|
Mark your calendars, as a portion of the 2025 Multifamily Consolidated Request for Proposals (RFP)/2026 Housing Tax Credits (HTC) Round 1 application materials will be released soon! Read on for more information and important updates to be aware of as you start planning your applications.
In this eNews
2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 Application Dates
Anticipated dates for the 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 are listed below. Dates will be finalized in a future eNews and on the Multifamily Consolidated RFP/HTC Funding Rounds webpage.
-
Wednesday, March 19: 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 early application materials published and pre-applications for the HUD Section 811 Project-Based Rental Assistance (HUD Section 811 PRA) Program and Innovative Construction Techniques (ICT) selection criterion open
-
Wednesday, April 9: All 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 and Minnesota Housing funding partners application materials published, applications open, and Intent to Apply available to submit
-
Thursday, May 8 at noon Central Time: Deadline to submit Intent to Apply; required for all 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 applications
-
Thursday, May 29 at noon Central Time: Deadline to submit pre-applications for the HUD Section 811 PRA Program and ICT selection criterion
-
Thursday, July 10 at noon Central Time: Deadline to submit 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 applications
-
December: Minnesota Housing board members meeting to approve selection recommendations
Stay up to date on 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 news and updates by signing up for our eNews list.
Questions?
Contact mhfa.consolidated.rfp@state.mn.us.
Governor Walz Approves the 2026-2027 Qualified Allocation Plan
Governor Walz approved the 2026-2027 HTC Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP)—which includes the Self-Scoring Worksheet—on February 21, 2025. The HTC QAP determines the policy priorities and the process by which Minnesota Housing will manage the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program. This QAP sets the overall funding priorities for Minnesota Housing’s 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Rounds and the 2026 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2027 HTC Rounds.
The QAP has been updated to include some important changes:
-
Preservation: Revised selection criteria for preservation of developments with existing rental assistance to remove barriers at application, reduce upfront application costs, expand eligibility, and prioritize the needs of developments in distress and those with more severe critical physical needs (Self-Scoring Worksheet, pages 14-18).
-
Geographic Location: Revised selection criteria related to geographic location to enhance the competitiveness of smaller, more rural cities. The changes now recognize that all cities, regardless of size, have a need for housing and acknowledge the challenges that smaller, rural communities experience (Self-Scoring Worksheet, pages 23-26).
-
Innovative Construction Techniques: Created an Innovative Construction Techniques selection criterion, which incentivizes applicants to reduce construction costs and/or reduce the time a project is under construction (Self-Scoring Worksheet, pages 40-42).
-
Climate Change and Action: Continued to incentivize energy efficiency, climate resiliency, and renewable energy by increasing the points for the Enhanced Sustainability selection criteria. The Enhanced Sustainability selection criteria emphasizes the importance of long-term sustainability and the strategies used during construction aimed at slowing down or reversing the negative impacts of human-caused climate change (Self-Scoring Worksheet, pages 43-44).
-
Unacceptable Practices: Revised the Unacceptable Practices section to simplify and streamline the penalty language so the potential penalties are consistent for each unacceptable practice. An unacceptable practice regarding violation of local, state, or federal laws was added. This will apply to any new or existing state or federal requirements, including prevailing wage and wage theft prevention. An unacceptable practice regarding violations of a new policy (to be set forth in the HTC Compliance Guide) requiring a 120-day written notice to the tenant for any rent increase in excess of 5% was also added (QAP, pages 13-16).
-
Right of First Refusal: Added a requirement that all HTC projects involving ownership by qualified nonprofit organizations grant a right of first refusal to the nonprofit to better protect and preserve the long-term affordability of HTC properties and to protect units from converting to market rate (QAP, pages 39-40).
The 2026-2027 QAP, Self-Scoring Worksheet, and a summary of the changes can be found on Minnesota Housing’s Qualified Allocation Plan (QAP) and Housing Tax Credits webpages. There you will also find the Methodology Guide, which explains several selection criteria outlined in the Self-Scoring Worksheet.
New application materials and processes for the 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 will reflect the changes made in the 2026-2027 QAP and Self-Scoring Worksheet.
Questions?
Contact the Housing Tax Credit team at htc.mhfa@state.mn.us.
Early Release: Application Materials Coming Soon!
Several important 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 application documents will be available on Minnesota Housing’s Application Materials webpage on Wednesday, March 19, 2025. These documents will allow applicants to start the application process early.
Pre-Application Materials
- Innovative Construction Techniques Pre-Application
- HUD Section 811 PRA Program Pre-Application
General Documents
- 2025 Multifamily Workbook
- 2025 Multifamily Workbook Release Notes
- Troubleshooting the Multifamily Workbook
- All Qualification Forms
Supportive Housing Documents
- Housing Support Funding Commitment Letter
- Partially Supportive Housing Application:
- Partially Supportive Housing Certification Form
- Notification to the Continuum of Care (CoC) and Human Services
- HUD Section 811 PRA Narrative
- Primarily Supportive Housing Application:
- Continuum of Care (CoC) Confirmation Form
- Supportive Housing Narrative
Coming Soon
All other 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 application materials will be released on Wednesday, April 9, 2025.
Questions?
Contact mhfa.consolidated.rfp@state.mn.us.
2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 Pre-Applications
Two pre-applications will be available for the 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1:
- HUD Section 811 Project-Based Rental Assistance (HUD Section 811 PRA) Program
- Innovative Construction Techniques (ICT) selection criterion
Pre-application materials are expected to be released on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, and pre-applications will be due by noon Central Time on Thursday, May 29, 2025. Minnesota Housing will notify applicants of eligibility by prior to the full application deadline.
Additional details will be made available in a future eNews.
