Klobuchar targets housing gaps and mental health beds

Senator Amy Klobuchar linked housing shortages and a strained mental health system in a late September address to the Brainerd Family YMCA. While the visit was organized around child care, the senator focused on structural gaps in the state’s infrastructure and care delivery.

Klobuchar stated that Minnesota is currently short of 100,000 housing units, with many of those gaps located in Greater Minnesota. She committed to building 100,000 additional units during her term as governor. This target includes single-family homes and apartment buildings developed with private sector partners.

The senator cited specific construction methods to accelerate this timeline. She noted that Grand Marais used dynamic homes that were built off-site and trucked into the city to add 36 units. In Edina, modular construction allowed a large apartment complex to be completed two years ahead of schedule. Klobuchar argued that increasing supply helps stabilize rent and mortgage costs.

On mental health, Klobuchar described the current situation as a crisis. She said the system is reaching a breaking point after the state hospital system was dismantled. She pointed out that when a judge commits a patient, the county often places them in jail for months while waiting for a facility bed. She added that a child committed for treatment may have to travel to another state to find an available spot.

Klobuchar outlined a four-part plan to address these issues. First, she said the state must expand beds. The 2025 bonding bill added 50 beds in Anoka, but she claimed expansions in St. Peter and Willmar were insufficient. Second, she addressed a waiting list of approximately 3,000 people seeking mental health assistance. She noted that a navigator system was created to help these individuals, but it has not produced enough results.

The third component of the plan focuses on raising the workforce in areas where staff are needed most. The fourth element is the expansion of telehealth services. Klobuchar said she recently spoke with counties about these workforce and access challenges.

The senator also discussed zoning controls. She said she believes in creating incentives for communities to build housing rather than removing local government control over zoning, parking, and landscaping. She said her plan includes federal funding, more modular housing, and manufacturing support.