In This Issue:
- Metro Cities Board of Directors Openings
- Redevelopment District TIF Bill Heard in Senate
- Bill to Provide Credit for Adaptive Reuse of Underutilized Buildings Passes House Housing Committee
- Tenant Protection Bills Heard in Senate Housing Committee
- SMC Quarterly Convening: Spring 2025
- Bills of Note
Metro Cities Board of Directors Openings
The Metro Cities Board of Directors will have openings for terms beginning July 1. The 19-member Board is comprised of elected and appointed officials and must be balanced by city size and population. The Board oversees Metro Cities’ operational budget, strategic goals, and legislative policies. The Board also appoints municipal officials to the regional Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) and Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). A nominating committee will meet in March to recommend officers and members for election at the April annual meeting. Interested applicants must submit a resume, cover letter and completed application. For more information contact Patricia Nauman at [email protected]. The deadline for applications is March 7, 2025.
Redevelopment District TIF Bill Heard in Senate
This week, the Senate Taxes Committee heard SF 7-Rest, which repeals renewal and renovation tax increment financing (TIF) districts and modifies eligibility for redevelopment TIF districts. The bill essentially combines the two types of districts. Blight test requirements for establishing a redevelopment district would be modified to allow a district to be created using the blight test for redevelopment districts or renewal districts. The bill also reduces the duration limit for a redevelopment district from 25 to 20 years and because the two district types would be combined, repeals the 15-year limit for renewal districts.
Metro Cities provided written testimony to express concerns with reducing the duration limit of redevelopment districts from 25 to 20 years, noting that while many redevelopment districts decertify early, others need the full timeline in order for projects to be financially viable, particularly with increasing inflation and labor shortages. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus tax bill.
Contact Patricia Nauman at [email protected] with any questions.
Bill to Provide Credit for Adaptive Reuse of Underutilized Buildings Passes House Housing Committee
This week, the House Housing Finance and Policy Committee heard a bill to provide a refundable credit for the adaptive reuse of underutilized buildings in cities. HF 457 – Harder (R- Henderson) would provide for a tax credit or grant not more than 30 percent of the total cost of qualifying building conversion expenses and sunset after fiscal year 2031. The bill is intended to jump-start development to convert underutilized and vacant buildings to housing or other uses to create economic development opportunities. Metro Cities submitted a letter of support. The bill was passed and referred to the Taxes Committee.
Tenant Protection Bills Heard in Senate Housing Committee
On Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Housing and Homelessness Prevention heard two bills relating to tenant protections. SF 830 – Boldon (DFL-Rochester) would provide an appropriation to a housing mediation program to support both tenants and residential rental property owners in resolving disputes. SF 672 – Mohamed (DFL- Minneapolis) would provide funding for a statewide tenant education and hotline service. Metro Cities submitted a letter in support of the bills, citing the importance of tenant protections at the state and local level to ensure housing stability and accessibility. The bills were laid over for possible inclusion in an omnibus housing bill.
SMC Quarterly Convening: Spring 2025
The Minnesota Shared Mobility Collaborative is holding its quarterly convening on Thursday, April 10. The event will be held virtually via Zoom from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM. This convening is entitled Navigating the New Space—Understanding Changing Federal Priorities and the Impacts.
Experts from the Eno Center for Transportation, Transportation for America, and the National Association of City Transportation Officials will explore the evolving landscape of federal transportation policy. This webinar will examine recent shifts in priorities, funding, and regulations, and what these changes mean for cities, agencies, and transportation professionals.
The webinar is free to attend, but registration is required. Once you have registered, you will receive an email confirmation with a Zoom link. The link should not be shared with others; it is unique to you.
Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.
Bills of Note
HF 801, Knudsen/SF 149, Utke: Bill limits placement of crosswalks at a roundabout.
HF 809, Engen/SF 1280, Kreun: Bill prohibits local governments from enacting policies refusing to enforce traffic regulations.
HF 844, Schultz: Bill modifies provisions governing broadband workforce plan data.
HF 856, Moller/SF 1063, Marty: Bill creates a common interest community ombudsperson, and appropriates money for the Office of the Common Interest Community Ombudsperson.
HF 913, Quam/SF 1094, Bahr: Bill requires certain duties be completed before a canvassing board can certify election results.
HF 915, Quam: Bill exempts small local government employers from the MN Paid Family Leave Law.
