Take 5 with MHP’s Leah Hall

Friday, November 17, 2023

Take Five is MHP’s series that asks the same five questions of a variety of people intersecting with MHP, from staff to housing advocates! Leah Hall joins MHP as the new Director of Community Development.

Leah Hall

Q1. What is your name and title?

Leah Hall, Director of Community Development

Q2. What attracted you to working with MHP?

It was definitely the MHP mission and values! I was born/raised in a small rural community in northern Minnesota, and I have had the privilege of serving rural communities for 20+ years; I am very passionate about lifting up the incredible strengths that rural community members have and finding ways to best support them as they create home-grown solutions to local community development challenges. Prior to coming to MHP, I had the opportunity to work with MHP staff in communities across Minnesota as they moved MHP’s mission forward through on-the-ground community planning and development work, as well as policy/advocacy work that incorporates the voices of rural communities and housing practitioners.

In summary, I think MHP’s mission/vision and values reflect how I believe communities, especially rural communities, deserve to be served.  

Q3. What’s a challenge in the field of housing right now?

There are a lot of challenges out there right now in the housing field, but one key challenge that I would highlight is access to housing resources. Many communities across the state and nation face significant challenges navigating the complexities that go along with accessing state and federal housing funding opportunities (as well as some large foundation funds) and other services needed to create housing solutions. In addition, some communities just cannot qualify for funds/services they need because they do not meet certain selection criteria.  I think this is especially true in rural communities and Native Nations that have been historically underserved and excluded from opportunities that have a direct impact on their ability to develop housing solutions that fit the unique needs of community members. I do want to add that I think MHP plays a key role in assisting communities most impacted by housing disparities find ways to both access the resources they need, as well as advocating for change at the state and federal level.  

Q4. Is there a book by your bed, and what is it?

So, I have to admit, I am usually either reading the news on my phone before I go to bed or, I have been known to read housing funding/compliance rules and regulations published by the state or federal government (it is much, much more effective than counting sheep!). 

Q5. Who is your superhero? 

Wonder Woman! 

MHP is grateful to the AmeriCorps VISTA program and Sponsoring Organization HOME Line.

Look out for more Take 5 profiles coming soon!

Tax Credit Contribution Fund Projects

Friday, October 27, 2023

Help finance affordable multifamily and single-family housing
throughout Minnesota

The Minnesota State Housing Tax Credit (SHTC) Contribution Program is a new way to help finance affordable housing throughout the state. Beginning October 4, 2023, eligible Minnesota corporate and individual taxpayers can contribute to the SHTC Program Fund and, in return, receive a substantial credit to offset their Minnesota taxes. Eligible Minnesota taxpayers can contribute between $1,000 and $2 million to the Contribution Fund and receive a state tax credit certificate (TCC) that equals 85% of their total contributions. You may make a Designated Contribution to a specific project or make your contribution to the General Contribution Pool, and it will be awarded to qualified projects through a competitive application process. Learn More about the SHTC Program.

85% TAX CREDIT ON YOUR
CONTRIBUTION
MAKE A DESIGNATED CONTRIBUTION
OR GIVE TO THE GENERAL POOL
62% OF ELI HOUSEHOLDS IN MN USE MORE THAN HALF THEIR INCOME ON HOUSING

This is a new program, and the deadlines for contributing in 2023 are very tight.  There is a cap of $11.6 million on the total contributions that will be accepted in 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, and you must submit your application by December 13, 2023, to be eligible to receive the tax credit for the 2023 tax year.

FOR CONTRIBUTORS

Contribute to a Project

DEVELOPERS/OWNERS/ADMINISTRATORS

Submit a Project

PROJECTS SEEKING DESIGNATED SHTC CONTRIBUTIONS

The project information below has been submitted by the developer, owner or administrator of the project because they are seeking Designated Contributions from contributors like you. Click on the image of the project for all the project information you will need to submit your contribution application.

