Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF) provides planning and technical assistance to housing organizations throughout Greater Minnesota in order to address housing needs in a variety of diverse locations and contexts.
GMHF helps developers and communities be more effective and better meet local and regional affordable housing and community development needs, putting public resources for affordable housing to the best use.
We seek to meet the unique needs of both high-performing, experienced organizations as well as communities with limited housing expertise who need help with early planning, market studies, and project development.
GMHF partners consistently report that planning and technical assistance fills a critical need that advances their development plans and builds community support. GMHF provides planning and technical assistance on a variety of topics.
Are you…
Planning to apply for state affordable housing financing and need assistance in preparing your application?
Our program officers are adept at helping you wade through the extensive forms to put your project’s best foot forward and give it the maximum chance of successfully securing the state funding it needs.
Scoping out a new affordable housing development and trying to structure the many layers of financing?
We can explain the full range of financing available and help determine which types of debt and equity products make the most sense for you.
Trying to get a handle on the housing needs in your community?
GMHF works in partnership with research firms to collect key community development and housing data and most importantly to analyze and assess it to understand the extent of your affordable housing needs and develop a plan to meet the need.
Looking for innovative, sustainable house designs and plans for your community?
GMHF has worked with local partners to applied its Building Better Neighborhoods principles and house plans in many Greater Minnesota communities seeking to build affordable single-family homes that use design to contain housing costs and create welcoming communities. GMHF also assists with Main Street and core neighborhood revitalization planning.
In need of housing advocacy to provide community education on the merits of affordable housing to creating complete communities?
GMHF has often provided expert testimony to city councils and other other elected bodies that help build a more balanced and researched case in support of proposed housing developments that face neighborhood opposition.
Seeking ways to increase your housing agency’s capacity in the face of changing needs and dwindling resources?
GMHF supports HRAs in their efforts to partner more closely, consolidate programming, or even merge as they plan for executive director retirements, reduced federal allocations, expanded geographic coverage areas, and more.
Want to explore a joint development with your regional housing colleagues?
GMHF partners with the Minnesota Housing Partnership to develop Housing Institutes where regional housing partners have the opportunity to collaborate for over a year on local housing needs, sometimes resulting in innovative, on-the-ground developments.
Workforce housing crunch in your community?
We can help bring local employers to the table to explain the ways they can get engaged to help expand the local housing available and to meet their hiring needs.
Seeking an investor to finance your tax credit project?
GMHF’s nonprofit subsidiary, Minnesota Equity Fund, connects developers to investors interested in syndicating Low-Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC) and Historic Tax Credits.
Considering a housing levy or other mechanism to raise new finances for housing?
GMHF has helped cities and counties tap into the capacity they have to raise millions of dollars in dedicated affordable housing funds to meet local needs. These can come in the form of HRA levies, Housing Trust Funds, and more.
If you are interested in discussing how GMHF can work with you, please fill out our Request Technical Assistance form.
