Rep. Spencer Igo

Maddy summaryHF 297 appropriates $2 million from Minnesota's general fund for a one-time grant to the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency. The funding must be used as a reusable fund to acquire and rehabilitate tax-forfeited properties (properties seized due to unpaid taxes) for owner occupancy. The housing funded through this grant must be affordable to the local workforce, directly benefiting residents seeking homeownership in Arrowhead region communities.

Maddy summaryHF 1343 establishes the Minnesota Nice HomeShare pilot program to help seniors aged 55+ in Lake, St. Louis, and Washington counties reduce housing costs by matching them with renters seeking affordable housing in spare rooms. The program, funded with $150,000 in fiscal year 2026, requires participating agencies to facilitate matches via phone or video, handle payments, conduct background checks, and verify renters’ employment or school enrollment. It directly affects seniors with available space and low-income renters in the three specified counties. The pilot program will operate through partnerships with agencies like the Arrowhead Area Agency on Aging and AARP Minnesota.

Maddy summaryHF 1013 appropriates $5 million from Minnesota's renewable development account for the Minnesota Energy Alley initiative, administered by Clean Energy Economy Minnesota. The funds are a one-time allocation to support energy sector growth through seed funding for businesses, workforce training programs, and recruiting entrepreneurs to Minnesota. The bill also directs the initiative to seek additional federal and private funding to create a long-term revenue model. This funding directly affects energy businesses and economic development efforts within the state.

Maddy summaryHF 1326 appropriates $7,011,000 from the general fund for each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to provide grants to Centers for Independent Living (CILs) in Minnesota. These grants will support existing CILs operating under Minnesota Statutes section 268A.11, which provide community-based services and advocacy for people with disabilities. The funding directly affects CILs that help individuals with disabilities achieve greater independence in daily living, employment, and community integration. This is a funding measure with no new policy requirements, solely providing financial support for established services.

Maddy summaryHF 1067 modifies Minnesota's housing tax credit program to allow exceptions to income limits for specific workforce housing projects and adjusts matching requirements for the workforce housing development program. The bill amends statutes to permit higher-income projects (above standard limits) to qualify for tax credit grants and loans, while also revising the 1:2 local matching requirement to allow project-specific tax credit contributions to count toward the match. This primarily affects developers of workforce housing projects seeking state funding under the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency's programs. The changes aim to increase housing options for working residents by expanding eligibility and simplifying funding requirements.

Maddy summaryHF 1129 modifies Minnesota's city aid formula to include a "sparsity adjustment" based on population density. Cities with very low population density - those with fewer than 150 people per square mile for cities over 10,000 residents, or fewer than 30 people per square mile for smaller cities - will receive an additional $200 in their aid calculation. This adjustment directly affects qualifying cities by increasing their state aid amount under the new formula, which takes effect for aid payments starting in 2026. The bill does not change the total annual aid pool but alters how it is distributed based on geographic spread.

Maddy summaryHF 1199 authorizes Aitkin County to sell specific tax-forfeited lands through private sale instead of public auction. The bill targets two small parcels (0.1 acres total) in Hill City Realty Cos Fourth Addition, described by legal lot numbers and location details. It allows the county to bypass standard public sale rules under Minnesota Statutes chapter 282 for these defined parcels, requiring attorney general approval for the sale documents. The county states this approach better serves its land management interests by returning the land to private ownership. This change directly affects Aitkin County's ability to manage and sell these specific properties.

Maddy summaryHF 933 limits Minnesota municipalities' ability to require planned unit development (PUD) agreements for residential projects that already comply with existing zoning rules or qualify as conditional uses. It mandates that if a PUD agreement is approved, the municipality must publicly post it online for at least seven days before review (or make it available at city hall if no website exists). The bill also prohibits modifying an approved PUD agreement without consent from all parties involved. This directly affects developers seeking to build residential projects and local governments managing land use approvals.

Maddy summaryThis bill appropriates $500,000 for fiscal year 2026 and $500,000 for fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to support Minnesota's existing Loggers Safety Grant Program. The funds will be administered by the commissioner of labor and industry to provide safety grants directly to loggers and logging businesses. The program, established under Minnesota Laws 2021, First Special Session chapter 10, article 3, section 21, helps logging operations implement safety improvements. This funding ensures continued support for workplace safety initiatives in Minnesota's logging industry.

Maddy summaryHF 935 allows landlords in Minnesota to request criminal background checks from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for nonresident tenant organizers (people who organize tenants but don't live at the property) before they enter the building or exercise organizing rights. Tenant organizers must consent to the check and pay the actual cost to the landlord. Landlords may then deny access if the organizer was convicted of a violent crime (per Minn. Stat. § 624.712) or refuses to consent. This bill directly affects nonresident tenant organizers by creating a new requirement for background checks before they can engage in organizing activities on a property.