HF 927, Nash/SF 1445, Lang: Bill repeals the Legislative Commission on Housing Affordability.
HF 933, Nash/SF 225, Draheim: Bill limits local government from requiring a planned unit development agreement in lieu of a proposed residential development if the proposed residential development complies with existing city zoning ordinances.
HF 935, Nash/SF 222, Draheim: A bill for an act relating to landlords and tenants; permitting criminal history background checks for nonresident tenant organizers.
HF 948, Davids/SF 7, Rest: Bill modifies the eligibility for redevelopment districts, repeals renewal and renovation districts, and shortens duration limits.
HF 949, Davids/SF 23, Rest: Bill clarifies uses of unobligated increment.
HF 974, Freiberg: Bill authorizes cities to charge a franchise fee for broadband.
HF 977, Freiberg/SF 1430, Carlson: Bill transfers $5 million from the general fund into the VOTER account.
HF 983, Olson/SF 1535, Hawj: Bill appropriates $15 million in bond proceeds and $11.5 million from the general fund for the local road wetland replacement program. Bill establishes a base appropriation amount for the program and its administration by BWSR.
HF 987, Gordon/SF 650, Koran: Bill modifies orderly annexation election proceedings and detachment provisions.
HF 991, Gordon/SF 641, Koran: Bill prohibits local governments from accepting certain contributions for election expenses.
HF 992, Gordon/SF 1217, Koran: Bill authorizes challengers in absentee and early voting polling places.
HF 993, Gordon/SF 600, Koran: Bill requires publication of temporary polling locations (within five business days of designating the polling place).
HF 996, Frazier/SF 1079, Mohamed: Bill appropriates funding for a grant to Jobs Foundation.
HF 997, Agbaje/SF 1671, Pha: Bill requires landlords to provide just cause for terminating tenancy.
HF 999, Agbaje/SF 1610, Oumou Verbeten: Bill modifies the qualification criteria for the Community-Based First-Generation Homebuyers Assistance Program and allocates fund.
HF 1006, Norris/SF 51, Rest: Bill allows property tax abatement for land bank property.
HF 1023, Koegel/SF 1362, Dibble: Bill appropriates $153 million from the general fund for state match funding to the IIJA.
HF 1051, Robbins/SF 1723, Limmer: Bill amends sacred community requirements and authorizes municipalities to regulate and establishes approval processes for sacred communities.
HF 1104, Robbins/SF 41, Rest: Bill exempts clothing from the retail delivery fee.
HF 1109, Roach/SF 608, Lieske: Bill prohibits a local government from approving the development of data centers in any zoning district except via conditional use in an industrial district.
HF 1117, Duran/SF 759, Koran: Bill prohibits local units of government from disarming peace officers who are in good standing.
HF 1118, Duran: Bill amends PTSD benefits that law enforcement agencies must provide peace officers.
HF 1119, Duran: Bill establishes the crime of fleeing in a motor vehicle and failing to obey traffic laws.
HF 1133, Elkins: Bill exempts certain housing proposals from related interim ordinances.
HF 1134, Elkins: Bill amends that only parcels that are consistent with and promote the policies of the Metropolitan Development Guide and are zoned for multifamily housing may qualify toward a municipality’s affordable and life-cycle housing goals.
HF 1135, Elkins: Bill limits the amount of land municipalities can dedicate for roads and right of ways.
HF 1136, Elkins: Bill establishes procedures for review of building applications by government entities.
HF 1137, Elkins: Bill increases the threshold for municipal reporting of construction-related and development-related fee collections, requires the commissioner of labor and industry to establish a cost per square foot valuation of certain properties for the purpose of setting municipal building permit fees.
HF 1138, Elkins: Bill requires the disclosure of energy costs and ratings to prospective purchasers of real property.
HF 1139, Elkins: Bill amends the State Building Code to require EV charging infrastructure in all new residential buildings that provide on-site parking.
HF 1141, Howard: Bill authorizes the issuance of housing infrastructure bonds and appropriates funding.
HF 1159, Youakim: Bill allows for TIF funds to be transferred to a housing trust fund.
HF 1167, Anderson/SF 250, Rarick: Bill prohibits expenditures for the high speed passenger rail project named the “Northern Lights Express” between Duluth and Minneapolis.
HF 1173, Myers/SF 1279, Kreun: Bill appropriates $5 million in bond proceeds for the transportation economic development infrastructure program.
