Minnesota communities—from Duluth to Bemidji and St. Paul to Winona—need safe, stable, and affordable housing to thrive. Yet a full-time worker earning minimum wage cannot afford a one-bedroom apartment in any Minnesota county. Seniors are making difficult sacrifices to keep food on the table. And children are struggling in school because they lack a stable place to call home.
This election season, we can make housing a priority at the ballot box. But first, we need to know where candidates stand—and make sure they understand what their constituents need.
That’s why HOME Line invites Minnesota Senate and House of Representatives candidates to complete a nonpartisan questionnaire on housing issues. The questionnaire is not part of an endorsement process for any candidate or political party. Instead, it gives voters an opportunity to learn where candidates stand on a range of housing issues.
Read the full questionnaire and candidate responses, which are posted regularly, here:
2026 Candidate Housing Questionnaire
Now We Need You: Engage Your Candidates!
Learning where candidates stand is an important first step. As a constituent, you have every right to ask people seeking your vote how they would address the housing challenges facing your community. You can ask them to fill out the questionnaire.
In addition to the questions asked in the questionnaire, ask candidates for the Minnesota Legislature where they stand on increased tenant protections. Would they support legislation to help renters secure safe housing, get repairs completed in a timely manner, renew their leases, and protect them from practices that make housing less affordable or stable? What specific changes would they support during the next legislative session?
Here are three ways to get involved:
- Find your district and candidates. Identify the candidates running to represent you in the Minnesota House and Senate, then ask them to fill out the questionnaire as well as gauge their support for additional tenant protections.
- Use the available resources. Download the Advocacy Kit for help engaging candidates, housing advocates, and community members across Minnesota. Review the questionnaire and candidate responses to identify issues you want to discuss.
- Learn more about nonpartisan candidate engagement. Explore the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s Our Homes, Our Votes campaign and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits’ Nonpartisan Election Guide for additional guidance.
Don’t wait for candidates to tell you what they think matters with regard to housing and tenant protections. Ask them to fill out the questionnaire and respond to your questions about needed tenant protections. Whether you’re concerned about rising rents, unsafe housing, unfair fees, or the threat of eviction, your questions can help bring these issues into the election conversation.
Safe, stable, affordable housing affects all of us. Let’s make sure candidates hear from the people they hope to represent—and that voters have the information they need to make informed decisions.
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