We are excited to report
that as of:

12.7.23

Amount of tax credits requested for 2023:

$3,847,200

Maximum tax credits to be allocated in 2023:

$9.9M

  • All Cities
    • All Cities
    • Alexandria
    • Brainerd
    • Brooklyn Center
    • Cold Spring
    • Hackensack
    • Hibbing
    • Le Sueur
    • Minneapolis
    • New Brighton
    • Richfield
    • Rochester
    • Shakopee
    • Spicer
    • St. Cloud
    • St. Paul
    • Thief River Falls
    • Willmar
    • Winona
  • All Developers
    • All Developers
    • Aeon
    • Amani Construction & Development
    • Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative
    • Bumpy Lane Richfield LLC
    • Central MN Habitat Humanity
    • Central MN Housing Partnership
    • CommonBond Communities
    • First Homes Properties
    • Habitat for Humanity of Douglas County
    • Habitat for Humanity of WCM
    • Habitat for Humanity of West Central Minnesota
    • Habitat for Humanity Winona County
    • Lakes Area Habitat For Humanity
    • North St. Louis County Habitat for Humanity
    • North Star Neighbors
    • Project for Pride in Living, Inc. (PPL)
    • Three Rivers Community Action
    • Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
  • All Owner Types
    • All Owner Types
    • Home Ownership
    • Rental

DISCLAIMER: Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) is providing this Project listing as a public service and it is available to any developer, owner or administrator that believes the Project they are submitting is eligible to receive SHTC Designated Contributions. MHP reserves the right to reject any submitted material that appears to be incomplete, inappropriate and/or defamatory, and will make best efforts to contact the individual who submits the material to inform them of any such decision. The posted information is provided by the developer and the MHP makes NO representations as to the accuracy of the information.

CONTRIBUTE

Learn more about tax credit qualifications

Additional Information

Help finance affordable multifamily and single-family housing
throughout the state of Minnesota

CONTRIBUTION PROGRAM SUMMARY
PRESENTATION:
A PRIMER FOR DEVELOPERS
DETAILED PROGRAM
INFORMATION

SUBMIT YOUR PROJECT 

Thursday, October 26, 2023

 To seek Designated Contributions for your Project from contributors to the Minnesota State Housing Tax Credit (SHTC) Contribution Program

 If you are a developer, owner, or administrator of an affordable housing project and would like your project to be listed as seeking Designated Contributions, submit your information below. There is a cap of $11.6 million on the total contributions that will be accepted in 2023. Applications will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and contributors must submit their applications by December 8, 2023, to be eligible to receive the tax credit for the 2023 tax year. If contributions are lower than the cap amount, the unused capacity will NOT be carried over to 2024 — so submit your project today!

Learn More about the types of projects and entities that are eligible to receive SHTC Funds.

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    Disclaimer: Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) is providing this Project listing as a public service, and it is available to any developer, owner or administrator that believes the Project they are submitting is eligible to receive SHTC Designated Contributions. MHP reserves the right to reject any submitted material that appears to be incomplete, inappropriate and/or defamatory, and will make best efforts to contact the individual who submits the material to inform them of any such decision. 

    Changing the Narrative on Housing

    Monday, October 23, 2023

    A coalition of organizations across the state are collaborating with the Housing Narrative Lab (HNL), a national communications and research hub in undertaking a narrative change project to reframe how Minnesotans talk about housing. The narrative will inform and persuade lawmakers, nonprofits and businesses, the media, and everyday neighbors about the importance of everyone having a place to call home.

    Read More

    The MHP Connect Newsletter – Past Issues

    Friday, October 20, 2023

    2023

    October 19th: Tax Credits and Town Halls

    October 5th: Shutdown Averted for Now

    September 19th: Housing Strategies for a Better World

    September 7th: Apply for Technical Assistance and County Profiles

    August 25th: Housing Institute 9 is Off and Running!

    August 3rd: Florida, our Future, and Feedback (on the Tax Credit)

    June 29th: Threat to Funding for HUD and USDA

    June 15th: Expanding Housing Opportunity from Alaska to MN

    May 25th: $2B for Housing – the 2023 Legislative Session in Review!

    May 2nd: Federal Testimony on Rural Housing

    April 18th: Minnesota’s Legislative Session Nears Final Month

    April 6th: $50M for ERA and More!

    March 22nd: Legislative Updates, State Profile, and Community Development in SD

    March 8th: Legislative Update with Rep. Agbaje and Sen. Boldon and more!

    February 23rd: Support Emergency Rental Assistance TODAY!

    February 9th: Take Action! Call for leadership to support housing

    January 26th: Gov. Walz Releases Proposed Housing Budget

    January 12th: Our Future Starts at Home campaign

    2022

    December 21st: Looking Forward to Housing in 2023

    December 8th: 2023 State Agenda + MHP in NM

    November 22nd: New MN legislative leadership & voters consider housing across the country

    November 4th: Get out and Vote!

    October 19th: Community Development in Texas & Welcoming New Faces

    October 6th: Housing Opportunity Workshops and More!

