NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY
The Coalition is pleased to announce that again this year we will be providing up to $1.5 million in funding to assist applicants of the Minnesota Housing competitive 2026 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2027 Housing Tax Credit Round 1 competition to secure funding for affordable rental housing creation projects in the Greater Rochester Area.
Timeline
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Notice of Funding Availability |
Friday, March 6, 2026 |
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Application Available |
Friday, April 3, 2026 |
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Application Due |
Friday, May 8, 2026 |
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Final Review of Applications |
Thursday, June 4, 2026 |
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Notification of Gap Funding Awards |
Thursday, June 11, 2026 |
For a complete copy of the NOFA click here: CRAH2026Multi-FamilyNOFAFinal.pdf
Coalition for Rochester Area Housing Funds Launch of Senior Housing Transitions Mentorship Pilot Program with Community Partners Family Service Rochester and Elder Network
Rochester, Minn. – November 12, 2025. The Coalition for Rochester Area Housing (“The Coalition”) in partnership with Family Service Rochester (“FSR”) and Elder Network (“EN”) is pleased to announce the launch of a Senior Housing Transitions Mentorship Pilot Program serving older adults in Olmsted County.
“The Coalition is excited to advance the recommendation of our Senior Housing Workgroup by partnering with FSR and EN, two highly respected community organizations with decades of experience walking alongside older adults. This program will provide a safe, supportive, and trustworthy environment to assist older adults navigate all aspects of housing transitions,” said Coalition Executive Director JoMarie Morris.
Advancing senior housing options was adopted as a funding priority by the Coalition to address the gap in senior housing identified in a 2020 Housing Study. A recently updated 2025 Olmsted County Comprehensive Housing Study reaffirms the significant need for senior housing options, indicating nearly one-third of our overall housing demand is for senior housing.
Based on study findings, the Coalition convened a Senior Housing Co-Design Group to better understand local challenges and opportunities in housing for our local seniors. The Co-Design Group identified lack of information from a trusted source as a barrier to successful housing transitions for seniors. This barrier was further explored by a Senior Housing Workgroup of local seniors and senior service providers facilitated by the
Coalition. The Senior Housing Workgroup recommended the Coalition fund a community-focused, education-first pilot program designed to provide housing-transition planning for seniors and their families. FSR and EN’s joint proposal was selected by the Coalition Leadership Council to create and implement the project through a Request for Proposal process.
The pilot program is well-aligned with both organizations’ missions. FSR Director of Aging Services Tom Hayden said, “Family Service Rochester is honored to partner with Elder Network and The Coalition to empower older adults with the tools and confidence to choose housing that supports their lifestyle, independence, and overall wellbeing. We are grateful for The Coalition’s foresight and value the opportunity to serve older and elder adults during these important transitions.” EN Executive Director Kathy Scheid noted, “Elder network is grateful for the opportunity to partner with Family Service Rochester and the Housing Coalition to address this urgent need in our community. Too often we see older adults in a housing crisis that could have been avoided with knowledge and support. This funding will allow us to create a supportive, mentorship program to walk alongside older adults and their families who just need a little support to plan for their current and future housing needs.”
This comprehensive and collaborative two-year Pilot Program is expected to begin early 2026.
To learn more about Family Service Rochester visit Family Service Rochester
To learn more about Elder Network, visit Elder Network – Providing resources to age well
Coalition for Rochester Area Housing
The Coalition for Rochester Area Housing (“The Coalition”) is a cross-sector community partnership of Rochester Area Foundation, the City of Rochester, Mayo Clinic, Olmsted County, and Destination Medical Center established to create and preserve affordable housing through collective impact.
Our Mission
To Collaborate, Invest, and Lead on Innovative Solutions to Meet Our Communities’ Housing Needs.
Our Priorities
- Create new affordable homeownership opportunities
- Increase Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Homeownership
- Increase housing options for those earning less than 50% AMI*
- Preserve existing affordable homeownership and rental housing
- Create additional Senior Housing options
*Note: 100% Area Median Income (“AMI”) for an Olmsted County family of 4 is $125,600 in 2025
according to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Coalition for Rochester Area Housing Partners Highlight Five Years of Significant Progress in Housing Production, Preservation and Policy and Release Updated Olmsted County Comprehensive Housing Needs Report.
Five years ago, the Coalition released the 2020 Olmsted County Housing Needs Analysis by Maxfield Research & Consulting (“Maxfield”) identifying significant housing gaps. In response to that report, Coalition Partners announced a multi-year plan to stabilize the path to homeownership, ensure access to affordable rental housing, and invest in housing innovation to meet our communities’ housing needs.
Irene Woodward, Community Development Director, City of Rochester
To track our progress and ensure the Coalition’s housing priorities continue to align with current community needs, the Coalition commissioned an updated 2025 Comprehensive Needs Analysis for Olmsted County completed by Maxfield. A link to the full report is provided here: 2025 Olmsted County Comprehensive Housing Study
Since 2020, the Coalition launched a full court press to address these gaps. The Coalition invested $20 Million and Coalition partners development and launched 20 new policies and programs to incentivize and streamline housing production. Together, we have created and preserved 1,154 homes in the Rochester Area and decreased our communities’ affordable housing needs by 26%.
David Dunn, Planning and Housing Director, Olmsted County.
