Coalition for Rochester Area Housing

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.

08/03/2026

Great communities are built through conversation. Join the Housing Alliance every second Wednesday to connect with local leaders, advocates, developers, and neighbors working toward housing solutions for our region. Every voice matters. Every conversation counts.

The second Wednesday of every month, 10-11:30 AM
In person or Zoom.

Anyone with an interest in local housing is welcome.
See you there!

07/13/2026

Big housing news: The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act is officially law. More incentives to build, less red tape, and new limits on investor home buying. After years in the making, the real work begins.

What impact do you think this will have on housing affordability in Rochester? Let us know in the comments.

A section-by-section summary of the final 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, a comprehensive bipartisan package addressing housing supply, manufactured housing, homeownership access, program reform, veterans housing, oversight, and community banking.

07/10/2026

Coalition sign spotted at Harvest West!

We had a great site visit yesterday at Bigelow Homes' Harvest West development — a 55+ senior community of 44 townhomes and twinhomes in NW Rochester, part of the larger Harvestview neighborhood. The Coalition helped fund infrastructure for this project through a 0% interest loan, advancing our priority of addressing the senior housing demand gap. Our partners at Bigelow are moving this project from plans to pavement with homes designed to let older buyers age in place.

10 homes built. Four already closed, with more on the way. We’re grateful for creative collaborations with partners like Bigelow Homes, and we are excited to watch Harvest West continue to grow.