The Minnesota Housing Partnership recently launched our 2013-2014 Housing Institute for Greater Minnesota. The Housing Institute fosters regional collaborations and builds the capacity of communities to meet housing needs in rural Minnesota.  This year’s Housing Institute includes teams from Itasca County, Thief River Falls, and Roseau County.  Each team will work on a housing project/program over the next twelve months.

The Housing Institute is an opportunity for housing leaders to come together to share their experiences, learn best practices in housing and community development, and develop creative solutions to bring quality affordable housing to their community.  Quarterly training sessions and one-on-one technical assistance helps teams strengthen their skills to make their project a reality. The Housing Institute for Greater Minnesota is a project of the Minnesota Housing Partnership and Greater Minnesota Housing Fund.

Meet the 2013-2014 Housing Institute Teams

 Roseau County Team

Economic growth in Roseau County has caused a shortage of housing, making it difficult for businesses to recruit employees to the area.  In 2012, a local housing study identified the need for additional homeownership and rental housing opportunities within the region.  The team hopes to develop a mix of housing options; ensuring workers at every pay level have access to affordable homes.

Team Members Include:

• Todd Peterson, City of Roseau
• Pam Monsrud, City of Badger
• Jack Swanson, Roseau County Commissioner
• Anita Locken, City of Greenbush
• Glenda Phillipe, Roseau County Commissioner
• Jeff Fagerstrom, Northwest Minnesota Housing Cooperative
• Lee Meier, Northwest Multi-County HRA

Thief River Falls Team

Like in Roseau, economic growth in Thief River Falls has caused a shortage of housing, making it difficult for businesses to recruit employees to the area. In 2011, a local housing study identified the need for additional homeownership and rental housing opportunities in Thief River Falls.  The team hopes to develop the skills to support housing development in Thief River Falls and implement a communication strategy that will engage the community in the process.

Team Members Include:

• Michael Moore, City of Thief River Falls
• Dale Hahn, Thief River Falls City Council
• Maryel Anderson, Anderson Realty
• Kermit Genereux, Genereux Realty
• Leroy Flickinger, LV Contracting
• Steve Crittenden, Northland Community & Technical College
• Catherine Johnson, Inter-County Community Council
• Jeff Fagerstrom, Northwest Minnesota Housing Cooperative (Alternate)

Itasca County Team

There is a growing need for affordable housing Itasca County. The changing demographics in the region and the rise of homelessness have caused a shortage of affordable housing options.   In addition, much of the current housing stock is in need of repairs.   The Itasca County team hopes to collaborate on a project that will help homeless individuals and families access stable housing. Audrey Moen, Housing Manager at Northland Counseling Center and Itasca County Team member noted “We hope that by collaborating we will be able to develop permanent, supportive housing, creating an environment that fosters safe, affordable housing that is well integrated in the community.”

Team Members Include:

• Diane Larson, Itasca County HRA
• Amanda MacDonnell, Itasca County HRA
• Lorna Mix, Northland Counseling Center
• Audrey Moen, Northland Counseling Center
• Dana Herschbach, Kootasca Community Action
• Victor Moen, Minnesota Department of Corrections
• Jason Anderson, Minnesota Department of Corrections (Alternate)
• Sherry  Shadley, Grace House
• Ami Bolster, Grace House (Alternate)