Frey, city leaders urge lawmakers to approve funding for public housing

Minneapolis city leaders talked Friday afternoon, urging state lawmakers to approve funding for affordable public housing in Minneapolis.

After the Senate Housing and Homelessness Prevention committee discussed a bill that would provide a $45 million grant to the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and several other local leaders held a press conference in support of the legislation.

The mayor’s office says the funding would go toward rehabilitating, preserving, equipping and repairing more than 700 deeply affordable housing units in Minneapolis.

“Our residents need and deserve permanent, safe, and stable affordable housing,” Frey said. “Beyond the record number of deeply affordable units the City is producing, we need to focus our attention and energy on the preservation and expansion of our public housing stock. The best way to tackle this head on is to bring elected officials, community leaders, and housing experts together. I look forward to partnering with colleagues from across the region to come up with innovative and sustainable strategies for the future of our public housing.”

Friday’s hearing was the first for the legislation.