ST PAUL, MN – The Minnesota Department of Human Services says they’re looking to terminate the state’s Housing Stabilization Services.
The announcement comes amid allegations of ‘widespread fraud’ in the program.
Minnesota legislators reacted to the announcement.
“Friday afternoon’s surprise announcement from the Walz Administration is the right decision, but it’s too little, too late. Once again, state agencies failed to catch fraud in real time. Instead of stopping it, they’re scrambling after the fact, after millions of taxpayer dollars have already been stolen,” House Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, said in a statement.
Minnesota Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson (R-East Grand Forks) says the termination announcement ‘points to a deeper failure by the Walz administration.’
“After reports of widespread fraud, DHS abruptly ended the program and announced plans to “redesign and relaunch” it,” he said. “Serious questions remain about why it took so long to act, whether recently passed integrity measures were effective, and who will be held accountable for this massive breakdown.”
Senator Jordan Rasmusson (R-Fergus Falls) said Minnesotans ‘shouldn’t be expected to tolerate fraud in government programs as the new normal.’
“Gov. Walz’s cancellation of this program due to fraud concerns is an admission his agencies don’t have the ability to prevent fraud in human services programs,” he said in a statement. “It’s time we have leaders with the willingness to follow through and use common sense when administering taxpayer-funded programs.”
