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HF 1713

Tax-stressed cities demolition grant program created, special revenue fund account created, reports required, and money appropriated.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Bjorn Olson

Creates a demolition grant program for tax-stressed cities, funded by a dedicated state special revenue fund and overseen by DEED to speed up blight removal and boost tax bases.

Introduction and first reading, referred to Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy
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Bill Summary · HF 1713

Summary of HF 1713 (Minnesota)

Overview

HF 1713, titled “Tax-stressed cities demolition grant program created, special revenue fund account created, reports required, and money appropriated,” is a House file introduced on February 27, 2025. The bill is currently at introduction and first reading and has been referred to the committee with jurisdiction over Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy. The subject line places the bill under the purview of the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

Purpose and intent

  • Establish a grant program to support demolition activities in cities identified as tax-stressed (i.e., municipalities facing financial pressure related to property tax bases and aging/blighted housing stock).
  • Create a dedicated special revenue fund account to receive and manage program funds.
  • Require reporting related to the program’s activities and outcomes.
  • Appropriate money for the program (specific appropriation amounts are not provided in the information available here).

Key provisions (as implied by the title)

  • Demolition grant program: A new program designed to provide grants to cities to accelerate the demolition of qualifying structures, with the goal of revitalizing neighborhoods, reducing blight, and stabilizing or expanding the local tax base.
  • Special revenue fund account: Establishment of a dedicated account within state financing to receive appropriated funds for the demolition program and manage disbursements.
  • Reporting requirements: Mandated reports likely covering program expenditures, project outcomes, demolition activity metrics, and impact on tax stress or redevelopment.
  • Appropriations: The bill contemplates an appropriation of money to fund the program and the associated account (amounts not specified in the provided information).

Administration and funding

  • Administrative authority: The bill falls under the policy area of the Department of Employment and Economic Development and is expected to be administered through DEED or a related program office within the department.
  • Funding: The program would be funded through an appropriation to the special revenue fund account created by the bill. Specific dollar amounts, matching requirements, or funding duration are not provided in the available summary.

Who would be affected

  • Tax-stressed cities and their local government officials responsible for redevelopment and demolition decisions.
  • Property owners and developers participating in demolition and site redevelopment projects.
  • Demolition contractors and construction firms that would potentially bid on grant-supported projects.
  • The state and DEED, in terms of administration, reporting, and oversight of the program.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduction and first reading: February 27, 2025.
  • Referral: Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy committee.
  • Next steps: Committee hearings to consider the bill’s provisions, potential amendments, and progress toward floor votes. Final enactment would depend on subsequent committee action and floor approval in both chambers.

Notes and considerations for readers

  • Specifics such as grant eligibility criteria, grant sizes, application procedures, reporting formats, performance metrics, sunset provisions, and the total appropriation are not included in the current summary. The full bill text and committee testimony will provide these details.
  • Stakeholders should monitor upcoming committee hearings for definitions (e.g., what constitutes “tax-stressed” for eligibility), timelines for fund availability, and any statutory changes tied to the program’s operation.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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