Each week in February, the CGMC is shining a light on a different topic that impacts Greater Minnesota cities. For the week of Feb. 22-26 we are focusing on housing.
Along with the child care shortage, one of the issues city leaders most frequently list as a barrier to economic growth is the lack of available housing in their communities. This session, the CGMC is pursuing three bills that aim to encourage housing construction and increase the availability of housing across Greater Minnesota. You can learn more about this bills in this handout: Help Alleviate Greater Minnesota’s Housing Shortage.
Here are some ways you can join the CGMC and your fellow Greater Minnesota city leaders by participating in Housing Advocacy Week:
1. Get informed & attend our housing webinar
In addition to reading this Help Alleviate Greater Minnesota’s Housing Shortage handout, we encourage you to learn more about this issue by attending our housing webinar from 11 – 11:30 a.m. today (Monday, Feb. 22). Greater Minnesota Partnership Executive Director Scott McMahon will be joined by Chad Adams, CEO of Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership, to discuss the housing concerns facing Greater Minnesota communities and explore our legislative solutions, and to answer any housing-related questions city leaders may have.
Please register for the webinar at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZErduqgpjstEtbwhAEc4z8dgOJTktjBf1hG.
For additional information about Greater Minnesota’s housing shortage, we also encourage you to read The Workforce Housing Shortage: Getting to the heart of the issue, a 2018 report by the Center for Rural Policy and Development.
2. Contact your legislators
Call, email or send a letter to your state legislators stressing the need for investments in workforce housing in Greater Minnesota and the role housing plays in your community’s economic development. We encourage you to share the Help Alleviate Greater Minnesota’s Housing Shortage handout with them as well. You can find your legislators’ contact information at Who Represents Me?
3. Join CGMC staff in meetings with key legislators and officials
We have set up several meetings this session with key legislators and state officials to discuss Greater Minnesota’s housing needs and the importance of passing our legislation this year. If you would like to participate in any of the meetings, please contact Scott McMahon at shmcmahon@flaherty-hood.com.
4. Like & share our posts on social media (and add your own!)
We will be posting about housing on social media all week. Be sure to follow CGMC on Facebook (facebook.com/greatermncities) and Twitter (@greatermncities). Please like, retweet and share our posts — and add your own! — using the hashtag #HouseGreaterMN. We encourage you to tag your legislators in the posts as well!
CGMC Advocacy Weeks
- Feb. 1 – Feb. 5: LGA Week
- Feb. 8 – Feb. 12: Child Care Week
- Feb. 15 – Feb. 19: Water Infrastructure Week
- Feb. 22 – Feb. 26: Housing Week
If you have any questions about the CGMC’s economic development initiatives or CGMC Advocacy Weeks, please contact Julie Liew at jlliew@flaherty-hood.com.
