Breaking Ground

Earlier this fall, Jennifer Leimaile Ho was elected chair of the National Council of State Housing Agencies’ (NCSHA) 2025 Board of Directors. Ho is the Commissioner of Minnesota Housing, having been appointed by Governor Tim Walz in January 2019 and reappointed in 2023.

Ho previously served as executive director of Hearth Connection and later as deputy director at the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. During the Obama administration, she served as senior advisor for Housing and Services at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and worked with former First Lady Michelle Obama to launch the Mayors Challenge to End Veteran Homelessness.

Commissioner Ho recently provided context to Tax Credit Advisor on her soon-to-be new role at NCSHA and other thoughts on affordable housing issues facing the nation.

Tax Credit Advisor: Please tell us a bit about the role of the chair of NCSHA. What does the chair do? 

Jennifer Ho: NCSHA is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization created to advance, through advocacy and education, the efforts of the nation’s state housing finance agencies (HFAs) and their partners to provide affordable housing to those who need it. The core role of the chair is to ensure the healthy governance of NCSHA and the culture of inclusion and participation of all states and territories. I’ll also work on specific issues and challenges faced by housing finance agencies across the country to find solutions and paths forward so that we can build more homes, preserve existing housing and create more first-time homebuyers.

As chair, I’ll work with Executive Director Stockton Williams, NCSHA staff and other board members to guide the policy work with Congress and critical housing-related federal agencies, including HUD and the Internal Revenue Service. As we head into 2025 with a new administration and new Congress, it will require all of us to work together to make sure housing is a national priority and gets the attention and resources needed to address the housing challenges.

TCA: What are your priorities for the coming year as the newly elected chair of NCSHA? 

JH: In every state, housing finance agencies work tirelessly to increase the supply of housing, preserve the nation’s aging housing stock and help first-time homebuyers. As chair, my priorities will be to push for what our country desperately needs: more housing resources. We need more Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits and tax-exempt bonds so we’re able to build and preserve more housing. There are a lot of great projects that can move forward quickly if we have more federal development resources. We also need resources for more mortgage and downpayment assistance to help more first-time homebuyers and we need federal resources to build more single-family homes. 

There will be a lot of talk and action around the largest tax bill in the nation’s history, and housing needs to be a big part of the legislation. NCSHA and housing finance agencies have demonstrated for over 50 years that they are a critical part of the state’s housing market, and we can do more with more federal resources.

TCA: What do you consider to be the highlights of your tenure as, previously, a board member at NCSHA?

JH: I joined the NCSHA board of directors at the earliest opportunity after becoming Minnesota Housing Commissioner in 2019. I’ve had a chance to serve on the board in various roles, as a member, as Treasurer and Secretary, and, most recently, as vice chair. This has been a very lively period because of the pandemic and the many COVID relief programs, as well as the climate and energy investments made by Congress in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Plus, we had a shot at significant housing resources with the Build Back Better Act of 2021 and, more recently, the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act of 2024. Unfortunately, those pieces of legislation did not make it over the finish line.

I had several stops before becoming commissioner of Minnesota Housing. The two most relevant were as a senior advisor at HUD and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. Centering people who need housing the most, including people experiencing homelessness and people with disabilities, has remained the focus of my work no matter what position I’ve held. The work to end veterans’ homelessness is a highlight for many states, including Minnesota, because it shows that with dedicated resources, good data and sufficient staffing, we can effectively end homelessness. The Housing First model and permanent supportive housing work if they are well-resourced.

TCA: What trends are you seeing among state housing agencies regarding new programs or in what ways are the agencies broadening what they are doing?

JH: Over the last several years, housing finance agencies across the country have initiated or been asked to implement new programs to respond to the growing and urgent need for more housing solutions. Every year we get together at an annual conference to share ideas, learn about what is working in other states and lift up solutions that housing finance agencies are leading in their states. 

Here are a few examples from this year:

• New York City Housing Development Corporation is addressing the need for more housing through hotel-to-residential conversions;
• Maine Housing is bringing affordable housing and new housing developers to rural areas with the newly created Rural Affordable Rental Housing Program;
• Ohio Housing Finance Agency is implementing a new state tax credit to increase single-family housing stock; and
• Hawaii Housing Finance and Development Corporation created a program to find shelter for as many people as possible after a wildfire tore through Lahaina, destroying an estimated 4,000 homes.

