SF4632 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Strengthen Minnesota homes program modification
Related bill: HF4223
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
To fund and improve the Strengthen Minnesota Homes program by providing grants to retrofit insurable homes, with the aim of enhancing home resilience to weather damage and encouraging insurance premium discounts for compliant properties.
Main Provisions
- Grant use and limits:
- Grants must be used to retrofit an insurable property.
- Grants may not be used for routine maintenance or repairs, but can be used alongside repairs or reconstruction needed due to wind or hail damage.
- Projects funded by a grant must be completed within three to six months of grant approval; failing to do so may lead to grant forfeiture.
- The program requires certification to the homeowner’s insurer that the property meets program standards as a condition of receiving a grant.
- If a property already meets program standards at application, the homeowner is eligible for a premium discount rate reduction (or both the discount and the grant).
- The program must verify that the homeowner’s insurer offers a premium discount rate reduction (or both) for properties meeting program standards, including those that already met standards before receiving a grant or never received one.
- Eligibility criteria and administration:
- The commissioner must develop administrative procedures to implement the grant program and establish eligibility criteria.
- Preference given to homeowners with household income at or below 115% of the area median income (AMI) as determined by HUD.
Funding and Financial Details
- Appropriation:
- A one-time appropriation of $35,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 from the general fund to the Strengthen Minnesota Homes account to issue grants and administer the program.
- Provider and program specifics:
- The funding supports both issuing grants and administering the Strengthen Minnesota Homes program under the 65A.299 statutory framework.
Significance and Impact
- Goal to improve resilience of homes against wind and hail damage.
- Connects home retrofits to potential reductions in homeowners’ insurance costs via premium discounts.
- Focuses on income-targeted support to low- to moderate-income households as determined by HUD’s AMI criteria.
Timeline and Compliance
- Projects must be completed within a defined window (three to six months) after grant approval.
- Noncompliance with the completion window may result in forfeiture of the grant.
- Certification to insurers linking program standards to grant approval helps ensure ongoing insurance adjustments.
Related Terms, Standards, and Mechanisms
- Strengthen Minnesota Homes
- Minnesota Statutes 65A.299
- insurable property
- grant
- program standards
- premium discount rate reduction
- homeowners insurance
- area median income (AMI)
- HUD (Housing and Urban Development)
- wind and hail damage
- general fund
- onetime appropriation
- Strengthen Minnesota Homes account
Relevant Terms - Strengthen Minnesota Homes - 65A.299 - insurable property - grant - program standards - premium discount rate reduction - homeowners insurance - area median income (AMI) - HUD - wind and hail - general fund - onetime appropriation - Strengthen Minnesota Homes account - administrative procedures - eligibility - completion timeline - grant forfeiture
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 23, 2026 | Senate | Action | Introduction and first reading | ||
| March 23, 2026 | Senate | Action | Referred to | Commerce and Consumer Protection |
Citations
[
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Grant use limited to retrofitting insurable property.",
"Grant funds may not be used for maintenance or repairs (except when repairs are necessitated by damage from wind or hail).",
"Projects funded by a grant must be completed within three to six months of grant approval (with potential forfeiture for noncompliance).",
"The commissioner must certify to the homeowner's insurer that the property meets applicable program standards.",
"A homeowner whose property meets program standards at application is eligible for a premium discount rate reduction or both.",
"The program must confirm that the insurer provides a premium discount rate reduction or both under section 65A.298 for properties meeting program standards."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 65A.299, subdivision 5 to specify grant use and program requirements for the Strengthen Minnesota Homes program, including limitations on use, project timing, insurer certification, and premium discount eligibility under section 65A.298.",
"modified": [
"Adds/updates grant-use and premium-discount-related provisions, including insurer certification and standard-based discounts."
]
},
"citation": "65A.299",
"subdivision": "Subd.5"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"Administrative procedures to implement Subd.6.",
"Eligibility criteria for grant programs under Subd.6.",
"Preference for households with income at or below 115% of HUD-estimated area median income."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 65A.299, subdivision 6 to require administrative procedures to implement the section and criteria for grant eligibility, including a preference for households with income at or below 115% of area median income as determined by HUD.",
"modified": [
"Expands eligibility framework and administrative process for grants."
]
},
"citation": "65A.299",
"subdivision": "Subd.6"
},
{
"analysis": {
"added": [
"A onetime appropriation of $35,000,000 for the Strengthen Minnesota Homes program in fiscal year 2026."
],
"removed": [],
"summary": "This bill appropriates funds to the Strengthen Minnesota Homes account under Minnesota Statutes section 65A.299, subdivision 4 to issue grants and administer the program. The appropriation is one-time.",
"modified": [
"Establishes a one-time funding mechanism to support grant administration."
]
},
"citation": "65A.299",
"subdivision": "Subd.4"
}
]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee