers, and tenant screening organizations. 
  2.5      Sec. 2.  [REPORT TO THE LEGISLATURE.] 
  2.6      The housing finance agency must report to the legislature 
  2.7   by January 1, 2003, on the effectiveness of the pilot program in 
  2.8   section 1 in securing rental housing for individuals with poor 
  2.9   rental histories.  The report must also address the feasibility 
  2.10  of and need for expanding the program statewide and recommend 
  2.11  best practices. 
  2.12     Sec. 3.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.13     $....... is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  2.14  commissioner of the housing finance agency for the purposes of 
  2.15  section 1, to be available until June 30, 2003.