Vance’s and Walz’s Dueling Visions for Housing Policy
October 1, 2024
Debate night: At tonight’s VP debate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will be looking to make an impact on voters during their first and final prime-time televised pitch to voters.
Housing costs and availability have been critically important this election, and each candidate’s record on these topics remains relevant. Below is a brief overview of each candidate’s past positions and actions related to housing.
Tim Walz, who has served as Governor of Minnesota since 2019 and was a representative in Congress from 2007-2019, pushed through significant changes in housing policy during his time as Governor. Walz’s playbook resembles Democratic initiatives on the national level by focusing on increasing funding for certain programs and implementing renter protections.
Walz signed a $1 billion housing omnibus bill into law in 2023. This legislation was the largest housing investment in Minnesota's history and allocated funds for various programs:
- $200 million for down payment assistance,
- $200 million for housing infrastructure,
- $135 million for workforce housing initiatives, with a strong emphasis on affordable housing; and
- $45 million for homelessness prevention.
In addition to financial investments, Walz reformed landlord-tenant laws in Minnesota, enhancing tenant protections. Key changes include:
- Requiring landlords to provide 14 days written notice before eviction for nonpayment of rent.
- Allowing cities to implement stricter notice requirements, and streamlining the expungement process for eviction records.
JD Vance, the junior senator from Ohio since January 2023, does not have the same lengthy public record as his counterpart.
However, Vance does sit on the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. His statements in housing related hearings can give us some insight into his priorities and what he might do as Vice President on these issues.
A summary of his comments in these hearings is outlined below.
- Immigration: Vance has argued that increased immigration can exacerbate housing affordability issues, particularly in areas with limited housing supply. He has encouraged regulations to ensure that federally subsidized housing is only offered to U.S. citizens.
- Overly burdensome regulations: He has argued that overly complex and burdensome regulations often slow the development of new housing projects, exacerbating the existing housing shortage.
- Empowering local communities: Vance has advocated for local communities to take the lead in addressing their specific housing needs, arguing that localized solutions could be more effective than one-size-fits-all federal mandates.
Vance took issue with the “Housing First” policy and argued that sober living requirements for residents should be incorporated. Vance has said that drugs and substance abuse are issues in subsidized housing developments that hold back many individuals from breaking out of a cycle of homelessness.
The bottom line: Tonight’s debate will reintroduce both men to millions of Americans and is likely the last nationally televised joint event before the election. While there have been a handful of memorable VP debate moments in history, they rarely overshadow the top of the ticket.
Please contact James Montfort (jmontfort@crefc.org) with questions.