Building a foundation for all

Housing development highlights from 2024, looking forward to 2025.

building outside under construction

Plymouth Avenue Apartments is a 63-unit affordable rental development in North Minneapolis. 25 units are affordable to households at or below 30% AMI.

In 2024, Hennepin County strengthened its position as a regional and national leader in affordable housing development. After several years of accelerated production due to the county’s strategic choice to invest $45 million in pandemic recovery funds in housing, programs continue with a high rate of production and from a position of strength.

We are offering funding opportunities that will not only increase the number of affordable units but help to stabilize the region’s housing ecosystem.

As we look forward to 2025, we will focus on the following areas:

Stabilizing affordable housing developer-partners and laying the groundwork to increase housing production through the Metro Area Sales and Use Tax for Housing
Engaging with community partners on lead poisoning prevention to reach thousands of at-risk families
Launching new programs to increase climate resiliency of homes
Innovating how we grow supportive housing to ensure long-term stability for residents through new industry-leading capitalized services investment tools
Strengthening pathways from homelessness to county-financed affordable housing through ongoing collaboration and data-centered continuous improvement

2024 at a glance

Hennepin County’s impact on affordable housing

outside of the whittier community housing building

Whittier Community Housing updates and improves a storied 45-unit affordable apartment building and adds 40 affordable units with new construction.

2024 was a big year for county-supported affordable housing projects. Here are some of the ways we worked to make stable, affordable housing possible for all in Hennepin County last year:

We were–and will continue to be–a primary funder of affordable housing development in Hennepin County:

We awarded $19.5 million in capital funding to create or preserve affordable housing
Funding will support 23 projects with 1,493 affordable rental units, and 10 projects to create 69 affordable homeownership opportunities
38% of new rental units – totaling 352 units - will be affordable to households at or below 30% AMI, and 168 new rental units will be designated to people exiting homelessness

We brought projects online at record pace: The county helped close 13 affordable rental housing development projects, which represents 1,004 affordable units.
We stabilized homes, homeownership, and neighborhoods: The Healthy Homes team improved 236 homes with health and safety repairs.
We removed barriers to homeownership: We launched our Homebuyer Assistance Program with Neighborworks Home Partners last year. So far, our program has helped 62 families purchase their first home. 48% of our homebuyers were Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
We responded to crises in real-time to ensure a healthy affordable housing ecosystem for the long-term: The county awarded funding to nine nonprofits through the one-time Repair + Grow program, which will help restore and boost their capacity to develop more affordable housing. Totaling $17.3 million, the awards are funded through the Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA) revenues.

Hennepin County's leadership in rightly diagnosing and meeting the moment through the Repair and Growth program. This builds on an already strong foundation of regional, state and national housing leadership. Nonprofit partner on the impact of repair and grow

Standout stories from 2024

How our work impacts neighbors and communities

two women inside holding up a sold sign

Ebony Robinson (right) and her realtor, Corissa Sutton (left), on Robinson’s closing day. Robinson’s home purchase was made possible through Hennepin County’s Homebuyer Assistance Program.

From our website

Funding rental housing development | A commitment to affordability

Funding rental housing development | Innovative development integrates affordable housing, childcare and other supports

Funding rental housing development | New beginnings

Homeownership | A dream home: Homeownership made possible through the county’s Homebuyer Assistance Program

In the news

Star Tribune | How Hennepin County will spend $12 million from a new sales tax for affordable housing

The Sheletta Show | Six things you should know about Hennepin County's lead removal program

U.S. Department of Energy | Biden-Harris Administration Announces $31 Million for Transformative Clean Energy Projects Led by Tribal and Local Governments

WCCO Radio | Hennepin County addressing problem many thought was solved: Lead poisoning in children

Finance and Commerce | Trellis preserves 56 affordable units with St. Louis Park purchase

Invisible People | America Can End Homelessness