For the 2025 State legislative session, Align Minneapolis has 4 top priorities for which we will advocate at the capitol. read more below or check out the one-pager for more details.

Align Minneapolis is part of the Homes for All coalition and endorses the full Homes for All agenda, which will be released soon and share here as it becomes available

Bill of Rights for People Utilizing Shelter

Status: yet to be introduced

Overview: This issue is a top priority for our friends at Street Voices of Change, the group of people with lived experiences of homelessness who come together to organize for meaningful change (supported by Align). The bill would provide a base standard for safe, adequate and dignified shelter across the State. Currently there are no State standards for shelters that provide space for people experiencing homelessness. Street Voices of Change worked hard to create a Shelter Resident’s Bill of Rights that is now part of Hennepin County contracts for shelter, and this bill would emulate that throughout the state. Other partners who are part of the work on this bill include MN Legal Aid and MICAH.

Homeless Prevention and Assistance Funds

Status: introduced in senate (sf 1511), Hearing in the Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee happened Thursday, March 6, the bill was laid over for possible inclusion in the omnibus bill. introduced in house (HF 2144), hearing scheduled for the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee 3pm Tuesday 3/25/25.

Overview: Preventing homelessness from occurring is a critical part of addressing homelessness. The Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) provides needed direct assistance to help households get caught up on rent. This program has significantly less funding than what is needed. The bill would increase the base appropriation for the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) by $200 million to improve housing stability and reduce homelessness.

State-Wide Bridge to Shelter Act

Status: introduced in senate (sf 2124), Heard in the Senate health and human services Committee thursday 5/13/25. introduced in House (HF 1914)

Overview: Using one-time COVID funding, Hennepin County invested in supports that led to more people getting housed and staying housed including: crisis response, 24/7 shelter and housing-focused case management. This bill would create three separate funding streams, for providers, counties, and a metro-greater MN collaboration initiative. This funding would continue to support deeper investment across the state in coordinated responses to homelessness and solutions that work to get people out of homelessness and stably housed.

Constitutional Amendment for Housing

Status: INFORMATIONAL HEARING HELD AT THE SENATE COMMITTE ON HOUSING AND HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION 2-11-25; introduced in senate (sf 4022). not yet introduced in house

Overview: The proposed amendment would create a dedicated source of funding for housing through a Constitutional Amendment. As a state we have significantly underinvested in housing and we need to ensure the state is making the investments required to truly address our current housing crisis. This legislation would put a question on the ballot in 2024 to ask voters to decide to amend our State Constitution to create 3 specific funds for housing- Homeownership Fund, Rental Opportunity Fund, and Household & Community Stability Fund– by adding a sales tax (food and clothing excluded) equivalent to 38 cents on every $100.