MHP Partners with come dream. come build. in Texas

Casitas Lantana in Brownsville, TX

MHP and come dream. come build. (cdcb) are working together to make connections with rural communities in the lower Rio Grande Valley, with a goal of bringing them programs and services. This nonprofit community housing development organization (CHDO) provides safe, sanitary, affordable housing to the citizens of South Texas, and are now one of the largest nonprofit producers of single‐family housing for homeownership in the state, while also developing many multifamily LIHTC projects.

The targeted area for the project includes several colonias, a word which comes from the Spanish term for a residential neighborhood. Living conditions in these communities varies, and some have been annexed into nearby towns. Common challenges include substandard housing and infrastructure.

As the partnership grows, MHP's Community Development team will conduct research and interviews to identify potential affordable housing partners and stakeholders, provide GIS mapping, help convene a housing advisory group, and facilitate a housing needs assessment for one of the colonias communities. For the project, MHP will visit the area in December!

A nationwide leader in collaborating with rural and Native communities around the US, MHP’s community development team works directly with communities, regions, and organizations to build capacity, local knowledge, and leadership to attract resources and overcome impediments to successful housing and community development projects. If your community is interested in one-on-one FREE technical assistance to create and preserve housing assets, we encourage you to apply for our Request for Technical Assistance.

EDI Hosts Housing and Economic Development Workshop in Crookston, MN

MHP’s Emerging Developers Initiative (EDI) held a housing and economic development workshop for NW Minnesota and Tribal Nations in Crookston, MN this week: Where Are All Those Workers Driving in From and Why Can’t They Live Here? For more information on the EDI which supports the emergence and professional development of new housing developers from rural communities and Tribal Nations, contact Donald Googleye, Community Development Manager at [email protected].

Panelists at the EDI Workshop in Crookston, MN

Mark Borseth

Community Development Consultant, City of Thief River Falls;

Karie Kirschbaum

Economic Development Director, City of Crookston;

Anna Sheppard

President, White Earth Tribal and Community College (WETCC);

Mitch Berg

Associate Director of UMC’s Veden Center for Rural Development;

Elizabeth Glidden

Deputy Executive Director, MHP

On Oct. 7, 2022, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) released final and temporary regulations for the average income test (AIT). 

The new rules contain vitally necessary improvements to the administration of the newest low-income housing tax credit (LIHTC) minimum set-aside. The new guidance provides clearer direction that allows LIHTC projects to better serve extremely low income households, provided the average income of the project is 60%. 

NLIHC has released a Fall and Winter advocacy toolkit. This resource is designed to provide housers with the tools to reach out to members of Congress on FY23 appropriations for housing, LIHTC reforms and funding, and other priorities. 

President Biden has released a progress report on the Administration’s May 2022 Housing Supply Action Plan. Items of progress include finalizing the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit income averaging rule and extending the placed-in-service deadlines for affordable housing development seeking housing tax credits. You can read the progress report here.

A new publication from the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) and Public and Affordable Housing Research Corporation’s (PAHRC) examines the extent to which housing finance agencies (HFAs) provide data on LIHTC properties at the state and local levels, and the catalysts, challenges, and necessary resources impacting their ability to collect, maintain, and report LIHTC property data to HUD and the public. HUD faces challenges incorporating key data for assessing LIHTC preservation risks, such as data on restriction end dates, qualified contract (QC) waivers, and information on ownership changes.

Interviews with staff from 25 HFAs revealed that the majority of HFAs interviewed collect data on preservation indicators but generally make these data available to the public only by request. Limited oversight authority and staffing and technology constraints inhibit HUD and HFAs from collecting timelier and more robust LIHTC data. Investments could help HFAs streamline, automate, and centralize property-level LIHTC data. This report helps to: 

• Identify strategies for data collection that could be implemented in your state
• Advocate for additional resources to support preservation initiatives
• Locate whether and where your local HFA makes information on LIHTC preservation indicators available using the accompanying resource

The U.S. General Services Administration’s Office of Evaluation Sciences has released a report, Equity in the Distribution of the Emergency Rental Assistance Program. The report compares the demographics of those who were eligible for emergency rental assistance (ERA) with those who received ERA.

with Devon Pohlman & Erika Brown

1. Who is Devon Pohlman? Devon has recently joined MHP as our new Community Development Director! Prior to working at MHP, Devon spent over 20 years managing affordable housing program delivery and technical assistance at Minnesota Housing, the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, and the U.S. Department of the Treasury's CDFI Fund. Devon is a graduate of Macalester College and has a Master Degree in City and Regional Planning from the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill. 

