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Blue Earth County EDA authorized $3.35 million rental-assistance grant and $150,000 housing trust fund award
Summary
The Mankato and Blue Earth County EDA was authorized to execute a Minnesota Housing 'Bring It Home' grant totaling $3,347,771 to provide rental assistance across Region 9, and the EDA accepted a $150,000 Local Housing Trust Fund award with a matching $150,000 local contribution to support a community land trust.
Nicole Cunningham, health coordinator for the Mankato and Blue Earth County EDAs, told the Economic Development Authority on Sept. 9 that Minnesota Housing awarded the EDAs a "Bring It Home" grant on July 24, 2025, totaling $3,347,771. She said the award includes $62,575 for startup costs and $3,285,196 intended for housing-assistance payments and administrative fees over a two-year contract term.
Cunningham said the program is expected to provide roughly 150 to 180 vouchers across Region 9 and will be administered in partnership with housing authorities in the region via memoranda of agreement between agencies. "The grant amount of 3,347,771 is made up of $62,575 in start up cost ... and $3,285,196 in housing assistance payments and administrative fees," Cunningham said.
Separately, Cunningham reported Minnesota Housing approved a $150,000 award through the 2025 Local Housing Trust Fund grants program to support a community land trust. The EDA approved a $150,000 local match from its general fund, creating a total $300,000 commitment intended to produce affordable homeownership opportunities by Dec. 31, 2026.
Both items were approved by voice votes during the EDA session. The EDA moved to authorize the executive director to execute the Minnesota Housing grant agreements for both the Bring It Home funding and the Local Housing Trust Fund award.
The grants expand county efforts to subsidize housing for cost-burdened households. The Bring It Home program funds are targeted to households with incomes at or below the thresholds specified by Minnesota Housing; Cunningham described administration plans and interagency coordination but did not provide a detailed per-voucher payment schedule at the meeting. The EDA will finalize contracts and regional memoranda of agreement before benefits are distributed.
The EDA adjourned and returned the board to its regular session; next steps for the grant agreements are execution by the executive director and subsequent regional contracting with housing authorities.
