In 2023, the MPHA Board of Commissioners approved a five-year strategic plan to guide the agency’s work through 2027, outlining a detailed plan with six primary goals which aid in MPHA meeting its mission. The plan reflects four main priorities: people, preservation of MPHA housing, production of new housing, and partnerships to maximize impact. These priorities are at the core of all the plan’s strategies and actions. In 2024, the agency made considerable progress towards its six goals. Here are some 2024 progress highlights:

Goal #1: Preserve and provide deeply affordable, high-quality housing for high-rise residents.

The agency worked towards its goal of preserving and providing deeply affordable, high-quality housing for high-rise residents with three major projects: Springs redevelopment, high-rise fire suppression installation, and replacing aging electrical components at 630 Cedar.

  • The agency completed the installation of fire suppression systems in all 42 MPHA high-rises. This milestone was achieved over a year ahead of its stated goal, a direct result of funding partnerships at nearly every level of government and unwavering dedication by the MPHA team.
  • Agency leaders announced the Springs Manor redevelopment project, the largest public housing redevelopment in city history. The estimated $65 million project will preserve 221 units while constructing a new four-story building housing 15 deeply affordable and disability accessible units.
  • MPHA was awarded $1,351,000 in Publicly Owned Housing Program (POHP) General Obligation (GO) bonds by Minnesota Housing to replace aging electrical components at the 630 Cedar Avenue high-rise.

Goal #2: Build new and expand partnerships with federal, state, and local governments, in addition to philanthropic entities that support MPHA residents and those on the agency’s waitlist.

MPHA made progress on its goal of building new and expanding partnerships that support its residents and those on the waitlist through its levy deployment plan, securing additional city and state funds, and bringing health programming to residents through several partnerships.

  • MPHA staff’s pre-work throughout the year enabled quick deployment of the first housing levy payment the agency has received in nearly 14 years, funding various preservation and new-unit production activities.
  • The agency secured $11 million in funding from the City of Minneapolis for 2025. This includes: The continuation of the $5 million annual housing tax levy, $1.3 million for HUD’s Restore Rebuild Pilot (formerly called Faircloth-to-RAD), $2.2 million for ongoing Stable Homes Stable Schools (SHSS) funding, $830,500 for a SHSS expansion pilot targeting early childhood and middle school homelessness prevention, and $1.8 million ($1.4 million ongoing) for a city-funded Emergency Housing Voucher program (EHV) mirroring the successful federal program.
  • The Highrise Health Alliance heard resident priorities and created a plan to spend their $100,000 community health grant in 2025 bringing behavioral health peer support groups, social connection events initiated by residents, and health resources to high-rise residents.
  • The agency partnered with Neighborhood Healthsource, Cub Foods, MHealth Fairview, and Community University Health Care Clinic to deliver vaccination clinics to MPHA high-rise buildings.

Goal #3: Provide and preserve deeply affordable, high-quality family housing.

The agency advanced its goal of providing and preserving deeply affordable, high-quality family housing with three key accomplishments: completing and leasing up the Family Housing Expansion Project, preserving 64 family homes with a major repair effort, and opening its family housing waitlist.

  • The Family Housing Expansion Project (FHEP) construction was completed and reached 100 percent occupancy in 2024. The FHEP brought 84 new deeply affordable family homes across 16 Minneapolis sites. The project has won numerous awards, made national news, and was even visited by U.S Department of the Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen.
  • The agency completed one of its largest single-year efforts to repair 64 family homes. In total, 19 major exterior envelope renovations, 41 comprehensive unit rehabilitations, and extensive repairs were undertaken to restore four single-family homes to service, including one specifically modified to ensure full accessibility for persons with disabilities. Funding for these renovations came from Minnesota Housing and the City of Minneapolis.
  • MPHA opened its family waitlist for 3-, 4-, and 5-bedroom units for the first time in three years. Following an extensive verification process for nearly 3,300 applications, agency staff determined there were 2,122 eligible households. These new families were placed below those already on the waitlist, resulting in a total of 4,300 families on the agency’s family housing waitlist.

Goal #4: Increase supply of deeply affordable housing by at least 150 units per year.

Working on increasing the supply of deeply affordable housing by at least 150 units per year, the agency supported several affordable housing developments through Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) and agency unit development. Project-Based Vouchers are among the most effective tools MPHA has to help build new and sustain deeply affordable housing in Minneapolis. The PBV program is a HUD-funded housing subsidy program that ties the federal rental assistance directly to a specific unit.

  • In 2024, the agency awarded 204 PBVs, and another 258 units came online. MPHA staff attended various development groundbreakings and grand openings including the Belfry Apartments near 39th and Chicago in South Minneapolis—a block from George Floyd Square.
  • MPHA’s FHEP converted 21 high-needs homes to 84 new, two- and three-bedroom units which will serve an estimated 420 families over the next 30 years. Additionally, the agency brought four family units back online with its major repairs. In total, 67 units were added to 700+ family housing units in the agency’s portfolio.
  • Additionally, MPHA announced it will be adding 15 deeply affordable and disability accessible units with the Springs redevelopment.

Goal #5: Position MPHA as an employer of choice.

The agency made progress on its goal of positioning MPHA as an employer of choice with a compensation analysis, audited policies and conducted training to further diversity, equity, and inclusion priorities, and introduced a new information management system.

  • The agency implemented a new Human Resources Information System (HRIS) streamlining recruitment and hiring activities. This migration required a full agency effort to learn a new system for vital business processes.
  • MPHA completed a compensation analysis to ensure pay equity across the organization.
  • The agency audited its Human Resources policies and practices to ensure alignment with diversity, equity, and inclusion strategies.
  • MPHA staff completed in-person DEI training, laying the foundation for virtual training that included Identity & Intersectionality, Unpacking Bias, Inclusive Leadership, and Cultural Humility.

Goal #6: Continuously improve organizational performance to retain MTW status and highest HUD performance rating.

The agency advanced its goal of continuously improving organizational performance to retain MTW status and highest HUD performance rating by keeping occupancy rates high, reporting clean financials, training staff on new processes and evolving technology.

  • In 2024, MPHA maintained a 98% occupancy rate for its public housing and family units. Additionally, the agency received clean financial audits.
  • Staff were trained and processes were developed in anticipation of HUD’s new public housing operation standards, National Standards for the Physical Inspection of Real Estate (NSPIRE). Mock inspections were conducted to identify areas of advocacy for changes with the new standards as well as anticipate investments required to meet the new standards.
  • Staff implemented technological processes to prioritize quality customer services through a new ticketing system in addition to comprehensive infrastructure upgrades.