'Bring It Home, Minnesota' campaign calls for $1 billion investment in low-income housing

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Community leaders and legislators gathered to announce a campaign for $1 billion in low-income housing funding Tuesday.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The “Bring it Home, Minnesota” campaign calls for a $1 billion investment to help low-income families pay rent after their lives were turned upside down in the Drake Hotel fire late last year.

Organizers used the rubble of the Drake Hotel as a symbol and a call to action Tuesday.

Campaign calls for $1 billion investment in low-income housing

The “Bring it Home, Minnesota” campaign calls for a $1 billion investment to help low-income families pay rent after their lives were turned upside down in the Drake Hotel fire late last year.

“The Drake fire highlighted the housing crisis,” said Rep. Kari Dziedzic. “It showed that working people can’t find affordable homes.”

A group of housing advocates and state legislators kicked off what they know is an expensive ask at the State Capitol.

“Nothing else in life goes well if you don’t have a safe place to sleep at night,” said Rep. Alice Housman.

“We’re here today to announce ‘Bring It Home, Minnesota’, a simple but bold proposal that would fundamentally change the access to stable and affordable homes for all Minnesotans,” said Lee Blons, of Beacon Interfaith Housing.

Beacon’s proposal gives state rent assistance for individuals or families making less than 50 percent of their area medium income. Vouchers would ensure they pay no more than 30 percent of their income for rent. It’s estimated to help around 550,000 Minnesotans.

“They’re making choices like, should I pay for my groceries or pay for my rent,” said Sen. Mike Howard. “Right now, those Minnesotans are eligible for a federal housing voucher, but only one in four receive it.”

The Drake Hotel fire put more than 200 people out in the cold and forced them to spend Christmas Day staying warm inside busses. They scrambled to find new places to live.

The building was a mix of emergency shelter and low-income housing and is now a rallying point to find bigger solutions.

“Busses are not homes,” said Rabbi David Locketz, of Bet Shalom. “Hotel rooms are not homes either. And it is our religious obligation, our obligations as human beings, as Minnesotans, to do better.”