Specifically in Minnesota, my team has been working on over 15 new programs that were created by the state legislature to preserve and create new housing, support and strengthen homeownership, and increase housing stability.

TCA: What are you most proud of accomplishing during your tenure at Minnesota Housing?

JH: I’m most proud of “Going Big.” This is a mantra I brought to Minnesota Housing shortly after starting and have applied it to all the work at the agency. We’ve set “Go Big” goals, such as to make a higher percentage of our rental homes serve very low-income renters, ensure more of our first-time homebuyers are Black, Indigenous or people of color, and increase the housing investments we make that are climate resilient. I’ve wanted to push the team and industry to think bigger and bolder because today’s significant housing needs require that of us. 

I’m proud that the agency has recently seen several years of record production of rental developments and homeownership opportunities because the state and people need us to do more. This is the result of intentional efforts and great work with partners across the state. The team also deployed emergency housing programs during the pandemic, which helped thousands of people receive critical support during a very difficult time. 

TCA: What is your favorite project at Minnesota Housing and why?

JH: It is way too hard to pick a favorite project. Since I’ve been commissioner, I’ve traveled to every corner of the state to see and hear about the local housing needs and have been fortunate enough to be a part of many groundbreakings and grand openings. I can say that my favorite projects tend to have similar themes. They have the support of residents, help serve people most impacted by housing challenges, have the backing of local elected officials and have strong partnerships with local community-based organizations and businesses. All those themes, which are common in tax credit developments, add up to a project that will have a meaningful impact on that community for decades to come. 

TCA: Do you have any advice for people thinking of a career in affordable housing?

JH: We need you! There’s so much work that needs to be done to improve access to affordable housing and there are a lot of career paths you can take. If you find yourself leaning toward a career in affordable housing, follow your gut. Affordable housing work can be a sweet spot where you can find an organization that needs both your skills and your passion. Also, I bet you will never be bored, and that you will find the work truly rewarding. Nearly all Minnesota Housing employees cite the agency’s mission and work as a key reason why they come to work for the agency and why they stick around. The work to improve the lives of others unites those of us doing the work, which admittedly can be complex and arduous at times. 

TCA: What is your biggest concern about the status of affordable housing right now in the United States?

JH: One big concern is that affordable housing is still not getting the overall attention and resources required to address the significant needs. We know that the lack of housing impacts the economy, as well as education and health outcomes. As housers, we know how critical housing stability is for every aspect of life. Unfortunately, we have not seen the federal investment needed to increase supply, preserve the existing affordable homes we have and help more first-time homebuyers. We need more tax credits, and we need more tax-exempt bonds.

Another big concern is that increasing cost pressures are putting further strains on the industry. We’ve become all too familiar with the high costs of land, lumber and labor. We’ve done our best to navigate those pressures. In recent years, additional cost pressures from significant increases in interest rates, insurance and other operating costs are putting further financial stress on property owners and managers at the same time renters and homeowners are not getting many breaks either.

TCA: What do you see as working well right now in the U.S. in terms of affordable housing?

JH: I think there are a lot of examples of things going well across the U.S. We’re seeing more state and local governments getting meaningfully involved in housing work. In Minnesota, the legislature passed a historic $1.3 billion for housing in 2023 when typically, we might get $125 million. It is really encouraging to see new collaborations and partnerships across every level of government. Business and philanthropic partners are also getting increasingly involved in the work. For example, I’m a part of a coalition in Minnesota that includes over 40 corporate, civic and philanthropic organizations working together to help close housing and wealth gaps of Black Minnesotans.

I’m also seeing greater innovation. One example of this is modular construction. It’s becoming more commonplace and can reduce the cost of housing construction. There are also technological advances that help reduce the use of water and electricity, which is good for people’s pockets and the environment. As an industry, we need ongoing innovation to manage the increasing costs when there’s such a demand for affordable housing development. 

TCA: Is there anything else that you would like our readers to know about you or the industry?

JH: I’d like to say thank you to all those working in the housing industry. The work is not easy, but it is well worth it. Anyone who has been part of a LIHTC development that has ten different capital sources knows how hard this work is, but they also know how good it feels when those first families move in. Thank you for your work. I truly hope that as an industry we can “Go Big” together so more people can have the housing stability they need.