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Interested in community development services, technical assistance, consulting, or other opportunities to work with MHP? We work alongside communities to move housing ideas into action and build long-term capacity.
2550 University Ave W, Ste 200N Saint Paul, MN 55114 651.925.5550*
*MHP does not offer housing referrals or assistance. If you need help with housing, try reaching out to one of the organizations on this page: Minnesota Housing Help.
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Take Five is MHP’s series that asks the same five questions of a variety of people intersecting with MHP, from staff to housing advocates! We are excited to welcome Community Development Intern Olivia Hurley.
Olivia joins MHP as the first Community Development intern. Recently graduated from University of California, Davis with a degree in Design and Community Development, Olivia brings hands-on experience with outreach, management, creative ideation. She is excited to grow the CD team’s clientele in USDA 515’s and Rural Capacity Building. New to Saint Paul from NYC, Olivia is eager to explore the city, food, culture, and nature.
1. What attracted you to working with MHP? This past April I decided that I was going to move to Minnesota after graduating from UCDavis. I thought to myself, “Wow, a city where I have no network and everything is fresh.” I immediately started looking into affordable housing agencies and came across MHP. I was overjoyed to see how much MHP aligned with my personal goals and interests. I did not know that this amazing work existed!
On a whim, I emailed Leah, the Community Development Director, asking if we could have an informational interview. At the time we were both busy so I reached out a few months later to Erika Brown who gladly accepted to meet with me. Jill Henricksen, my supervisor, offered her time, as well! Then, Leah and I were able to arrange a time, too. Even from some quick emails, I could already see how sweet everyone was.
Then, I met with Erika and Leah who offered great insights into their time at MHP and previous experience. Our conversations on community development, work with underserved communities, sustainability, work environments, technical assistance, and so on immediately showed me that this is a place I would love to work. With what started as calls to learn about the housing industry in Minnesota, turned into me learning about ways that I could potentially fit into MHP.
I was so excited. I knew that MHP’s mission and work values heavily aligned with mine and that this would be the perfect job for a recent grad. After that day, I then checked my email every single day in hope that I would have the opportunity to work with MHP.
Now, after a week into my internship, I’ve already learned so much and found everyone to be friendly, kind, introspective, open to growth, and always willing to sit down with me when I need it (because, wow, the housing development world is nuanced!). I am incredibly thankful for this position and am excited to keep learning.
2. What’s do you see as a challenge in the field of housing right now?
One of the biggest challenges in housing right now is managing the housing crisis during a worsening refugee crisis. The country does not have enough infrastructure, funding, and welcoming communities to support these issues.
3. What does “home” mean to you?
‘Home’ to me is being surrounded by those I love, whether that is friends, family, and even sweet strangers. For college, I moved from Staten Island, NY to Davis, CA. Oftentimes, my peers would ask me how I managed such a big move. My response would always be that I have found my family here. My roommates and friends became my lifelines, my support systems, and the people I can rely on for a laugh, a cry, and everything in between. I am grateful for the home that guides me through life.
4. Is there a book by your bed, and what is it? (feel free to answer movie, Tik Tok video, or any other media)
Currently, I am reading Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi.
Also, my favorite shows are Masters of None, Fresh off the Boat, and Grace and Frankie— such kind lessons from them all.
5. Who is your superhero?
I cannot say I have one superhero. There are too many impactful heroes who work tirelessly to improve the lives of others. But, I will say that my professors at UCDavis inspired me to dream big, and once I figure out that dream to dream bigger. They are all such incredible people. Many juggled teaching multiple classes, running a research lab, working/consulting in their field, supervising PhD, graduate, and undergraduate students, and making time for their students all while raising their own children and with a big smile on their face. I will never understand how they managed it all, but I am forever thankful to have them to look up to.
Rebeka Alemayehu joined MHP earlier this spring as a policy intern through the Capitol Pathways program! Rebeka sat down with us and answered our 5 questions:
Rebeka Alemayehu
Q1. What is your name and title?
My name is Rebeka Alemayehu (She/Her/Hers), and I am a part of the Capital Pathways program and have been chosen to work with the Minnesota Housing Partnership.
Q2. What attracted you to working with MHP?
Last summer, I was a part of the Urban School program and got the opportunity to Intern at the Ward 9 office last Summer and Fall. One of Ward 9’s top priorities is housing, and during my time interning, I learned more about housing and homelessness. The experience I had during that time was a huge reason why I wanted to work with MHP, and I was so very excited to hear that I got matched back. MHP is all about working to create equitable housing through effective research-based solutions, and I want to be a part of the great change MHP is making in the community.
Q3. What’s a challenge in the field of housing right now?
One challenge is zoning. There are zoning laws that are hindering more housing from being built. During this session, I got to spend time learning about the “missing middle” bill authored by Rep. Alicia “Liish” Kozlowski, which is trying to help create more housing.
Q4. Is there a book by your bed, and what is it?
SA book that I have just started reading is Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City. This book is about the problems low-income renters face in Milwaukee. It is very eye-opening to read stories of people experiencing hardship and evictions.
Q5. Who is your superhero?
My Uncle is definitely one of my superheroes. He loves learning about politics and issues in our society and motivates me to do so as well. It’s a tradition to meet up once every couple of weeks and chat about all things politics.
Take Five is MHP’s series that asks the same five questions of a variety of people intersecting with MHP, from staff to housing advocates! Leah Hall joins MHP as the new Director of Community Development.
Leah Hall
Q1. What is your name and title?
Leah Hall, Director of Community Development
Q2. What attracted you to working with MHP?