HF 1174, Myers/SF 1500, Kreun: Bill contains various provisions related to driver and vehicle services including revenue sharing for deputy registrars.
HF 1187, Finke/SF 1252, Pha: Bill requires a report on contractors receiving financing from the Housing Finance Agency; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 462A.
HF 1241, Joy: Bill repeals the Minnesota Paid Leave Law.
HF 1248, Norris/SF 1724, Putnam: Bill modifies exemption provisions for construction materials by certain contractors and adds a refund provision.
HF 1253, Davis: Bill amends certain timelines for absentee voting.
HF 1263, Novotny: Bill repeals the Minnesota Paid Leave Law.
HF 1268, Bahner/SF 1750, Lucero: Bill prohibits certain practices relating to property management companies, modifies rights and duties of common interest communities and prohibits municipalities and other local governments from requiring or incentivizing creation of homeowners associations.
HF 1294, Koegel/SF 1165, Jasinski: Bill distributes money to deputy registrars for no-fee transactions completed.
HF 1299, Rehrauer: Bill authorizes emergency shelter facilities in certain zoning districts.
HF 1309, Coulter/SF 1268, Fateh: Bill prohibits minimum parking mandates.
HF 1313, Hussein: Bill authorizes local governments to prohibit or restrict the possession of dangerous weapons, ammunition, or explosives in local government-owned or leased buildings and land.
HF 1317, Hansen: Bill allows for removal of a member of the Metropolitan Council with cause and notice and limits members terms to 12 years.
HF 1329, Koznick: Bill amends the makeup of the Metropolitan Council.
SF 1421, Fateh: Bill modifies orderly annexation and detachment provisions.
SF 1422, Fateh/HF 161, Elkins: Bill authorizes cities to create land-value taxation districts.
SF 1423, Fateh: Bill prohibits the expansion of the Metropolitan Urban Service Area.
SF 1447, Hoffman: Bill appropriates money from clean water and parks and trails fund.
SF 1453, Putnam/HF 510, Koznick: Bill appropriates funding for small business growth acceleration and requires a report.
SF 1468, Drazkowski: Bill requires local approval for commercial and intercity rail projects.
SF 1493, Pappas: Bill modifies the purposes, processes, and related responsibilities for the sustainable building guidelines. Bill adds sustainable building guideline compliance to predesign requirements.
SF 1505, Oumou Verbeten/HF 686, Frazier: Bill requires the development of a model policy for safe traffic stops.
SF 1520, Pha: Bill requires a city to provide a copy of the landlord-tenant guide at issuance or renewal of rental license.
SF 1527, Eichorn: Bill contains various elections related provisions including voter ID requirements, provisional balloting, and more.
SF 1533, Mohamed: Bill appropriates funding for the homeownership education, counseling, and training program.
SF 1545, Rarick/HF 184, Anderson: Bill reallocates funds for the Northern Light Express to study a bus route instead.
SF 1565, Pha: Bill modifies landlord covenants.
SF 1582, Green: Bill allows local government noncompliance with unfunded mandates imposed by the state.
SF 1586, Gruenhagen: Bill requires photo ID, establishes provisional balloting, increases criminal penalties, etc.
SF 1598, McEwen: Bill removes the ban on local governments banning plastic bags.
SF 1652, Abeler: Bill limits rent increases in certain low-income rental projects receiving low-income housing tax credits.
SF 1665, Westlin/HF 1275, Tabke: Bill authorizes the use of drones for risk of fleeing suspect or in the event of an actual fleeing suspect.
SF 1698, Draheim: Bill doesn’t allow a municipality to prohibit an owner rent or lease a portion of the owner's homestead property.
SF 1714, Johnson Stewart/HF 1234, Scott: Bill requires all payments from a public contracting agency to a contractor of subcontractor to be published publicly.
SF 1727, Pappas: Bill establishes a Cooperative Manufactured Housing Infrastructure Grant Program that would provide cities and counties up to 50% of the capital costs of housing infrastructure necessary for an eligible cooperative manufactures housing development project.
SF 1736, Kunesh: Bill modifies the membership and structure of the Clean Water Council.
SF 1741, Port: Bill requires local governments to establish residential instant solar permitting platforms.
SF 1747, Rasmusson/HF 304, Joy: Bill repeals the indexing of the motor fuels tax.