Outside of work, Devon enjoys cycling, hiking, backpacking, travel, and spending time with her family and Australian Shepard.

2. What attracted you to working with MHP?

I'm excited to support front-line work with communities to advance housing and community economic development initiatives. MHP's organizational reach—not just within Minnesota but nationally—creates a dynamic opportunity to leverage what has worked here in Minnesota and in other communities around the country. I'm also looking forward to working with a team of smart, committed, and caring colleagues and partners grounded in this work.

3. What’s a challenge in the field of housing right now?

The affordable housing supply is entirely inadequate, our funding sources are uneven and insufficient to meet the need, and families and individuals are stretched by these and other household expenses that can threaten family and community stability. We can do better.

4. Is there a book by your bed, and what is it?

The book on my nightstand is Anne's House of Dreams—I've been reading the Anne of Green Gables series with my daughter off and on over the past couple of years (and we loved the Netflix series "Anne with an E"), but we've slowed down now that she's started middle school and isn't as interested in reading with mom. I'm also excited to get to The Midnight Library in my audiobook queue!

5. Who is your superhero? 

Without a doubt, my mom, who passed away all too soon a few years ago but who I hold close in my heart and head every single day.

1. Who is Erika Brown?

Erika has just joined MHP as a Community Development Manager! Erika served as the Housing Program Manager for a regional council of governments in the Triangle area of North Carolina and worked as a Project Manager for an affordable housing developer in New York City, managing rehabilitation for single- and multi-family housing. Her experience also includes affordable housing preservation, equitable neighborhood revitalization and stabilization, policy research and planning, and data analysis. 

She holds a bachelor’s in Political Science and French from Saint Louis University and a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, with an emphasis on Affordable Housing Finance and Development. In her free time, Erika loves to cook, hike the southwestern hills of Illinois, play card games with her family and snuggle her 10-lb dog, Lady Grantham.

2. What attracted you to working with MHP?

The diversity in who we work with and where our beneficiaries are located, and how we are able to meet communities where they are at to address their challenges – together. The focus on serving and supporting communities who have chronically had the least amount of support amplifies my passion for this work.

3. What’s a challenge in the field of housing right now?

Communicating the need for housing affordability, safety, and security in a way that prompts immediate, impactful action by ALL sides. As our country and communities have become more polarized over the years politically, how can we lift up housing as a non-partisan, necessary tool as a way to improve health outcomes, address climate and sustainability challenges, address wealth disparities, and so much more. I’d love to use this challenge as an opportunity to bridge divides and improve lives.

4. Is there a book by your bed, and what is it?

There are several, actually! All About Love (bell hooks), The Midnight Library (Matt Haigs), and The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma (Bessel van der Kolk).

5. Who is your superhero? 

Oh, I’ve got quite a few. I’ll name one to keep with the theme of bell hooks. Her writings have helped me analyze my own understandings of love, gender, feminism, and race. I am drawn to her ability to use love—specifically our capacity for giving and receiving love, to improve communication, commitment, and respect with ourselves and our communities.

Welcome aboard, Devon and Erika! We are looking forward to the MHP Book Club you'll have to create to discuss The Midnight Library when you're both done reading it.

MHP Welcomes New Board Members

We are excited to welcome two new members to MHP's Board of Directors! On October 6th, Tara Beard and Johnny Opara were appointed to serve three-year Board terms, starting December 2022. 

Tara Beard, Housing Director, City of St. Paul

Tara was appointed Housing Director in early 2022. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Architecture and a Master's of Urban and Regional Planning from the U of M. For 20 years she has worked in various housing, planning, and community development roles for both the nonprofit and government sectors in the Twin Cities. Most recently she was the Livable Communities Program Manager at the Metropolitan Council, and previously as a Housing Analyst. She has also served as a planner with the cities of Hopkins and Minneapolis. 

Johnny Opara, President and CEO of JO Companies

Johnny Opara is new to the real estate development world. After spending 17+ years in corporate America within sales and leadership roles, he left to become an entrepreneur and pursue his passion for real estate. Johnny was born in Nigeria and has now established strong roots here in the Twin Cities—where he was raised. He moved to America at the age of 1 and grew up in St. Paul with his family. 

He received a degree in Business Administration and Management from Augsburg University. Johnny’s passion and motivation for real estate and housing development was inspired by his father’s experience. Johnny saw first-hand how the lack of equitable and quality housing affects its residents and their families.

All of MHP's past newsletters are now available on our website! Check them out here.

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