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U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan, Governor Mark Dayton, Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT) Commissioner Charlie Zelle, Minnesota Senate Majority Leader Tom Bakk, and State Representative David Dill today announced their support to include in the state bonding bill several urgent transportation infrastructure projects near the international rail crossing in Ranier, Minnesota. Senator Bakk is introducing those bonding provisions in the Senate.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it is charging the owner and manager of a Minnesota property with housing discrimination for refusing to rent a home to an Asian family of Hmong descent. HUD’s charge alleges that Page Edmunds and his company, Renter’s Avenue, located in Champlin, Minnesota, refused to rent to the family, attempted to charge them to have the lease translated, made discriminatory statements to them because of their national origin, and retaliated against them for exercising their fair housing rights.

On Wednesday, May 6th at 1pm, the Village Cooperative of Lenexa, a senior housing cooperative, will host an Informational Seminar at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 12601 West 95th Street, Lenexa. The seminar will provide information regarding the proposed age 55+ cooperative planned for Lenexa. The informational seminar will be an opportunity for the public to learn about the financial benefits & lifestyle of maintenance free cooperative living. Shane Wright, Project Manager, Real Estate Equities Development, LLC is the speaker for this event

We are alarmed by the Department of Energy’s abrupt decision to reverse course and withdraw a proposed waiver from new energy efficiency standards for water heaters used as part of utility demand response programs which will adversely impact our constituents. We ask the Department of Energy to immediately grant an energy efficiency standard exemption in regards to large-volume water heaters that are used in demand response and electric thermal storage programs

Lt. Governor Tina Smith released the following statement today concerning House Republicans’ proposal to eliminate funding for the Minnesota Broadband Infrastructure Grant Fund. “I am disappointed in House Republicans’ proposal to eliminate funding for greater Minnesota broadband infrastructure.

Governor Mark Dayton today introduced a Jobs Bill that would invest $842 million in infrastructure projects statewide, creating more than 23,900* Minnesota jobs. This new Jobs Bill would help addresses many of the state’s critical infrastructure needs, while strengthening Minnesota’s economy and putting thousands of people to work.

Governor Dayton and nine city mayors in Minnesota issued proclamations announcing April as Safe Digging Month. The proclamations urge homeowners to call 811 before starting any outdoor digging projects to prevent injuries, property damage, repair costs and inconvenient outages. This April marks the eighth annual National Safe Digging Month, reminding Minnesota residents to always call 811 two working days before any digging project

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and John Hoeven (R-ND) today announced Senate passage of their bipartisan water heater efficiency legislation, which enables rural electric power cooperatives and their members to continue using large, energy-efficient water heaters in “demand response” conservation programs.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) reintroduced today the Common Sense Housing Investment Act (H.R. 1662) to make it easier for middle class and working families to find affordable rental housing and benefit from homeownership

In January, Governor Mark Dayton proposed an honest, straightforward plan to fix Minnesota’s aging, under-funded transportation system and build the infrastructure necessary to meet the demands of a growing population and an expanding state economy.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) introduced the Permanently Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2015 (H.R. 1354) today. The bill ensures expired federal protections for renters living in foreclosed properties are renewed.

Seventy-five railway safety projects – at Minnesota’s most dangerous and congested rail crossings – would be completed statewide, if a proposal from Governor Mark Dayton is passed this session. Governor Dayton today revealed a comprehensive list of those specific projects, which were compiled by experts at the Minnesota Department of Transportation and chosen based on their levels of danger and congestion.

U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) has joined several Senate colleagues in pressing a major new bipartisan measure to create a national energy strategy that increases energy efficiency, creates jobs, saves consumers money, and protects the environment

Funding will support safety and energy efficiency improvements for more than 2,400 units (Saint Paul, MN) Minnesota Housing approved funding awards today to make urgent safety and energy conservation improvements to the state’s aging public housing stock. These funding awards are part of the record level of support for affordable housing approved by the Legislature and Governor Dayton in the 2014 bonding bill.

Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) penned the following op-ed in the Minneapolis Star Tribune this morning on our current housing investements.