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The community is invited to attend the next Rosenmeier Forum, Housing Issues and Solutions: A Community Conversation at 7pm on Sept. 17 in the Chalberg Theatre, Central Lakes College Brainerd campus.
Speaking will be Jennifer Bergman, Director of Local Government Housing Programs with MN Housing and Eric Charpentier, Director of the local Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA).
Access to affordable housing is important for thriving neighborhoods, an adequate workforce and a healthy community. The forum will examine how state and local organizations work together to support adequate and affordable housing options. Join the discussion to discover how the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency and the local HRA create housing opportunities through development, financing, rental assistance, grant programs and home buyer counseling.
Steve Wenzel, Executive Director of the Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government said, “I am very pleased that the Rosenmeier Center is focusing on the housing issues facing Minnesotans. The Forum’s two speakers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience at both the state and local level on the housing shortage and crisis facing Minnesotans today. We will learn from them how best to resolve the issues and problems facing Minnesotans on affordable housing.”
In 2023, the Minnesota Legislature invested over $1.3 billion and created several new housing programs. Including programs specifically geared towards local units of government (cities, counties, Tribal Nations and HRAs). Minnesota Housing created a new department, Local Government Housing Programs. The programs that will be administered within the department are the Bring It Home Rental Assistance Program, Local Affordable Housing Aid, Statewide Affordable Housing Aid, Local Housing Trust Fund Grant Program, Greater Minnesota Infrastructure Grant Program and Lead Safe Homes Grant Program. The Legislature geared these programs towards local units of government because they recognized housing needs may differ from city to city, county to county.
About the speakers:
Eric Charpentier
Executive Director, Brainerd, Crow Wing County and Crosby Housing and Redevelopment Authorities
Eric received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Economics. After more than a 13-year career in the banking industry Eric joined the Brainerd Housing and Redevelopment Authority in August of 2020 as Executive Director. The HRA provides affordable housing and redevelopment opportunities throughout the City of Brainerd and across all of Crow Wing County.
Jennifer Bergman
Jennifer Bergman is the Director of Local Government Housing Programs with Minnesota Housing. This is a new department created to administer the newly created housing programs targeted towards local units of government.
Jennifer has worked in housing and local government for over 30 years with cities, counties, non-profit agencies and HRA’s. Prior to her role at Minnesota Housing, Jennifer was the Executive Director of the Brainerd HRA and the City Administrator for the City of Brainerd.