“While there is more work to be done, we are extremely excited about the results,” said David Dunn, Olmsted County Housing & Planning Director. “This report demonstrates the success of our collaborative efforts and highlights the need for them to continue.”
The future is bright for economic development in our region. The economic investment by Mayo Clinic and outreach by Coalition partners has sparked interest from developers all over the country, resulting in a promising housing pipeline of an additional 2,433 housing units within Olmsted County. “As founding members of the Coalition, Mayo Clinic is dedicated to providing bold solutions that enable all citizens to live and thrive with dignity and health and will continue to ensure that the people essential to our communities’ growth and success can also proudly call the Rochester area home,” said Erin Sexton, Mayo Clinic senior director of External Relations.
Erin Sexton, Senior Director, External Relations, Mayo Clinic
Coalition Executive Director, JoMarie Morris, stated, “The report emphasizes the continued importance of public-private partnerships and bold solutions to address our critical housing needs through collaborative funding and policy incentives.”
The Coalition emphasizes long-term system change through policy reform, shared investment, and programs that are community informed, and data driven. Over the coming months, Coalition partners will meet with community stakeholders to evaluate the updated study, engage in strategic planning to determine whether it is necessary to adjust our priorities and focus, and continue the full-court press to meet our communities’ housing needs. This continued commitment will ensure the people essential to our communities’ growth and success can also proudly call our communities “home.”
Coalition for Rochester Area Housing Leadership
JoMarie Morris
Executive Director
JoMarie Leth Morris grew up on a farm near Byron, Minnesota. She is an honors graduate of William Mitchell College of Law and served as a partner at Klampe, Delehanty & Morris law firm in Rochester for 18 years practicing civil litigation and immigration. JoMarie’s passion for affordable housing is born from her experience leading efforts to build and launch a Jeremiah Program campus for single mothers and their children to disrupt generational poverty in Southeast Minnesota.
2025 Collective Impact
In 2025, we sought to continue collaborating, investing, and leading on innovative solutions to meet our communities’ housing needs. Below are the final totals that we achieved in the Rochester Area. Read more here: 2025 Coalition Impact
Invested in 7 Projects
Total Invested
Homes Created and Preserved
Ruth Blashack
Administrative & Communications Associate
Ruth has seen firsthand the power of community engagement and advocacy, which fuels her commitment to advancing social equity and building stronger, more connected communities. As a first-generation college graduate, she holds a B.S. in Communication Studies with a minor in Political Science from Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Ruth is not only eager to get involved—she’s determined to have fun while doing it. She enjoys laughing loudly, dancing often, and finding joy in even the most mundane moments.
What is the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing?
The Coalition is a collaborative cross-sector community organization that leverages combined funding and policy tools to advance the creation and preservation of affordable and workforce priced housing in the Rochester area.
Rochester Area Foundation provides administrative support for the Coalition.
How does the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing work?
Anyone can bring an idea or proposal to the coalition by contacting Coalition staff. Coalition staff evaluate the ideas and consider input from the Housing Alliance and other stakeholders to determine the viability of moving an idea or proposal forward.
The Housing Alliance, which is made up of community members, nonprofit leaders, housing industry experts, advocacy groups, government leaders, and housing producers is the group that monitors community needs, housing trends, and innovations. They will provide guidance to Coalition Staff, and to the Leadership Council based on their broad knowledge base, diverse constituencies, and community engagement efforts.
The Housing Alliance meets the second Wednesday of the month from 10:00-11:30 a.m. in the Rochester Area Foundation Community Room and via Zoom. If you’re interested in attending Housing Alliance meetings or receiving meeting summaries, reach out to Executive Director JoMarie Morris, jomarie@rochesterarea.org or 507-424-2417.
The Leadership Council is a decision-making group of community leaders that come to a consensus about how, and if, they can collaboratively fund recommended projects. Members of the Coalition Leadership Council include representatives from the City of Rochester, Olmsted County, Mayo Clinic, RAF, and Destination Medical Center. These organizations have committed significant resources to the Rochester Area Housing Fund held at RAF to fund project proposals.
Anyone can donate any amount to the Rochester Area Housing Fund to increase the amount of money available for these affordable housing projects. The RAF Board of Trustees provides financial oversight to the Rochester Area Housing Fund, just like any other fund held at RAF.
How do I apply for Coalition funding?
Funding from the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing may be requested by completing the Funding Application linked here. Applicants are encouraged to reach out to Executive Director JoMarie Morris, jomarie@rochesterarea.org or 507-424-2417 prior to submitting an application to discuss the proposed project and address any questions about the application process.
How can I be involved in the Coalition?
Great question! The answer depends on how you want to be involved.
If you want to donate to the Coalition and become an official supporter, you can click here, and select the Rochester Area Housing Fund on the form. Donations of any amount help us provide more affordable housing in the Rochester Area.
To be considered for participation in the Leadership Council – the financing group – a commitment of $250,000 is required. Participants in this group must have sufficient resources because the group’s role in the Coalition process is to use that funding to implement the projects that are recommended with input from the Housing Alliance.
If you have a specific idea or proposal about how to provide more affordable housing in the Rochester Area, or you’re interested in serving on the Housing Alliance, you can reach out to the Coalition Executive Director JoMarie Morris at jomarie@rochesterarea.org or 507-424-2417.
If your group is interested in learning more about the lack of affordable housing in the Rochester area, you can request a presentation by contacting Rochester Area Foundation through the contact information provided above.
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