The Minnesota Senate on Saturday approved a final housing budget agreement, which spends more than $261 million in taxpayer funds on new and existing housing programs and housing debt service.

Senator Eric Lucero (R-St. Michael), Republican lead on the Senate Housing Committee, issued the following statement: 

“Housing costs are straining Minnesota family budgets. This bill spends hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars without addressing the biggest issues driving our housing shortage: burdensome regulations, zoning roadblocks, and high construction costs. There are several worthy programs included in the bill, but also deeply troubling spending such as Housing Infrastructure Bonds which are expensive and irresponsible. Ultimately, the Housing bill fundamentally fails to solve or even move Minnesota in a substantial direction toward relieving the financial hardship families are facing. We need to focus on unlocking and building more housing, not just spending more on government programs.”