Gov. Mark Dayton on Tuesday unveiled a wide-ranging housing plan that calls for the construction of 300,000 new homes in Minnesota by 2030 and the creation of dedicated funding sources for affordable homes, among other proposals.

The report, which was drafted by a Dayton-commissioned task force, outlines 30 general recommendations aimed at increasing access to affordable housing, but provides little explanation on how the proposals would be implemented. Dayton and task force members discussed the housing plan during a Capitol news conference.

“Ultimately, the supply of housing stock … is a private-sector function and responsibility. And they need to tell us what they need in terms of additional incentives,” Dayton said.

The report recommends that public- and private-sector stakeholders commit to prioritizing affordable housing. That commitment could include the creation of a public-private partnership to monitor the housing market and set affordable-housing goals.

Other recommendations from the report focus on preserving existing homes and keeping them affordable, assisting people at risk of eviction and removing barriers to homeownership for households of color.

“I firmly believe that in order for Minnesota to thrive, we … must have a strong foundation for homes that are attainable for everyone. That requires a commitment — from the private sector, from people from every county around the state, philanthropy and government at all levels to ensure Minnesota’s long-term competitiveness,” said Jeanne Crain, task force co-chair and CEO of Bremer Financial Corp.

Task force members spent the past six months gathering input from hundreds of Minnesotans in communities across the state, Crain said. Many of these communities are poised for economic growth, she said, but their populations have not kept pace with growing workforce needs.

The lack of affordable housing has concerned employers in Greater Minnesota, said state Housing Commissioner Mary Tingerthal, as some thriving rural communities have “no housing at all.”

Tingerthal called the 30-point plan a “starting point,” and said all sectors must work together to build more housing.

“What we tried to reflect in the report is the many ideas of things that are already working in Minnesota,” she said. “That if we can do more, if we can collaborate more, that both the public and the private sector can really have a bigger impact on affordability.”

With just over four months left in office, Dayton said there is not much he can do to act on the housing plan’s recommendations, so state lawmakers and his successor will have to “pick and choose” which to pursue. The nearly 70-page report included few proposals for legislation.

RESPONSE FROM GOP, ADVOCATES

State Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, said the housing plan largely consists of aspirational “talking points” and takes the wrong approach to boosting Minnesota’s affordable-housing stock.

“What’s lacking from this plan is a message for how government is going to change its behavior to increase supply,” Garofalo said. “The answer is to take government out of the way and let builders build the houses they build, at prices people want to … pay for them at.”

Alan Arthur, president and CEO of nonprofit affordable-housing developer Aeon, said any effort to address affordable housing is important, as the need is “so huge.” But he criticized the report for not identifying funding sources for the recommendations.

“Any recommendations that don’t include significant capital to create and preserve affordable housing would be like proposing solutions that don’t include food for people who are starving,” Arthur said.

Others praised the plan for its expansive focus on affordable housing.

Lee Blons is the executive director of Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, an affordable-housing developer that builds apartments for poor families in the Twin Cities metro area. Blons said the plan reflects a growing awareness of the affordable-housing crisis, and added that she hasn’t seen this much commitment to addressing the issue in 20 years.

But she said the report will have little impact if it “sits on a shelf,” and that larger institutions will have to champion the recommendations to make a difference.

“One of the challenges is how big the problem is,” Blons said. “And the solution has to be as big as the problem.”

Read the entire housing report here.