    September 22th: Committee Testimony, Cosigned Comments, and Candidate Questionnaires

    September 7th: Twitterstorm Sept 14 + Key Facts About Housing

    August 25th: Candidate Questionnaire and Technical Assistance Opportunity

    August 4th: Housing Forums, Workshops, Webinars and more

    July 21st: Catalyzing Housing Efforts from Coast to Coast

    July 7th: Tax Credit Webinar July 14 and Work with MHP

    June 16th: From Sioux Falls to Washington State and Everywhere in Between

    June 2nd: News on Housing Research, Trainings, and More!

    May 19th: Last week of Session – advocate for bonding!

    April 28th: All Things Affordable Housing

    April 14th: Time for Advocacy and Action

    April 1st: House Housing Finance & Policy Committee Report Released

    March 10th: Panels, Public Policy and Publications

    February 24th: Housing Policy, Publications, Jobs and More!

    February 10th: Calling for Investment in Housing

    January 27th: $2 Billion for Housing in 2022

    MHP Concludes the 8th Housing Institute

    Thursday, October 19, 2023

    Since 2010, MHP’s Housing Institute model has brought together regionalized housing leaders and stakeholders to share their experiences, learn best practices, and develop creative solutions for bringing quality affordable housing to their communities. MHP has recently concluded the 2022-23 institute cohort which featured 4 teams from southern Minnesota: Janesville, Wabasha, Winnebago, and Winona.

    Read More

    The State Housing Tax Credit (SHTC) and Contribution Fund Program

    Friday, October 13, 2023

    Do you have a project that you are trying to finance through the State Housing Tax Credit Program and Contribution Fund? MHP is hosting a page where eligible contributors can learn more about the program and the projects seeking funds through the SHTC Program.

    Read More

    Join us for “Housing Strategies for a Better World” with Dr. Jenny Schuetz

    Thursday, September 28, 2023

    Tuesday, October 10, 2023 • DoubleTree by Hilton St. Paul Downtown
    3:30-4 pm: Registration • 4 to 5:15 pm: Keynote Event • 5:15 – 7 pm: Appetizers/Mingle

    Join us for a discussion of housing strategies for a better world, featuring Dr. Jenny Schuetz. Dr. Schuetz is a Senior Fellow at Brookings Metro and the author of Fixer-Upper: How to Repair America’s Broken Housing System, in which she assesses how the broad set of local, state, and national housing policies affect people and communities. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, PBS News Hour, Washington Post and more.

    Register Here to Attend!

    RFQ

    Thursday, September 21, 2023

    2023 Request for Qualifications Application

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    Minnesota Housing Partnership seeks Requests for Applications from qualified and experienced consultants to provide Technical Assistance services related to Affordable Housing, Homelessness, Community Development, Project Financing, Performance Measurement, Fair Housing, Organizational Capacity Building and Development, and Strategic Planning. Contracts vary in scale and scope, some a few months long and others several years depending on the needs of beneficiaries. MHP will compare application responses, along with other supporting documentation, to match beneficiary project needs with contractor services.


    Specific contractor qualifications and experience required to support Technical Assistance Activities include:


    • A minimum of five years working with community and/or economic development; and
    • A minimum of three years delivering Technical Assistance; and
    • Consultants must demonstrate expert level skills or competencies in key areas


    Contracts are awarded based on experience and technical qualifications, availability, rate reasonableness, and geographic coverage. MHP will not award contracts to parties listed on the governmentwide exclusions in the System for Award Management (SAM). MHP will reach out to consultants on an annual basis to confirm the accuracy, or request updated information submitted in this application. MHP will provide support for applicants to ensure unnecessary barriers to contract procurement are identified and addressed. 


    If questions arise during the application process, please reach out to barbara.dolan@mhponline.org. 


    A link to a downloadable PDF of this application is available for preview

    here: https://mhponline.org/request-for-qualifications/


    Upon completion of the application form, you will receive an email with a copy of the completed application and a reminder to provide the following documents; a letter of interest, biography or resume, any shareable samples of your work as well as available promotional materials. Documents can be sent to the Community Development Department at CommDevOps@mhponline.org. Please be sure to include the e-mail address of the person responsible for submission of this application.

    Organization Details
    Point of Contact





    Please tell us more about your organization










    Experience





    Rates

    Please provide information in the fields below for the highest paid staff person in your organization who will providing contract services. Fully loaded rates include hourly wage or salary, fringe benefits and other employer burden (not to include travel expenses).

