December's Immigrant and Refugee Affairs Forum shared numerous great programs for community members from Minnesota Housing and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. We also heard an overview highlighting DEED's Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity.

Housing Program Opportunities

Alyssa Wetzel-Moore from Minnesota Housing Finance Agency went over several of the housing resources available to renters, homeowners, and first-time homebuyers. Some of the programs mentioned include:

Start Up Program – For first-time homebuyers. The definition of a first-time homebuyer is someone who has not had an ownership interest in a principal residence for the past three years.

Step Up Program – For current homeowners looking to sell their current home and buy one that is a step up. Certain first-time homebuyers can apply to this program if their income exceeds the Start Up Program's limit.

Homeownership Capacity Program – Launched in 2014 in response to Minnesota's large disparities in homeownership rates between white households and BIPOC households. This program consists of non-profits helping prepare low-income renters and BIPOC households with the goal of becoming sustainable homeowners through financial education and coaching.

Fix Up Loan Program – Offers affordable, fixed interest rates with loans from $2,000 to $50,000 for home improvement projects.

HomeHelpMN Program – Mitigates financial hardships associated with the COVID-19 pandemic by preventing homeowner mortgage delinquencies, defaults, foreclosures, and displacements.

Minnesota Down Payment Assistance Grant Program

Lillian Otieno from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture shared information on their upcoming Down Payment Assistant Grant to help qualified farmers purchase their first farm. The grant offers dollar-per-dollar matching up to $15,000 for eligible applicants. Applications open at 9 a.m. on January 4, 2023, and funding is available on a first-come, first-served process. The farmland must be within Minnesota's borders and purchases must close within 90 days after application approval or May 15, whichever is sooner. You can find more program information on their website.

DEED's Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity

Heather Stein from DEED's Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity gave an overview of their team and their available resources. The ODEO team is responsible for enforcing DEED's policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment. They also respond to complaints from DEED employees and customers and provide training and consultation. They partner with HR to maintain an inclusive hiring process as well as provide leadership and support to DEED senior leaders in reaching their equity goals. They also assist employees with providing language access to clients and customers and help set up ADA accommodations. You can find more information about the ODEO office and available resources on DEED's website.

If you missed this month's forum, you can watch our discussion on DEED's YouTube channel.