Richfield pushes tenant protections, missing-middle and permanent housing trust funding in state priorities

Community Development Director Melissa Palman presented the department's legislative priorities at the Nov. 25 work session, centering on tenant protections, affordable-housing funding and zoning changes.

Palman asked the council whether to ask the legislature to make a form of transition aid permanent and to clarify whether the city should ask to be "made whole" for the impacts of a prior tax-rate reduction that left some communities without full transition aid. She outlined a proposal to require 30 days' written notice to tenants before pursuing eviction for nonpayment or other financial obligations and sought state-level authority to allow a portion of LAHA funds to be used for administrative costs tied to program delivery.

Other items included continuing advocacy for missing-middle housing reforms to allow two-family homes and accessory dwelling units by right, opposing housing discrimination against Section 8 and other voucher holders to increase housing choice, and pushing to make the transfer of pooled tax increment to the affordable housing trust fund a permanent option (special legislation currently expires in 2026).

Palman said staff will complete a study on the aid question and bring more precise language for council approval. Councilors generally expressed support for asking to be made whole on aid and for the tenant-notice proposal while seeking additional details on LAHA administrative use and statutory drafting.

Next steps: staff will finish the requested study, draft statutory language for the tenant-notice and pooled-increment items and bring final language back to the council for approval.