It was definitely the MHP mission and values! I was born/raised in a small rural community in northern Minnesota, and I have had the privilege of serving rural communities for 20+ years; I am very passionate about lifting up the incredible strengths that rural community members have and finding ways to best support them as they create home-grown solutions to local community development challenges. Prior to coming to MHP, I had the opportunity to work with MHP staff in communities across Minnesota as they moved MHP’s mission forward through on-the-ground community planning and development work, as well as policy/advocacy work that incorporates the voices of rural communities and housing practitioners.
In summary, I think MHP’s mission/vision and values reflect how I believe communities, especially rural communities, deserve to be served.
Q3. What’s a challenge in the field of housing right now?
There are a lot of challenges out there right now in the housing field, but one key challenge that I would highlight is access to housing resources. Many communities across the state and nation face significant challenges navigating the complexities that go along with accessing state and federal housing funding opportunities (as well as some large foundation funds) and other services needed to create housing solutions. In addition, some communities just cannot qualify for funds/services they need because they do not meet certain selection criteria. I think this is especially true in rural communities and Native Nations that have been historically underserved and excluded from opportunities that have a direct impact on their ability to develop housing solutions that fit the unique needs of community members. I do want to add that I think MHP plays a key role in assisting communities most impacted by housing disparities find ways to both access the resources they need, as well as advocating for change at the state and federal level.
Q4. Is there a book by your bed, and what is it?
So, I have to admit, I am usually either reading the news on my phone before I go to bed or, I have been known to read housing funding/compliance rules and regulations published by the state or federal government (it is much, much more effective than counting sheep!).
Q5. Who is your superhero?
Wonder Woman!
MHP is grateful to the AmeriCorps VISTA program and Sponsoring Organization HOME Line.
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Take Five is MHP’s series that asks the same five questions of a variety of people intersecting with MHP, from staff to housing advocates! Austin Fleming joins MHP as an AmeriCorps VISTA member, working specifically on our narrative change project.
Austin Fleming
Q1. What is your name and title?
Austin Fleming, Narrative Change and VISTA Tenant Organizer
Q2. What attracted you to working with MHP?
I really appreciated that MHP is working to create lasting systemic change by amending the state constitution. I like to think of a constitution as a codification of values, and the amendment will go a long way in shifting how Minnesotans think about housing.
Q3. What’s a challenge in the field of housing right now?
I think the biggest challenge to the field of housing is market logic. Housing is a fundamental human need, and the pursuit of profit inevitably creates disparities in accessibility and affordability. The legal framework of private property also obfuscates and facilitates housing discrimination.
Q4. Is there a book by your bed, and what is it?
Though not by my bed at the moment, Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 is a staple. The book is absurd and hilarious, then on a dime shifts to hauntingly sad then beautifully optimistic. It really captures the whiplash of life in the modern world. This reminds me that I’m due for a re-read.
Q5. Who is your superhero?
The closest thing I have to a superhero is my master’s advisor Kristen McCauliff. In addition to being a trusted mentor and brilliant scholar, she is a community advocate and dedicated mother. I would not be in this position without her support, and she continues to inspire me to better myself and my community.
MHP is grateful to the AmeriCorps VISTA program and Sponsoring Organization HOME Line.
Take Five is MHP’s series that asks the same five questions of a variety of people intersecting with MHP, from staff to housing advocates! We are excited to welcome Research Intern Matt Encarnación.
Matt Encarnación
Q1. Who are you?
Hello! My name is Matt Encarnacion (he/him) and I’ll be pursuing my Master of Science in Social Policy at the University of Pennsylvania this fall. Currently, I serve as a Research Intern for the Low-income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) project.
Q2. What attracted you to working with MHP?
MHP’s commitment to racial and economic equity through affordable housing advocacy, research, and community development affirms my dedication to social justice and aligns with my foundational goal of seeking to promote a socially-just society.
Q3. What’s a challenge in the field of housing right now?
While many challenges pervade the field of housing, the risk of charging market-rate rents in desirable neighborhoods with many opportunities once affordability restrictions expire is something that I view to be troubling. Low-income renters may be displaced, segregating residential spaces further and stripping these tenants of the positive psychosocial and physical benefits that accompany occupying units in these neighborhoods (NLIHC & PAHRC, 2018).
Q4. Is there a book by your bed, and what is it?
Two books sit atop my nightstand, Batman and Philosophy The Dark Knight of the Soul by Mark D. White and Robert Arp and Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. The former lies there idly, for now, while the latter is being actively read for the second time.
Take Five is MHP’s series that asks the same five questions of a variety of people intersecting with MHP, from staff to housing advocates! We are excited to welcome Community Development Associate Aaron Johnson.
Aaron Johnson
Q1. Who are you?
Aaron Johnson (he/him), Community Development Associate
Q2. What attracted you to working with MHP?
MHP’s mission of providing affordable and equitable housing is aligned with my own values and vision for the world. I believe housing is a human right and a pillar of thriving communities, so I’m energized by MHP’s commitment to these issues, and to centering those who have been most impacted by economic and racial disparities. I was also drawn to the systems change approach that MHP takes to this work. Given the many facets of these issues, it will take an equally comprehensive approach that combines the areas that MHP works in, such as research, advocacy, and community development.
Q3. What’s a challenge in the field of housing right now?
The complexity of housing – on economic, cultural, and political levels – makes it difficult for many folks to know where and how to enact effective, positive change. Through education, capacity-building, and the creation of local networks (such as through the Institute model), the “how” and “why” of the issues facing our communities will become clearer, as will actions to help solve their unique challenges.
Q4. Is there a book by your bed, and what is it?
Yes! I am currently reading Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi and All About Love by bell hooks. Next up is the Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs.
Q5. Who is your superhero?
My grandparents. They are and were extremely hard workers, dedicated to music, family, and their church community, and they created an impactful legacy. I aspire to their level of tenacity, commitment to what they love, and connection to their communities.