    HUD defines “High Rate” contractors as fully loaded rates higher than $150/hr. High rate contractors need to be approved by HUD prior to entering into a contract. 



    Demographic Representation

    Historic disparities in housing and community development exist nationwide. As a leader in affordable housing advocacy and technical assistance provision, MHP has made a commitment to reducing these disparities by assisting those with the greatest need through capacity building so that all people can obtain affordable, safe housing and have access to community development services. Among the under-served populations MHP strives to assist are Native Communities, communities of color and immigrants, low income communities, seniors, and individuals and families facing homelessness.


    The following questions are related to geographic region, equity and demographic information that can support impactful contract partnerships. Supporting and advocating for a diverse pool of professional contractors allows for us to serve all of our beneficiaries more equitably and effectively. 








    Certifications

    By completing and submitting this online form, the applicant acknowledges the following:


    1. They are the duly authorized representative and have the authority to submit this application on behalf of the organization or consultant;
    2. The information included in this application and in any attachments in support hereof is true, correct, and complete to the best of their knowledge and belief;
    3. The undersigned authorizes MHP to contact the clients referenced herein to obtain performance information for the purpose of evaluating this application;
    4. That the organization agrees to abide by Minnesota Housing Partnership’s Conflict of Interest Policy. Such a conflict would arise when the employee, officer or agent, any member of their immediate family, their partner, or an organization which employs or is about to employ any of the parties indicated herein, has a financial or other interest in the firm selected for an award;
    5. If assignment is awarded to the applicant organization, MHP and its Federal, State, and local grantors or any of their authorized representatives shall have access to any work products, books, documents, papers and records of the organization which are directly pertinent to a specific assignment for the purpose of making audits, examinations, excerpts and transcriptions;
    6. The organization will take all necessary affirmative steps to assure that enterprises owned and controlled by BIPOC, veteran, women, and/or other socially and economically disadvantaged businesses and labor surplus area firms are used when possible;
    7. MHP may request additional information or clarification to information provided in the application;
    8. MHP reserves the right to reject any submittals received; and by submission of this application, the organization agrees to abide by the federal regulations applicable to this program.
    9. Submission of this application is not a contractual agreement 

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    Contact Information

    2023 Request for Technical Assistance NOW OPEN!

    Friday, September 15, 2023

    Is your community facing a lack of affordable housing? Do you work for an organization that could benefit from enhanced local knowledge, training, and strategic partnerships? MHP is excited to open its application for FREE technical assistance for housing and community development! View MHP’s Request for Technical Assistance (RFTA) Application here.

    MHP’s renowned Strengthening Rural Communities Program (funded through an eighth-consecutive Rural Capacity Building award from HUD), delivers technical and financial assistance to rural entities and Native Nations across the country, increasing their capacity to meet current and future housing needs—at no cost to RFTA awardees. By increasing local capacity, we position beneficiaries of the assistance to achieve their unique vision and sustain housing and community development successes long after MHP’s work is complete.  

    MHP has the expertise to assist with a variety of issues, including housing development, housing program development, organizational development, funding and resource development, and community engagement and outreach. Since 2014, MHP staff provided direct assistance to over 132 beneficiaries through customized and individual workplans; including assistance with 54 community development projects. The result: 577 affordable units are in the development process, with 33 new units completed, and 632 housing units have been rehabbed/preserved.. The assistance also contributed to the success of 41 businesses (including 8 new ones) and boosted their local economies.  Read about the impact of this technical assistance in just a few communities here:

    Priority is given to organizations currently engaged in housing development as a part of their mission or actively working to build their housing development capacity. MHP also works with such entities as rural housing development organizations (RHDOs), local units of government and political subdivisions, tribal governments and tribal corporate entities, and CHDOs and CDCs. Statewide or state-affiliated entities are not eligible.  

    Preference points are given to underserved communities, including: majority BIPOC and/or immigrant communities, Native Nations and Indigenous communities, communities experiencing persistent poverty, climate justice impacted communities, and promise zone communities. 

    There will be first review of applications through October 31st 2023. Applications will then be accepted on a rolling basis. Click here to access the application directly. MHP will follow up within forty-five days to schedule a collaborative review of your application. MHP is an equal opportunity assistance provider and markets its technical assistance program to communities historically facing housing disparities. More information paper copies of all materials are available upon request.  

    We want to work with you! Please reach out with any questions:

    Via Phone: 651-925-5545 

    Via Email: RFTA@mhponline.org 

    Via Fax: 651.649.1725 

    Apply for MHP’s Technical Assistance Here