The City of Red Wing’s recent Housing Summit was an encouraging first step - and an important reminder that housing challenges don’t stop at any city’s borders. Leaders from across sectors came together to talk about one of our region’s greatest challenges - and greatest opportunities - housing. It was heartening to see so many people working toward solutions.
Housing affects everything - our workforce, schools, economy, and community health. When families can’t find safe, affordable places to live, the costs ripple through every corner of Goodhue County.
Employers are struggling to attract and keep workers because too many families can’t find housing they can afford near their jobs. All types of housing are needed - quality rentals and attainable homes for purchase - in every community across the county.
At Goodhue County Habitat for Humanity, our part of that puzzle is helping working families become first-time homeowners through partnership and hard work. Habitat homebuyers purchase their market-priced homes with an affordable mortgage and invest hundreds of hours of sweat equity to help build them. They learn to manage their home and finances and witness volunteerism in our communities. Families pay taxes, gain stability, build equity, and strengthen neighborhoods.
Through our Build for Tomorrow Initiative, we’re also working alongside the next generation of builders. In partnership with the Goodhue Wildcats and Kenyon-Wanamingo Knights, high school students work side-by-side with instructors and Habitat staff to construct homes that transform lives. It’s a win-win-win: families gain affordable housing, students gain hands-on trade skills, and our communities gain a stronger workforce for the future.
Habitat for Humanity is proud to be part of the solution, but we can’t meet the full demand alone. Our volunteer-build model produces a few homes each year - life-changing for those families, but far short of the need. That’s why we need strong public and private partnerships that make it feasible for developers and contractors to build more workforce and affordable homes. With the right programs, incentives, and creative financing, every sector can help close the housing gap.
Goodhue County Habitat is doing its part through HOPE Heights - a new development of 26 energy-efficient Habitat homes on Red Wing’s former St. John’s Hospital site within an existing, vibrant neighborhood. Infrastructure work begins in early spring 2026, followed by construction of the first twin home soon after.
I left the Red Wing Housing Summit encouraged but aware that progress depends on all of us. It’s easy to assume someone else will take the lead, but lasting change requires everyone’s involvement. One city cannot solve this alone - it will take a countywide approach and a shared commitment from every community, organization, and neighbor who calls Goodhue County home.
Let’s build on this momentum and come together for a Goodhue County Housing Alliance - uniting cities, schools, employers, and residents to plan for housing at every stage of life and work.
Together, we can build homes, build hope, and build community.
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Bob Hawley is Executive Director of Goodhue County Habitat for Humanity. Learn more at gchabitat.org.
