1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to housing;
appropriating money to Community Mediation Minnesota for
1.3 a statewide housing mediation
program.
1.4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.5 Section 1. APPROPRIATION.
1.6 $2,200,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $2,200,000 in fiscal
year 2027 are appropriated from
1.7 the general fund to
the commissioner of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for a grant
1.8 to Community Mediation
Minnesota to administer a statewide housing mediation program
1.9 to support renters and
residential rental property owners. The program must:
1.10 (1) provide housing
dispute resolution services to renters and rental property owners
1.11 and homeowners;
1.12 (2) increase awareness
of and access to housing dispute resolution services statewide;
1.13 (3) provide dispute
resolution services, including but not limited to eviction prevention,
1.14 mediation, and
navigation services;
1.15 (4) partner with
culturally specific dispute resolution programs to provide training and
1.16 assistance with virtual
and in-person mediation and resolution services;
1.17 (5) increase mediation
services for seniors and renters with disabilities and illnesses who
1.18 face housing
instability;
1.19 (6) increase the
diversity and cultural competency of the housing mediator roster;
1.20 (7) integrate housing
mediation services with navigation and resource connection services,
1.21 legal assistance, and
court services programs;
2.1 (8) continue to develop
and administer evaluation tools to design, modify, and replicate
2.2 effective program
outcomes; and
2.3 (9) provide for
necessary administrative expenses.
