Andrew Lang Receives Statewide Award for Efforts to Expand Homeownership Opportunities

Housing First Minnesota has honored 24 members of the Minnesota Legislature with its 2025 Housing Leadership Award, recognizing their work to advance housing affordability and expand opportunities for homeownership during the 2025 legislative session. Among the recipients is Senator Andrew Lang of Olivia, who serves on the Senate’s Housing and Homelessness Prevention Committee.

The award highlights lawmakers who championed policy changes aimed at addressing Minnesota’s persistent housing shortage and creating a more accessible pathway to homeownership. For Lang, the recognition underscores his ongoing commitment to tackling one of the state’s most pressing challenges.

“Thank you to Housing First for the recognition and for the important work they’re doing to support housing affordability and availability,” Lang said. “I hear from developers and aspiring homeowners across my district and the state who are asking for more affordability and less red tape when it comes to building homes. I’ll keep working on smart solutions that give developers a clearer path to breaking ground. Zoning reform is going to be key to improving the pipeline of new homes and meeting demand across Minnesota.”

Housing First Minnesota noted that this year marked the second in a row where housing supply, land use, and zoning reform dominated discussions at the Capitol. In March, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers introduced the Yes to Homes agenda—an ambitious package designed to spur the construction of more homes at all price points and in all regions of the state.

According to the organization, Minnesota is currently more than 100,000 housing units short of what is considered a healthy market. This shortage drives up prices, limits choices for buyers, and makes it more difficult for families to find homes that fit their needs and budgets. The legislation introduced in 2025 aimed to close that gap by expanding the diversity of housing options available across the state.

“Minnesota is currently more than 100,000 housing units short of what’s considered a healthy market,” said Mark Foster, Vice President of Legislative & Political Affairs at Housing First Minnesota. “The legislation introduced and advanced this session aimed to close that gap by allowing for a greater diversity of housing options. Many of these lawmakers worked tirelessly throughout the session to support policy changes that will strengthen Minnesota’s housing market.”

While none of the Yes to Homes measures were ultimately signed into law this year, Foster emphasized that momentum remains strong. “Though these specific measures fell short this year, the broad, diverse coalition behind them remains committed to meaningful reform,” he said. “We urge the legislature and Governor Walz to prioritize these urgently needed policy changes in 2026.”

The 2025 Housing Leadership Award was presented to legislators from both chambers. In addition to Senator Lang, honorees from the Senate include Liz Boldon, Doron Clark, Gene Dornink, Rich Draheim, Steve Drazkowski, Omar Fateh, Mark Johnson, Eric Lucero, Jason Rarick, Susan Pha, Lindsey Port, Jordan Rasmusson, and Tou Xiong. House recipients include Jeff Dotseth, Michael Howard, Spencer Igo, Katie Jones, Alicia Kozlowski, Larry Kraft, Shane Mekeland, Jim Nash, Kari Rehrauer, and Roger Skraba.

Housing First Minnesota is the leading voice for the state’s homebuilding industry, representing homebuilders, remodelers, developers, and industry partners committed to ensuring that all Minnesotans have access to safe, affordable housing and the opportunity for homeownership.