Regional Housing Forum Fosters Ideas and Connections

Release Date: December 30, 2025
Release Date: December 30, 2025

“We don’t need to do everything in order to do something. Bring your piece of the puzzle.” 

That was Minnesota Housing Community Development Director Alyssa Wetzel-Moore’s charge to the 150 people gathered in Waite Park on November 19 for the Central and East Central Regional Housing Forum. 

Minnesota Housing’s Wetzel-Moore organized the event for attendees to share housing development resources, technical assistance opportunities and ideas to address the full spectrum of housing needs in the region. Sessions included regional housing data, federal policy updates and panel discussions highlighting local projects and resources. 

Attendees represented nonprofits, developers, local and state government, realtors, health care, higher education and people with lived experience with homelessness and housing insecurity. The forum focused on Benton, Sherburne, Stearns and Wright, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs and Pine counties and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.

Community Drives Regional Housing Solutions 

Throughout the day, attendees heard a common theme: housing solutions come from the people that live in and power the region. Speakers and panelists highlighted partnerships across sectors, creative problem solving and a healthy dose of persistence to move from ideas to action. For example:

Rum River Housing and Homelessness Coalition was formed by community members who saw a need to raise awareness and advocate for their neighbors. Marlena Jasch, Lived Experience Action Network Member, shared what it was like for her to experience homelessness and find affordable housing in the area and how that experience is informing the Coalition’s community-focused response. 

As part of a year’s-long effort to redevelop a crumbling school in Sandstone, the city talked with the area’s largest employers about the housing necessary to attract and retain employees. Local business input helped establish need and build community support for a workforce housing project that will create 32 apartments. 

Lori Lygre shared how the St. Cloud Housing and Redevelopment Authority structured their new Bring it Home Rental Assistance Program funding to respond quickly to community need. The Authority expects to support 130 households when launched.

Partnerships Key to Meeting Housing Needs

Panels on homeownership, multifamily development, housing stability and local government programs all reinforced partnerships as an important element to successful housing projects. 

Brian Fleming, Sherburne County, described partnerships as a “marble cake approach,” with government agencies and community partners working together on a variety of available solutions. Based on her work with CentraCare, Kathy Parsons encouraged attendees to think about who else they can bring together, “especially people you don’t think of as ‘housing people.’”

Thank you to our partners

  • Greater Minnesota Housing Fund
  • Minnesota Housing Partnership

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