The Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) advocates on behalf of member organizations at the local, state, and federal levels. MCCD members provide comprehensive community development services along the full continuum of affordable housing and small business development. Along with our members, we are committed to advocating for anti-racist policies and expanding community wealth building opportunities in BIPOC communities. MCCD’s 2021 policy priorities include:

• Advancing efforts to close the racial homeownership gap and seek to ameliorate the lasting impacts of racist homeownership practices and policies by advocating for increased resources for homeownership development and homeowner counseling.
• Addressing the affordable rental housing shortage in Minnesota by advocating for funding for the full continuum of affordable housing activities, including housing development, supportive services, rental assistance, and preservation across all levels of government.
• Spearheading opportunities to reimagine a more just economy, with a focus on advancing racial equity, by investing in community wealth building policies and programs and supporting small businesses that have been severely impacted by the impacts of the pandemic.
• Continuing to lead or support advocacy work in partnership with coalitions and MCCD member organizations.

To achieve the above policy priorities, MCCD supports the following proposals at the Federal, State, or local and regional levels:

• Join national partners and housing groups to advocate for increased resources for Federal affordable housing programs, including the National Housing Trust Fund.
• Seek out opportunities for local and regional governments to support innovation and creativity in solutions to meet the community’s housing needs.
• Dedicate local sources of revenue to the production and preservation of affordable housing, including both rental housing and homeownership development.
• Increase funding for the Homeownership Education Counseling and Training (HECAT) program.
• Increase the Economic Development and Housing Challenge Fund appropriations and specifically, increase the amount available for homeownership production.
• Capture the growth in Mortgage Registry and Deed taxes to use for affordable homeownership development.
• Amend the Low-Income Real Estate Classification rate (LIRC) to simplify the classification rate for affordable housing, reduce operational budget burdens on affordable housing providers, and include eligibility for perpetually affordable home ownership.
• Advocate for state bonding investments and add deeper affordability as a new use for state bonds.
• Across all levels of government, advocate for place based, holistic investments that will strengthen commercial corridors and cultural districts.
• Promote the need for additional resources to support small business affected by the pandemic or civil unrest
• Build capacity and support for small business assistance organizations that administer emergency relief assistance or provide technical support to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
• Activate local and state resources to invest in commercial corridors and a stronger pipeline with support ecosystems for all types and sizes of small businesses.

Please contact Kari Johnson with questions or comments on MCCD’s 2021 Policy Agenda.

Download a PDF copy of our Policy Agenda