Greater Minnesota Housing Fund provides the connections between private, philanthropic, and public investors in the social good of affordable housing and the for-profit and nonprofit developers that are creating and preserving affordable homes in Minnesota communities.
Impact investing delivers a double bottom line: the social return of creating or preserving affordable homes combined with an economic return for investors. New affordable homes are built, older units are restored, and quality of life and economic opportunities are boosted exponentially for lower-income residents when socially motivated investors put their money into affordable housing.
THE VACCINE EFFECT OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
When housing is affordable, families thrive, individuals are healthier, and children achieve better educational outcomes.
The “vaccine” of safe, decent, affordable housing is as effective as a medical immunization in the face of a childhood disease. The effect is prevention: preventing being either under or overweight, of contracting asthma, diabetes, depression, or chronic stress. Having safe, decent, affordable housing is a promise of positive brain development for children.
When a family’s housing is affordable to their household budget, it reduces their housing cost burden, enabling the family to afford essential needs like good food and basic health care.
Affordable housing makes it possible for families to achieve mobility and thereby access greater economic opportunity in their lives. When housing is affordable, families thrive, individuals are healthier, and children achieve better educational outcomes. It is impossible to overstress the holistic role that sound, affordable housing plays on an individual’s outlook for life.
HOW GMHF MAKES AN IMPACT
GMHF helps create new affordable housing, preserve the loss of existing, at-risk affordable homes, prevent foreclosure, prevent and end homelessness, foster green multifamily development, promote homeownership among emerging markets, and provide supportive services for residents who need them.
If these values resonate with you, you have the opportunity to invest and help with this work. If interested, please read about Investment Opportunities at GMHF and its subsidiary funds, Minnesota Equity Fund and NOAH Impact Fund.