Bill HF2507

1.1          A bill for an act
1.2          relating to housing; establishing the African American workforce and affordable
1.3          homeownership development program; appropriating money;proposing coding
1.4          for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 462A.
1.5          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6          Section 1. [462A.381] AFRICAN AMERICAN WORKFORCE AND AFFORDABLE
1.7          HOMEOWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
1.8                          Subdivision 1.Establishment. The African American workforce and affordable
1.9          homeownership development program is established to award homeownership and workforce
1.10       development grants to cities, Tribal governments, nonprofit organizations, cooperatives
1.11       created under chapter 308A or 308B, and community land trusts created for the purposes
1.12       outlined in section 462A.31, subdivision 1, for development of affordable homeownership
1.13       projects targeted to African Americans using African Americans in the workforce. The
1.14       purpose of the program is to increase the supply of affordable, owner-occupied multifamily
1.15       or single-family housing throughout the state for African Americans using African Americans
1.16       as the production workforce.
1.17                       Subd. 2.Use of funds.  (a) Grant funds awarded under this program shall be used for:
1.18       (1) land acquisition;
1.19       (2) environmental cleanup;
1.20       (3) design costs;
1.21       (4) rehabilitation costs;
2.1          (5) construction training and various job placement activities on projects funded under
2.2          this section; and
2.3          (6) affordable single-family residential housing development.
2.4          (b) Grant funds awarded under this program must be used for the following costs
2.5          associated with targeted African American affordable homeownership and workforce
2.6          development and utilization:
2.7          (1) creating or expanding African American-run business development programs;
2.8          (2) creating or expanding African American-run job training programs;
2.9          (3) creating or expanding African American-run job placement programs; and
2.10       (4) creating or expanding African American-run housing organizations' capacity to
2.11       participate in the objectives of this section.
2.12       (c) A project funded through the grant program shall serve African American households
2.13       that meet 80 percent or less of the state median income for African Americans.
2.14                       Subd. 3.Application. The commissioner shall develop forms and procedures for soliciting
2.15       and reviewing applications for grants under this section. The commissioner shall consult
2.16       with interested stakeholders and African Americans selected by the Council for Minnesotans
2.17       of African Heritage when developing guidelines and procedures for the program. In making
2.18       grants, the commissioner shall establish semiannual application deadlines when grants may
2.19       be authorized from available appropriations.

2.20       Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; AFRICAN AMERICAN WORKFORCE AND
2.21       AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
 2.22      $....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of
2.23       housing finance for the African American workforce and affordable homeownership
2.24       development program as specified in section 1.