Coalition for Rochester Area Housing

Home
United States
Rochester, MN
Coalition for Rochester Area Housing

Directions Website Contact the organization

The Coalition for Rochester Area Housing is a group of public and private sector organizations dedicated to creating affordable housing in the Rochester area.

The founding partners of the coalition include Rochester Area Foundation, the City of Rochester, Olmsted County and Mayo Clinic. We support transforming communities in the Rochester area to be vibrant, livable, inclusive places where people of all backgrounds can find ample opportunity for employment, live in a safe, decent and affordable housing, patronize local businesses, engage as active citizens and participate in community life. Our work is focused on manufactured housing, land-use, economic development, building and construction, home ownership, workforce price rental, GAP financing and project development. Get involved

Visit us online or call 507-282-0203 to learn how to invest, become a supporter or participate in leadership opportunities with the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing

10/08/2026

Wednesday, we joined the SE MN Together Housing Bus Tour, visiting Faribault and Wanamingo to see how housing projects come together across southeast Minnesota.

In Faribault, the focus was on homeownership and how to stack housing vouchers with state and local downpayment assistance. Between stops, the bus was full of conversations comparing notes on what it's like to get housing built in southeast Minnesota. Along the way we passed a newer neighborhood of single-family homes, a reminder of how much goes into every new street. Big thanks to the organizers and presenters who made the day possible.

09/17/2026

Big day for affordable housing in Rochester — ground was broken today on the new Sherman & Associates senior housing project on the North Civic Center site downtown!

This project will bring 76 affordable units for seniors 55+ to the heart of the city, right along the Zumbro River. It's exactly the kind of housing our community needs more of, and it's a huge step forward for our seniors.

Thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate, including:
Carole Mette, Senior Developer, Sherman & Associates
Ryan Cardarella, Executive Director, Coalition for Rochester Area Housing
Laurel Podulke-Smith, Olmsted County Commissioner, District 1
Randy Schubring, Rochester City Council President
Katherine Arendt, MD, Board President, DMC Economic Development Agency
Kim Norton, Mayor, City of Rochester
Chris Sherman, President, Sherman & Associates

Grateful for the partnerships that make projects like this possible. More affordable homes for our seniors are officially on the way.

09/11/2026

Great turnout this week at the Rochester Housing Alliance meeting — this month's focus was on senior housing.

We heard from Dave Beal (Age Friendly Olmsted County), Sue Awes (HOME — Housing, Outreach, Mentorship, Empowerment program) and Laurie Brownell (Southeastern Minnesota Area Agency on Aging) on what's happening locally and regionally to support housing options as our community ages.

Aging with dignity takes more than good intentions — it takes housing that actually works for people as their needs change.

Thank you to every who joined us yesterday and we look forward to seeing you at our next meeting on Oct. 14!

Stay tuned for details.

09/03/2026

Six homes. One growing community in Dodge Center.

This is what the Coalition works toward every day: real homes, real families, and real progress.

We are proud to stand behind projects like this Bigelow Lennon development that deliver new homeownership opportunities within communities throughout our region.

08/20/2026

Where you live as you age matters.

As our region's population ages, demand for accessible, affordable senior housing is growing faster than supply. The September Housing Alliance meeting examines the challenges facing older adults and the options our community can build together.

We're honored to open with a reflection from Dave Beal, Age-Friendly Olmsted County Coordinator with Family Service Rochester:

"To age in place well, the place needs to bigger than a house, with places we need and want to be, and ways to get there"

• Wednesday, September 9th 10:00-11:30 a.m.
• In person and zoom options available
• Open to all

08/19/2026

Northwest Olmsted County is growing faster than the rest of the Rochester area — and we still need more homes. At our latest Housing Alliance meeting, RAEDI President John Wade put the need at 5,500 additional units by 2031. Meeting that need will take growth across the whole region, so every new worker can find a home here. (Map: U.S. Census Bureau)

08/17/2026

Housing solutions don’t happen in silos — they happen when the right people are in the room together.

The Rochester Housing Alliance connects residents, developers, nonprofits, city and county officials, healthcare organizations, and advocates in a free, open monthly forum. Together we share data, align priorities, advocate for change, and move toward real solutions for southeast Minnesota.

No dues. No barriers. Just a community committed to getting housing right.

08/13/2026

Rent surged. Incomes didn't. The gap is widening.

Rental costs in southeast Minnesota increased 31% in just four years — while income growth has struggled to keep pace. For renters already stretching their budgets, that gap isn't a statistic.
It’s a monthly crisis.

The Coalition for Rochester Area Housing is working to increase the supply of affordable housing units across our region, because everyone deserves housing they can actually afford.

Source: DEED Labor Market Information Office, 2025 Southeast Regional profile. (November 2025)

08/10/2026

The Numbers are in: Southeast Minnesota needs 37,155 homes by 2035 to meet demand. That’s approximately 20,367 general occupancy homes and 16,788 senior housing units across six counties (Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Mower, Olmsted, and Wabasha), every income level, and every housing type. The analysis commissioned by CRAH and conducted by Maxfield Research and Consulting puts hard numbers what many of us already know, we need to close the gap on housing, and we need to work together to do it.

08/06/2026

How can we bridge the housing affordability gap for our essential workers? Rising rent and home prices are making it harder for the workers who power our community to live in the communities they serve.

That's the conversation we’re having next week.
• Wednesday, August 12 10:00-11:30 a.m.
• In person & zoom option available
• Open to all, no registration required

Join us for the August Housing Alliance meeting as we dig into the data on workforce housing, hear what's being built and talk about what our community can do together.

Address

12 Elton Hills Drive NW
Rochester, MN
55901

Website

https://rochesterarea.org/initiatives/housingcoalition/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Coalition for Rochester Area Housing posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Coalition for Rochester Area Housing:

Want your organization to be the top-listed non profit organization in Rochester?