Dear friends,
Welcome to the first edition of View from the Rooftop!
Much of the time we're heads down over here at Minnesota Housing, crunching numbers, building new programs and talking to partners. It’s all in service of the greater good: Help our partners build, preserve and finance more homes Minnesotans can afford, and help people stay in their homes.
The legislature took us at our word when we said we need to Go Big, and that’s just what we’re doing in partnership with so many great people and organizations across the state. I want to take a moment to climb to the rooftop and share what I see as I look across the Agency. A lot is happening and there's a lot more yet to come, so here we go!
Jennifer Leimaile Ho
Commissioner, Minnesota Housing
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Our First-Generation Homebuyer Loan Program launched this May with $50 million in downpayment assistance loans for households that have never owned a home, nor their parents, or lost it to foreclosure.
New buyers like Rolando (left) have put the loan to good use. "I'm leaning into it," he said. "Not just for the people that are watching me do it, but for my [future] children, and their children."
This one-time program is going fast—nearly 75 percent of the funds have already been used! Tell your network about this opportunity as well as the similar FirstGenDPA program. Learn about both programs in Minnesota Homeownership Center's latest podcast.
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At the end of September, we reached a tremendous milestone with our downpayment assistance loans: 41.5% of the homebuyers who used our first-time homebuyer loans in the past year were Indigenous, Black or households of color. That’s the highest rate of loans to households of color we’ve ever achieved. We’re running at nearly double the industry average of 22.9%. BOOM!
These properties have opened their doors and hundreds of residents call these places home:
- Nolte River Place, Anoka, Volunteers of America
- Bimosedaa, Minneapolis, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative
- Itasca Single Family homes, Grand Rapids, Itasca County HRA
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Windwood Terrace, Duluth, Center City Housing Corp.
- Horizon Heights Townhomes, Burnsville, MBG Property Management
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Heather Court (One of many Rural Development Properties, SWMHP)
- Vista 44, Edina, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative
- Madelia Mobile Village Cooperative, Madelia, Northcountry Cooperative Foundation
- The Lumin, St. Paul, CommonBond
- Brewery Creek Apartments, Duluth, One Roof Community Housing
- Shelby Commons, Minneapolis, Project for Pride in Living
- Alexander Baker Apartments, International Falls, KOOTASCA Community Action
The dirt is flying as so many developments get construction underway. Minnesota Housing had the chance to join the developers, partners and community members at all of these groundbreakings and construction launches since June. Congratulations to all!
- Simpson Community Shelter and Apartments, Minneapolis, Simpson Housing
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Agate Housing and Services, Minneapolis, Agate and Trellis
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Opportunity Crossings, Minneapolis, Project for Pride in Living
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Wadaag Commons, Minneapolis, Noor Companies
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The Juniper, Maplewood, JB Vang
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The Heights, St. Paul, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
- Carver Place Apartments, Carver, Carver County CDA
- Kyle Garden Square, Minneapolis, Alliance Housing
We’ve hit new highs in our ability to help families on the brink of homelessness thanks to significant legislative investments in 2023 and 2024. The Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) provides supportive services and direct assistance to households currently experiencing homelessness or at risk of it. All $123+ million from the legislature is either available or will be soon now that our board approved the last $8.1 million from the 2024 session. We’re grateful to the nearly 100 service providers that manage the funds across the state.
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Many of our staff will be in Baxter on Wed., October 23 for a Brainerd Lakes Area Housing Summit we're cohosting with Minnesota Housing Partnership, Greater Minnesota Housing Fund and USDA – Rural Development.
Our annual project selections for the Consolidated RFP, Impact Fund and Manufactured Home Community redevelopment program will be announced following the December 19 board meeting.
Meet our Chief Information Officer and servant leader, Rudi Mohamed. Rudi was recently recognized as a finalist for a Minnesota ORBIE award, a top achievement for CIOs in all sectors.
The executive recognition program honors CIOs who demonstrate excellence in technology leadership. That's exactly what we need in our complex finance environment at Minnesota Housing. Rudi is also the author of The Rockstar IT Leader Handbook. Please join me in congratulating Rudi.
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Before I sign off, I’ll share that I’ve been elected the 2025 board chair of the National Council of State Housing Agencies (NCSHA). NCSHA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization advancing the efforts of the nation’s state housing finance agencies and their partners. I’m pleased to represent Minnesota at the table.
Yours,
Jennifer Leimaile Ho
Commissioner, Minnesota Housing
P.S. If someone forwarded you this newsletter, please sign up to receive future editions. Enter your email and select "General News from Minnesota Housing." Thanks!
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About Us
Minnesota Housing, the state's housing finance agency, works to provide access to safe, stable and accessible housing Minnesotans can afford in a community of their choice. In 2023, we distributed $1.85 billion in resources and served 69,500 households. Visit our website to learn more.
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