Coalition for Rochester Area Housing Leadership
JoMarie Morris
Executive Director
JoMarie Leth Morris is a graduate of Winona State University. She served as a legislative intern at the Minnesota Senate prior to attending William Mitchell College of Law where she graduated with honors and served as associate editor of the law review. JoMarie was a partner at Klampe, Delehanty & Morris law firm in Rochester for 18 years practicing civil litigation and immigration. She is passionate about social justice issues and has done significant pro bono work relating to domestic abuse, sex and labor trafficking, and citizenship for refugees. Most recently, JoMarie led the efforts to build and launch a Jeremiah Program campus in southeast Minnesota as the inaugural Executive Director of the Rochester-SE MN Jeremiah Program. She currently serves as the Executive Director for the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing, a cross-sector community organization that collaborates, invests, and leads on innovative solutions to meet our communities’ housing needs.
Jeff Urban
Project Development & Community Outreach Director
Over the past 25 years, Jeff has worked in the Rochester area non-profit and church community in a number of roles from camper director, to pastor, to housing development and more. He enjoys the challenge of finding more ways to make and keep housing affordable. Jeff has been married to Kristi for 17 years and they have four children, Aria, Samara, Anya, and Isaiah, and one small dog, Nala.
Coalition for Rochester Area Housing
Together as a coalition, public and private sector leaders in the Rochester area have the capacity and resources to develop a broad and sustainable housing market that works for more people, today and into the future.
Coalition Announces Notice of Funding Availability
On, February 13, 2024, the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing announced a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for affordable multi-family rental projects within a 35 miles radius of the City of Rochester competing in Round 1 of the 2024 Minnesota Housing Finance Agency Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 Housing Tax Credit competition.
A complete copy of the NOFA is provided here.
2024 Multi-Family Funding Application Released
The Coalition has released its Multi-Family Funding Application pursuant to the NOFA issued on February 13, 2024. The 2024 Multi-Family Funding Application is provided here.
Application Submission Requirements
Applicants must complete the 2024 Coalition Multi-Family Funding Application and certify that the project meets the Minnesota Housing competitive 2024 Multifamily Consolidated RFP/2025 Housing Tax Credit process requirements including the underwriting threshold criteria, minimum points necessary for consideration for 9% or 4% Credits respectively, and deeper rent requirements.
Please email the completed application, certification, confidential copy of MHFA self-scoring worksheet, with cover letter, letters of support and attachments to JoMarie Morris at jomarie@rochesterarea.org. Applications will be considered at the Coalition Leadership Council Meeting on Thursday, June 6. Recipients of gap funding awards will be notified on Thursday, June 13th. Please direct any inquiries regarding the NOFA or application process to JoMarie Morris at the email listed above. Completed applications must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. CST on Friday, May 10, 2024.
The Coalition reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals, to waive any informalities or irregularities in the proposal or evaluation process, and to award contract(s) in the best interest of the Coalition partners.
Coalition for Rochester Area Housing Releases Report to Advance Home Ownership for Local Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Communities
The Coalition for Rochester Area Housing (“The Coalition”) with support from U.S. Bank is pleased to announce the release of the BIPOC Home Ownership Community Co-Design Report as part of its blueprint to address the affordable housing gap in Olmsted County. Click here to view the full report.
The report was commissioned in response to the 2020 Olmsted County Comprehensive Housing Study which revealed that Olmsted County had one of the largest racial home ownership gaps in the nation-77% White Household home ownership compared to 22% for Black/African American households. Based on these findings, the Coalition identified increasing BIPOC homeownership as one its five housing priorities. The Coalition partnered with BIPOC community members directly impacted by inequitable housing systems to identify barriers, evaluate opportunities, and to provide strategic and funding recommendations to address the home ownership gap. Ten co-designers from local communities with diverse racial, cultural, and religious backgrounds participated in the project.
The co-designers identified the following themes during the co-design process: Education, Navigation, Belonging, Safety and Security, Structural Racial Barriers, Mentorship, and Representation. These themes were explored between the co-designers and with their identified communities to create the report recommendations. The following stakeholders were identified as critical partners to advance BIPOC home ownership: Financial/Lending Institutions, Realtors, Community Housing Support Stakeholders, Developers/Builders, and the BIPOC Community.
Recommendations from the report include:
- Education, commencing in school with financial literacy and throughout the home ownership process.
- Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) assessments and implementation of DEI recommendations for stakeholder organizations.
- Diversifying the stakeholder workforce.
- Intentional development of relationships with diverse BIPOC communities.
- Improving organizational communication through translation and technology.
- Evaluating products and policies through an equity lens.
- Creating a network of home ownership mentors.
Coalition Executive Director, JoMarie Morris, said “The Coalition is looking forward to continuing to work with the co-designers and local BIPOC Communities as we create actionable steps with our community partners and housing stakeholders to reduce the home ownership gap for BIPOC families.”
Blueprint for Creating Affordable Homes
Based on findings of the updated 2020 Olmsted County Comprehensive Housing Study, the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing is pleased to announce a blueprint to address the affordable housing gap in Olmsted County.
Through funding from Olmsted County, the City of Rochester, Mayo Clinic, and strategic partnerships, the Coalition will leverage the power of collective action to provide bold solutions designed to keep pace with the Rochester Area’s current and future economic growth and provide residents with the housing they need and deserve.
The blueprint plan will:
- Create new homeownership opportunities
- Increase homeownership for People of Color
- Increase housing options for those earning less than 50% AMI
- Preserve existing affordable homeownership and rental housing
- Create additional Senior Housing Options
These five community priorities are the foundation to the $17 million blueprint for Coalition For Rochester Area Housing.
Communities in the Rochester area aspire to be vibrant, livable, inclusive places where people of all backgrounds can find ample opportunity for employment, live in safe, decent, and affordable housing, patronize local businesses, and engage as active citizens and participate in community life.
Housing is a critical part of a community’s economic infrastructure, as important as schools, roads, and bridges. Housing that is affordable to individuals and families is an essential building block of livable communities and crucial to a growing economy, enabling employers to attract and retain a qualified workforce. Rochester area communities need affordable homes to support job growth and economic development.
Click here to view the 2020 Olmsted County Comprehensive Housing Study
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing?
The Rochester Area Foundation is providing 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 RAF staff or submitting an idea online. RAF and First Homes staff will work with the Housing Alliance to evaluate the ideas and help put any necessary detail behind the plan.
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 will monitor community needs, housing trends, and innovations. They will provide guidance to both RAF and First Homes Staff, and to the Leadership Council based on their broad knowledge base, diverse constituencies, and community engagement efforts.
After the staff, Housing Alliance, and pertinent outside experts have put together a detailed plan, including a financing recommendation for a specific project, it will go to the Leadership Council for their funding consideration.
The Leadership Council is a collaborative group that will come to a consensus about how, and if, they can collaboratively fund the recommended projects from their own funds. Founding members are the City of Rochester, Olmsted County, Mayo Clinic, and RAF, because those groups have committed significant resources to fund the project proposals.
When each member of the Leadership Council decides how much of their own resources they want to spend on a specific project, that money would go into the Rochester Area Housing Fund so that it can be distributed efficiently with appropriate oversight from Rochester Area Foundation, which will be reporting back to the specific funders and the Leadership Council.
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 will provide 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 the Coalition Executive Director, JoMarie Morris at 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.
You can sign up for our email updates here.
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