Coalition for Rochester Area Housing

Ryan Cardarella joins the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing after more than eight years with Mayo Clinic in Public Affairs and Communications. He is passionate community advocate, having served as a volunteer and board member for several local nonprofits. His interest in affordable housing stems from nearly a decade with the Dorothy Day Hospitality House, an emergency shelter in Rochester. He is excited to support the Coalition’s mission to collaborate, invest, and lead on innovative solutions to meet Rochester’s housing needs.

He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and mass communications from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a master’s degree in communications from Drake University. Ryan moved to Rochester from the Milwaukee area in 2016. In his spare time, he enjoys running and enjoying one of Rochester’s craft breweries.

Let's clear something up. 💬

A common misconception: "If I earn less than $135,800, I must qualify for housing help."

Here's the reality: the $135,800 AMI is set for a household of four — not one person. HUD adjusts income limits for every household size, and for a single person, the thresholds are significantly lower.

For a one-person household in Olmsted County:
🔴 Extremely Low (30% AMI) — $28,550 / less than $13.73/hr full-time
🔵 Very Low (50% AMI) — $47,550 / less than $22.86/hr full-time
🟢 Low Income (80% AMI) — $74,800 / less than $35.96/hr full-time

A single person qualifies for help at 50% AMI — that's $47,550. That's still considered Very Low Income.

Understanding these numbers is how we make the case for more housing investment in our community.

AMI. You've seen the acronym — but what does it actually mean? 🤔

A — Area: the specific geographic region (for us, Olmsted County / Rochester metro)
M — Median: the exact midpoint — half of all households earn more, half earn less
I — Income: total household earnings before taxes, across all sources

Every year, HUD surveys household incomes across every metro area in the country and sets this number. Housing programs then target families earning 30%, 50%, or 80% of that figure.

For Olmsted County in 2026, the AMI is $135,800 for a household of four — but HUD adjusts thresholds for every household size. Single-person limits are significantly lower.

AMI is the single most important number in affordable housing. It determines who gets help — and who falls through the cracks.

Do you know your AMI tier? 📊

HUD uses the Area Median Income to set income limits that determine who qualify for housing assistance. For Olmsted County in 2026, here's what that looks like for a family of four:

🔴 Extremely Low Income (30% AMI) — up to $40,750
🔵 Very Low Income (50% AMI) — up to $67,900
🟢 Low Income (80% AMI) — up to $106,800

These thresholds shape access to rental assistance, housing vouchers, tax credit apartments, and more. Knowing where you fall is the first step.

May is Affordable Housing Month — and this week, we're breaking down what affordable housing really means for families right here in Olmsted County. 🏠

The 2026 Area Median Income (AMI) for a family of four in the Rochester metro is $135,800. Every housing program, every dollar of assistance, every policy threshold is anchored to this number.

Stay with us this week as we unpack what it means — and who it affects.

🏘️ What an incredible day! The Coalition for Rochester Area Housing hosted our first-ever
Rochester Housing Bus Tour on April 15th — and Rochester showed up! 🙌

Over 40 attendees joined us for a behind-the-scenes look at 5 innovative housing
developments shaping the future of our community:

🔑 Harvest West — Affordable 55+ senior homeownership in NW Rochester
🏢 Trailside Apartments — Supportive housing for low-income seniors
🏗️ Restoration Glen — New workforce rental housing on Mayowood Rd SW
👨‍👩‍👧 Rose Drive Multi-Gen Homes — Multigenerational living on Rose Drive SE
🏡 Homestead Trails — Community Land Trust affordable homeownership

The tour wrapped up with a powerful Developer Panel featuring Logan Bigelow, Mark Engel, Jeff Urban, Laura Helle, and Justin Voss — sharing insights on what it takes to build homes that address our communities housing needs.

🙏 Thank you to Kim Norton - Serving as Mayor in Rochester, MN, JoMarie Morris, Sheila Kiscaden, and all our Coalition partners — Rochester Area Foundation, Mayo Clinic, City of Rochester, MN Government, Olmsted County, and@DMC - Destination Medical Center— for making this possible.

Housing is the foundation of a strong community. This is what collaboration looks like. 💙

📸 Swipe through to see highlights from the tour

🎉 $42 million and counting — and we couldn't be more proud!
Minnesota's State Housing Tax Credit has supported more than 100 affordable housing projects across the state since launching in 2023, and advocates are now pushing to extend it beyond 2028. The program allows individuals and businesses to invest between $1,000 and $2 million in affordable housing and receive an 85% tax credit in return — a powerful tool for communities like ours. Learn more: State Housing Tax Credit Contribution Fund - Minnesota Housing Partnership (MHP) 🔗 https://tinyurl.com/33hd66zu

🏡 Did you know Olmsted County has a program to support housing developers to build more affordable homes right here in our community?
The Growing Affordable Inclusive Neighborhoods (GAIN) program creates incentives for builders to develop smaller, lower-priced owner-occupied homes — think starter homes for first-time buyers or downsizing options for seniors — all priced under $350,000.
Check out the Post Bulletin to learn more! 🔗

Olmsted County announces funding support for construction of affordable, for-sale homes HRA program has supported two developments with loans to support construction of single-family housing with prices less than $350,000.

🏠 What does affordable housing innovation look like in Rochester? Five incredible projects on Wednesday's Coalition for Rochester Area Housing tour showed us exactly that — from multi-generational homes on Rose Drive to senior housing, energy-efficient builds, and more. Nearly $4 million in coalition support is making homeownership possible for families across our community. 💙

Housing coalition tour highlights nearly $4 million in support for affordable housing Multigenerational, senior and net-zero homes were among for-sale and rental projects highlighted during Rochester bus tour.

What does it mean to truly “age in place”?

At Harvest West, it means living in a home designed for you—maintenance-free, energy smart, and surrounded by a strong community of neighbors.

This 55+ homeownership community is all about making the next chapter feel easier, more connected, and more secure.

Interested in learning more about these homes? Good News! The Coalition is hosting a housing bus tour that features this and several other projects designed to address our community’s housing needs — Please email Ruth Blashack @ [email protected] for more information.