As 2025 comes to a close, we’re looking back with pride and gratitude at everything our association and industry accomplished together. From transformative community build projects to landmark advocacy efforts, new research, and record-setting events, this year showed what is possible when our members unite around one shared mission: making the dream of homeownership achievable for all Minnesotans.
Amid shifting economic conditions, regulatory uncertainty, and ongoing affordability challenges, our industry rose to meet the moment. Our members continued to build, innovate, and lead—creating dignified homes, pushing for meaningful reforms, and strengthening the broader homebuilding community. Here are the top highlights that defined 2025:
Coalition & Momentum Building
For the second year in a row, Housing First Minnesota played a leading role in the Yes to Homes Coalition, which continued elevating zoning and land-use reform as a top-tier priority at the Capitol.
This work helped strengthen bipartisan momentum toward policies that increase housing supply and expand homeownership opportunities.
Four Community Build Projects Completed
This year, the Housing First Minnesota Foundation celebrated its 30th year of creating dignified housing for veterans, families, and other Minnesotans in crisis. It proved to be its most ambitious year yet, with four major community build projects:
- Bravo Zulu House
The nation’s first all-military sober home, located in Winnebago, received a $100,000 Foundation contribution and now provides 13 beds for veterans recovering from PTSD. - Elevate Hope House
A partnership with Spring Lake Park High School’s Construction Trades Program and Lennar, this Ham Lake home supports young, single mothers and their children. - Housing for Heroes #15 – Cottage Ave
Back where it all began—St. Paul. This three-bedroom home and backyard ADU will house up to four single veterans or a veteran family and one single veteran. - Veteran Village
The Foundation’s largest project ever: 22 semipermanent residences for veterans and families experiencing homelessness. Built in partnership with Lennar, the Lennar Foundation, and MACV.
Making Progress in the Regulatory Space
Our engagement with the Department of Labor and Industry helped remove four cost-increasing amendments from the upcoming energy code—preventing additional barriers to homeownership and protecting affordability for Minnesota families.
Additionally, for the first time in three years, the industry saw no new labor or environmental mandates, creating much-needed regulatory stability and reducing uncertainty for builders and homeowners.
Growing Home Tour Brand Awareness
This year, our Parade of Homes brand engaged communities in new ways, notably through our expansion into the Rochester market—the first time the brand has expanded beyond the Twin Cities metro area. 789 homes across six tours among 163 builders and remodeler participants marked an impressive end to the year.
We also collaborated with the Minnesota Vikings to reach thousands of new tour-goers and families. This collaboration provided a fun and memorable opportunity to connect people with the nation’s largest and oldest home tour brand.
Bringing the Industry Together with 60+ Events
This year was one of our most active, featuring popular member events, along with new and revamped initiatives, spanning education, networking, and industry recognition events. At this year’s BIG Night, under the glimmer of Old Hollywood glamour, 125 awards were presented, celebrating industry excellence in style. At one of our virtual Town Hall events this year, we reached maximum capacity as members clamored to learn more about changes coming to the state’s energy code.
One of the events added to the calendar this year included the Artisan Home Tour Autumn Soirée. This new seasonal tradition brought warm ambience, craft cocktails, and a beautiful evening of community and celebration. We also put a new spin on our Members Only event series that featured an all-networking format—small group rotations with guided discussion—resulting in one of our most well-received and engaging Members Only events to date.
Protecting the Industry
This year, our legal work focused on ensuring fairness and transparency in the regulatory environment that impacts builders and homeowners across Minnesota. A key development was the Minnesota Court of Appeals ruling in favor of member Todd Geske, which found that the Department of Labor and Industry violated the Minnesota Administrative Procedure Act. Housing First Minnesota supported this effort as an amicus partner, reinforcing our commitment to lawful, consistent code interpretation.
We also advanced several important challenges at the local level. A lawsuit against the City of Edina raised critical concerns about excessive tree fees, while our building-permit challenge involving Corcoran and Dayton continued through an appeal to the Minnesota Court of Appeals.
Together, these actions underscore our ongoing work to defend builders’ rights, promote regulatory clarity, and ensure that housing policy decisions remain grounded in accountability and fairness.
Pushing the Housing Conversation to New Heights
Housing Affordability Institute, Housing First Minnesota’s think tank dedicated to improving housing affordability and access for all, continued to advance housing research and increased public understanding through published reports:
- A white paper exploring the value of homeownership.
- A major release examining how Minnesota’s housing shortage and high construction costs are limiting homebuyers and contributing to long-term affordability challenges.
Continuing to Lead on Green Building
Since 2011, more than 46,000 homes have received Green Path Home Performance Reports through Housing First Minnesota’s Green Path Program. In 2025:
- 64 homes achieved Advanced certification
- 3 homes achieved Master certification
- 50+ builders are now enrolled in the Designated Green Path Builder program
This program continues to drive environmentally responsible, high-performance homebuilding across the state.
As we reflect on a year defined by impact, collaboration, and progress, one thing is clear: Our work matters. We are deeply grateful to our members, partners, and supporters whose dedication fuels every project, every advocacy win, every family housed, and every step toward broader homeownership.
Thank you for being part of this mission. We look forward to building an even brighter 2026, together.
Thank you to our 2025 Elite Partners!