HUD Section 811 PRA Program
The HUD Section 811 PRA Program is designed to expand the supply of supportive housing that promotes and facilitates community integration for people with significant and long-term disabilities. HUD Section 811 PRA Program funds will be available for units for people with disabilities through the 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1.
Applicants must submit a HUD Section 811 PRA Program pre-application to determine eligibility prior to submitting a full 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 application. Applicants will be notified about eligibility for the program prior to the application due date.
For more information, visit Minnesota Housing’s HUD Section 811 PRA Program webpage. Questions can be directed to Ellie Miller at 651.215.6236 or ellie.miller@state.mn.us.
Innovative Construction Techniques Selection Criterion
Minnesota Housing is now offering a selection criterion, instead of a preference, for projects that will use ICT. Applicants are required to submit a pre-application to be eligible to receive points for this selection criterion. The proposed projects must achieve, or pilot a technique to achieve, one or both of the following goals:
- Reduce total construction cost by at least 10%
- Reduce the time a project is under construction by at least 20%
All conditions a proposed project must meet are outlined in the 2026-2027 Self-Scoring Worksheet and the ICT pre-application materials. Applicants will be notified about eligibility for the selection criterion prior to the application due date.
Questions can be directed to Mike Thomas at 651.276.1170 or mike.thomas@state.mn.us.
New State Prevailing Wage Requirements
In the 2023 and 2024 legislative sessions, the state prevailing wage statutes (Minnesota Statute 116J.871) were amended to include new reporting requirements and to broaden prevailing wage applicability for multifamily rental housing projects that receive funding from Minnesota Housing. These changes help ensure compliance with state statutes and streamline reporting procedures.
The new state prevailing wage reporting requirements apply to:
- New construction projects (including adaptive reuse) selected for funding after July 1, 2023, for $200,000 or more of grant funding or $500,000 or more of total loan funding; or,
- New construction projects (including adaptive reuse) selected for an award or allocation of federal low-income housing tax credits (HTC) on or after January 1, 2025. This applies to projects consisting of more than ten units. For purposes of an award, selection is defined as the issuance of the 42M preliminary determination letter by Minnesota Housing. For purposes of an allocation, selection is defined as Minnesota Housing board action to select a project for future reservation and allocation of HTC through Round 1 or Round 2.
- Publicly owned new construction and rehabilitation projects that receive state funds and where the estimated cost to complete the project is $25,000 or greater. For purposes of Minn. Stat. 177.41-177.44, state funds do not include awards or allocations of federal low-income HTC. Public ownership entities include but are not limited to:
- Housing and redevelopment authorities
- Economic development authorities
- Public housing authorities
Depending on the funding sources, a project may be subject to both state prevailing wage and federal prevailing wage, which is commonly known as Davis-Bacon.
More information can be found in the State Prevailing Wage Frequently Asked Questions document and on our Prevailing Wage webpage.
Questions?
Grant/loan contract, housing tax credit award or allocation, and certified payroll form submission questions can be directed to Minnesota Housing at mhfa.prevailingwage@state.mn.us.
Prevailing wage compliance and wage determination questions can be directed to the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry at dli.prevwage@state.mn.us.
Wage Theft Prevention
Effective August 2, 2024, Minnesota Statute 462A.051 requires applicants of all multiunit residential housing projects applying for funding from Minnesota Housing, including any loan and federal low-income housing tax credits (HTC), to disclose any convictions, court judgements, determinations, legal settlements, ongoing investigations or lawsuits involving alleged violations of wage theft arising or occurring now or within the preceding five years on a construction project owned or managed by the developer, project sponsor, or owner of the proposed project, the intended general contractor for the proposed project, or any of their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, or other affiliated companies.
Applicants seeking funding from Minnesota Housing, including any loan and federal low-income HTCs, for multiunit residential housing projects must submit the Wage Theft Disclosure Certification Form and the Wage Theft Prevention Verification Form to meet the requirements of Minnesota Statute 462A.051.
- Wage Theft Disclosure Certification Form – required at time of application
- Wage Theft Prevention Verification Form – required prior to closing and receiving funding; for purposes of 4% HTC Only, this means at the time of application
Minnesota Housing will not process any application where the applicant refuses to provide the information requested by the Wage Theft Disclosure Certification Form and the Wage Theft Prevention Verification Form and may refuse to fund any application based on the information provided in the forms.
Apply for Funding through the Multifamily Customer Portal
All 2025 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2026 HTC Round 1 applicants must apply for funding through the Multifamily Customer Portal. To learn more about the Multifamily Customer Portal and to request a user account, visit our Multifamily Customer Portal Resources webpage.
Beginning on Wednesday, April 9, 2025, the following will be available in the Multifamily Customer Portal:
- Project creation and characteristic configuration to complete the Intent to Apply process
- HUD Section 811 PRA Program pre-application checklist
- Innovative Construction Techniques selection criterion pre-application checklist
- Application checklist
- Scoring Wizard
Technical Assistance is Available
Minnesota Housing wants to help applicants submit competitive proposals. Technical assistance is strongly encouraged. Check out the technical assistance and training opportunities below:
Shopping for a First Mortgage or Thinking About Refinancing?
 Minnesota Housing wants to work with you on all your multifamily first mortgage needs! Our Low and Moderate Income Rental (LMIR) first mortgages have terms up to 40 years for new construction or 35 years for rehabilitation or refinance. Our first mortgages are available year-round.
View our current interest rates and terms to learn more about what we offer.
Questions?
Contact Mike Tobias at michael.tobias@state.mn.us.
About Minnesota Housing
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 2024, the Agency distributed $1.96 billion in resources and served 73,650 households. Visit our website to learn more.
|
