Emerging and Diverse Developers (EDD) Program
Ramsey County will begin accepting applications for the 2025 Emerging and Diverse Developers (EDD) Solicitation on Sept. 8, 2025, for the acquisition, rehabilitation and the construction of affordable housing units. The county aims to address racial barriers in real estate, providing emerging and diverse developers with a fair and equal opportunity to thrive in the early stages of the development process. This exclusive solicitation is for developers with less than 25 units of housing and/or 15,000 sq. ft of commercial space.
Responses are due by 5 p.m. Oct. 31, 2025. Applications must be submitted via Neighborly and have all required components to be eligible for review. All proposed housing developments must include units at/or below 80% Area Median Income (AMI) and the overall average of rental limits must be at or below 80%. Technical assistance will be offered through NEOO Partners LLC starting Sept. 8, 2025.
Ramsey County offers one-on-one technical assistance, online small and cohort group learning to qualified emerging and diverse developers interested in affordable housing and community development within the county. This competitive program, while currently closed to enrollment, has two parts.
Part one – Technical assistance program. Contracted organizations provide technical assistance to emerging developers planning to apply for future housing and redevelopment opportunities.
Part two – Solicitation. Ramsey County has created an application process for emerging and diverse developers to access funding for affordable housing development. The solicitation is focused on housing affordable to residents making between 30-80% Area Median Income (AMI).
Information Sessions
Questions & Answers
- How do I sign up for the Emerging and Diverse Developers Program?
- Applications for the technical assistance program will open in the summer of 2025.
- Can I participate in the EDD Program if I do not live in Ramsey County?
- Yes, however, participants who live and plan to develop in Ramsey County are given priority.
- Am I required to attend all classes in person?
- Ramsey County requires participants in the EDD Program to attend all sessions in person.
- Is this program free?
- Yes, the program is offered at no cost.
- Do I have to participate in the program in order to apply to the housing development solicitation?
- No. Solicitation applicants are not required to participate in the technical assistance portion of the program.
Eligibility
The program is available to individuals or entities interested in affordable housing who have owned and/or developed no more than 25 housing units or 15,000 sq. ft. of commercial space in Minnesota in the last 10 years, as a sole proprietor or under other business entities. There is a new application process annually. Program participants must re-apply annually if wait listed.
Participants of EDD must sign a declaration about previous projects that they have owned or been affiliated with.
Program goals
Ramsey County aims to address racial barriers in real estate, providing emerging and diverse developers with a fair and equal opportunity to thrive in the early stages of the development process. To achieve this goal, Ramsey County seeks to:
- Diversify the number of candidates applying to Ramsey County’s Housing Development Solicitations.
- Build intergenerational wealth for underrepresented emerging developers acquiring real estate.
- Provide housing development solicitations for emerging developers.
Cohort group learning
Cohort group learning is an eight week in-person classroom opportunity for qualified emerging developers in the EDD Program.
Funding opportunities
The Solicitation is now closed and projected to open again in the Fall of 2025. Ramsey County accepted applications for the 2024 Emerging and Diverse Developers Solicitation between Sept. 5 and Oct. 31, 2024, for the acquisition, rehabilitation and construction of affordable housing units.
Past awards
2025
The following projects were approved for Statewide Affordable Housing Aid funding at the County Board meeting on Jan. 21, 2025:
| Recipient | Project | City | Housing Units | Recommended Award Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARRA Properties | Lexington Deluxe | Saint Paul | 26 | $401,080 |
| Total |
$401,080 |
|||
2024
The following projects were approved for Housing and Redevelopment Authority funding at the County Board meeting on Dec. 17, 2024:
| Recipient | Project | City | Housing Units | Recommended Award Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aventus Holdings | Taylor Acquisition | Saint Paul | 3 (preserved) | $370,000 |
| Bungalow Boss Holdings LLC | White Bear Acquisition-Rehab | Maplewood | 2 (preserved) | $397,312 |
| Horace Investment Group LLC | Horace House Pre-Development | Saint Paul | (pre-development) 12 | $20,000 |
| Midway Green Development LLC | 1609 Saint Anthony Rehab | Saint Paul | 5 (preserved) | $320,000 |
| New Verticals | 1200 Grand Acquisition-Rehab | Saint Paul | 8 | $500,000 |
| Noelle Vertina | Reaney | Saint Paul | 3 | $330,000 |
| Shakir Consulting LLC | Hewitt Pre-Development | Saint Paul | (pre-development) 2 | $20,000 |
| T&L Partners | University Acquisition-Rehab | Saint Paul | 4 |
$330,000 |
| Thurmond Holdings | Aurora Revitalization | Saint Paul | 3 | $179,550 |
| Total | $2,896,862 |
|||
2023
The following projects were approved for funding for Statewide Affordable Housing Aid funding at the County Board meeting on Dec.19, 2023:
|
Recipient |
Project |
Location |
Housing units | 30% AMI |
Investment |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
New Verticals Development |
Grotto Street Acquisition |
Saint Paul |
3 (preserved) | 0 |
$320,000 |
|||
|
Midway Property Development LLC |
992 Iglehart Acquisition |
Saint Paul |
2 (preserved) | 0 |
$274,054 |
|||
| GRO LLC | 796 Coliving Little Mod | Saint Paul | 12 | 0 | $127,891 | |||
| Total | 17 | 0 | $721,945 | |||||
The following projects were approved for 2023 HRA Levy funding during the HRA board meeting on Dec. 12, 2023:
|
Recipient |
Project |
Location |
Housing units | 30% AMI |
Investment |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Reign Development |
Hazelwood Acquisition |
Saint Paul |
48 (preserved) | 1 |
$500,000 |
|||
|
Face to Face Health and Counseling |
F2F @ 1170 Arcade |
Saint Paul |
20 | 20 |
$432,152 |
|||
| Gloryville LLC | GloryVille | Saint Paul | 87 | 0 | $432,152 | |||
| GRO LLC | 796 Coliving Little Mod | Saint Paul | 12 | 0 | $305,696 | |||
| Thoj Group | Woodbridge Street Duplex | Saint Paul | 2 (preserved) | 0 | $20,000 | |||
| Outlaw Development LLC | 1698 Lafond Duplex | Saint Paul | 2 (ownership) | 0 | $20,000 | |||
| Outlaw Development LLC | 750 Chatsworth Lofts | Saint Paul | 3 | 0 | $20,000 | |||
| Hourglass Homes LLC | Youngman Flats | Saint Paul | 3 | 1 | $20,000 | |||
| Reallocated funds from 2022 Housing Development Solicitation | ||||||||
| Buhl Investors | Amber Flats | Falcon Heights |
100 |
3 | $500,000 | |||
| Total | 275 | 25 | $2,250,000 | |||||