Training & Assistance Technical Assistance

Technical Assistance

Overview

iStock 000005327479XSmall

The creation of affordable housing can be a challenge for organizations and communities.  The Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) offers a variety of tools to help organizations meet that challenge and develop the skills/knowledge to successfully create affordable housing.  MHP helps organizations to:

  • Build leadership skills
  • Collaborate with local partners
  • Navigate federal regulations and housing programs
  • Develop internal policies and procedures
  • Engage communities in housing solutions
  • Plan for regional growth
  • Create homes for all

MHP provides group trainings and/or one-on-one technical assistance to help communities work through dramatic changes in population, employment, and the need for infrastructure. MHP helps communities build on local assets to work through challenges and do more with less.

MHP's technical assistance serves public entities such as states,counties, cities, townships, Housing and Redevelopment Authorities, Community Action Programs, nonprofit organizations, Community Development Corporations, and HUD-funded recipients.

If you are interested in receiving technical assistance or wish to learn more, please contact:

Rosemary Fagrelius, Housing Development Director, at 651.925.5542 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

 

Areas of Expertise

As national technical assistance providers, MHP staff has a wealth of housing development experience and expertise.  Our technical assistance helps organizations leverage limited resources to effectively reach new milestones.

MHP OFFERS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR: 

File folders

 Program Administration

  • Program Monitoring/Compliance
  • Funding Proposal Assistance
  • Housing Inspections

person at work

 Economic Development

  • Commercial and Retail Developments
  • Small Business Assistance Programs
  • Assessing Economic Development Programs

paper and pen - design

 Program Design

  • Homebuyer Financial Assistance, Rehab, Rental Housing Development, Land Banking, and More

money

 Financial Management

  • Accounting and Reporting Requirements

planning 2

 Planning

  • Housing Market Analysis
  • Development Planning

construction worker 2

 Real Estate Development and Construction

  • Single-Family and Multi-Family Rehab
  • Property Purchasing Agreements, Rehab Estimates, and Project Management
  • Historic Preservation Compliance
  • Energy Efficiency

Infrastructure

 Infrastructure

  • Cost-Benefit Analyses
  • Infrastructure Strategies in Rural Areas

Project financing

 Project Financing

  • Underwriting for Housing Developments
  • Mixed Financing
  • Designing Financial Assistance Programs

job training

 Staff and Organizational Skills

  • Mentoring Program Staff
  • Developing Training Courses
  • Website Development
  • Leadership Development
  • Strategic Planning
  • Program Evaluation
  • Working with Underserved Populations

Our Minnesota Work

MHP offers a variety of services intended to build the capacity of Minnesota communities to develop and preserve affordable housing.

Housing Institute for Greater Minnesota
group meeting The Housing Institute is an opportunity for housing leaders to come together to share their experiences, learn best practices in housing and community development, and develop creative solutions to bring quality affordable housing to their community.
  • Regional teams collaborate on a project over the course of twelve months.
  • Quarterly training sessions and one-on-one technical assistance helps teams strengthen their skills to make their project a reality.
MHP Funds
5119028193 56e5cf0449 z

MHP offers a Sustainable Community Engagement Fund (SCEF) to help communities develop sustainably by linking affordable housing to transportation, jobs, and services.

MHP also has a Predevelopment Loan Fund that provides resources for predevelopment expenses incurred in affordable housing developments.
Trainings
training MHP periodically offers free trainings on various housing related topics.
Consulting Services
Contact Rosemary Fagrelius at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 651.925.5542 for information about MHP's consulting services.

Our National Work

 

MHP's skill in helping organizations and communities manage their housing well and plan for future housing needs has long been a hallmark of our work.  In 2009, MHP began working as a national technical assistance (TA) provider for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.   With the support of our partners, our TA work has benefitted over 100 communities, states, or regions nationally to promote sustainability, equity, and efficiency in housing and community programs.

Neighborhood Stabilization Program
Forclosure

In the wake of the foreclosure crisis, many communities are struggling to address the vacant and abandoned properties in their area. The Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), stabilizes neighborhoods by enabling Grantees to purchase and rehabilitate foreclosed properties. MHP provides technical assistance and capacity building resources to NSP Grantees to help efficiently use this funding source.

MHP has helped grantees to:

  • Establish property acquisition and disposition strategies.
  • Set up internal program policies and procedures.
  • Understand federal regulations.
  • Successfully meet funding deadlines.
OneCPD
Family in front of house

Under HUD's new OneCPD model, MHP provides comprehensive, cross-program assistance to HUD grantees, helping them layer resources from various programs.

MHP has helped grantees to:

  • Design new programs to address changing housing needs.
  • Create organizational policies and procedures.
  • Evaluate program files, systems, and tracking mechanisms.
  • Conduct a market assessment.
  • Address issues encountered with DRGR and IDIS reporting systems.
Capacity Building for Sustainable Communities
4749814706 5503afa380 o

MHP is a technical assistance provider for the Sustainable Communities Initiative, an innovative inter-agency collaboration that creates more financially, environmentally, and socially sustainable communities. MHP helps rural and tribal grantees to link affordable housing to transit, jobs, and services.

MHP has helped grantees to:

  • Plan for community growth.
  • Create a strategy to get community members involved in a planning process.
  • Secure funding for affordable housing development.
  • Understand and Assess Fair Housing practices.

HUD Resources

Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) Resourceshud

Get information on everything from working with HUD programs to applying for affordable housing, or read up on the latest affordable housing research on HUD's Web site.

www.hud.gov

OneCPD Resource Exchangeonecpd logo

The OneCPD Resource Exchange is your online  one-stop shop for resources, updates, and information related to all of HUD's Office of Community Planning and Development (CPD)  programs.

www.onecpd.info

NSP Resource ExchangeNSP

The NSP Resource Exchange provides information needed by NSP grantees, subrecipients and developers to purchase, rehabilitate, and resell foreclosed properties.

www.hudnsphelp.info

Partnership for Sustainable Communitieshud-dot-epa-02

A collaboration between the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency,  (EPA) this website offers resources and publications designed to  help communities nationwide improve access to affordable housing, increase transportation options, and lower transportation costs while protecting the environment. 

www.sustainablecommunities.gov