Green Organization

We’re proud to announce that Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership has been recognized as a NeighborWorks® Green Organization!

As a designated NeighborWorks Green Organization, we infuse green principles throughout our operations, programs and services. NeighborWorks America provides this designation to Chartered Members that meet criteria designed to assess an organization’s use of best practices in creating and promoting healthy and sustainable homes and communities. More about our designation here.

For a brief overview of some of our green achievements, see our green organization profile provided by NeighborWorks America.

Green Organization Profile

How We Are Going Green

Throughout the Partnership, we are committed to healthy, sustainable practices that benefit residents and our entire community. Our strategy is to infuse as many of our operations as possible – from education to rehab – with cutting-edge green strategies appropriate for our organization, our customers and our community.

Operations

For us, going green makes economic, environmental and productive sense. We follow a Green Management Plan that outlines how we will conduct our business. We maintain energy and water conservation through staff training and technology upgrades to our office. New equipment is Energy Star rated (for products on which that rating is available) and supplies are purchased through reviewed green vendors or are green options through current vendors.

Homeownership Education and Counseling

Our organization emphasizes high-quality education and counseling for homeowners at all stages – from pre-purchase education to post-purchase education and counseling. SWMHP focuses on homeowner success for the long-term, so integrating green elements in our education and counseling programs helps clients make more informed decisions and live in homes that are healthier for themselves and their families, and be more efficient and financially sustainable over time.

Our homeownership education and counseling staff are trained in green homes and healthy living concepts by the nationally known NeighborWorks Training Institute. In our education programs, we integrate the key principles of energy efficiency, water conservation and healthy indoor environments. Learn more about our education programs.

Lending

Our lending products enable green rehab and retrofits of existing homes and apartment buildings. Property owners who qualify can use the financing for lead abatement, energy-efficiency installations, home repair and improvements, and more. We provide information and educational resources on subsidies, rebates and loans from local utilities, nonprofits, and government sponsored programs. We also provide materials that outline easy changes property owners can make to support long-term success of their green rehab investment.

At-Home Tips for Energy and Water Conservation

Development

At SWMHP, we put our green beliefs into action. We are committed to ensuring that all of our new construction and rehabilitation projects meet Minnesota Green Communities criteria, and we are striving to go beyond requirements. With on-staff Home Energy Rating Service (HERS) Raters, we can test construction and property improvements to be sure that projects meet and exceed green performance standards.

Viking Terrace profile
Orness Plaza profile
Sibley Park profile

Asset and Property Management

Capital improvements to our rental properties have green criteria that will be consistently applied. We also provide support for tenants and managers of our green buildings so that green maintenance and management is maintained and tenants can get the most comfort, health benefits and savings out of their dwellings. We provide Healthy Home Guides for tenants and training so they can save money and conserve local resources by taking on green habits.

Community Building

We meet with community members and local leaders every day to identify local needs and develop solutions. Green solutions are critical to that process. Through our partnerships with residents, public health departments, and others, we are promoting the idea of health, sustainability and cost-effectiveness by showing the data that reflects the positive results of taking the steps towards green initiatives.

Annual Green Impact Reports

2013
2014

Learn More about how Neighborworks is Working Together for Strong Communities®