Author: resi

Aeon’s Board of Directors has elected Melissa Downey as its board chair. Downey, who is the Senior Vice President of Compliance at U.S. Bank, has been a member of Aeon’s board since 2018. Since her appointment as chair, Downey has begun to lead a restructure of the board to include the formation of committees that align with Aeon’s strategic vision.

Aeon’s board now has executive, finance & audit, real estate & investment, governance, and partnerships & programs committees. Coupled with the recent addition of even more passionate, dedicated members to an already highly engaged board, this structural shift has poised the organization well for continued innovation.

“Melissa’s leadership on the board will center her deeply valuable perspectives and experience during this important time as Aeon continues to address Minnesota’s affordable housing crisis,” said Dr. Eric Johnson, President & CEO of Aeon, a nonprofit developer, owner and manager of almost 6,000 affordable homes in the Twin Cities area.

Downey’s background in compliance and risk, as well as change management helps to inform her work on the board. Having dedicated more than a decade to this work, Downey is an expert in her field.

“Having volunteered with Aeon for more than a decade, I’m proud of the role it has played in providing homes for so many in the Twin Cities.” said Downey. “I’m energized by the commitment of this Board and leadership team to address the increased complexities of providing affordable housing and remain both a market and thought leader in this space.” Downey manages consumer and business lending and banking compliance at U.S. Bank, one of the largest banking institutions in the country.

In addition to Downey, Aeon’s Board Executive Committee includes Vice Chairperson Martha Nevanen, Secretary Greg Werner, Saroeun Earm, and Martha Swanson, Aeon’s past board chair who oversaw the transition to Dr. Johnson from long-time leader Alan Arthur.

Aeon’s Board of Directors welcomed Second Harvest Heartland Chief Operating Officer, Sarah Moberg, as its newest member on August 23. Aeon, a nonprofit developer, owner, and manager of almost 6,000 affordable homes in the Twin Cities area, is tackling the affordable housing crisis that lingers in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moberg’s decades of experience in organizational leadership, coupled with her passion for nonprofit work, makes her an exceptional asset to Aeon’s board.

“I am honored to join Aeon’s trailblazing efforts to ensure everyone has a home,” said Moberg. “As a food banker, I see every day how thriving communities begin with the essentials, like food and housing. Showing up for one another is an acknowledgement that we’re all in it together.”

Moberg manages end-to-end sourcing and distribution of millions of meals at Second Harvest Heartland, an organization dedicated to ending hunger. She also develops programming to address hunger in collaboration with schools, clinics and senior care centers. Moberg spent 25 years at General Mills, last serving as Senior Director of Innovation, Technology and Quality prior to joining Second Harvest Heartland in 2021. She brings a global perspective to her work, having led teams locally as well as in Mumbai and Shanghai throughout her career.

“Sarah’s wealth of knowledge in operations and nonprofit management makes her an exceptional addition to Aeon’s board. We are so glad to partner with her in addressing the affordable housing crisis,” said Melissa Downey, Aeon’s board chair.

Moberg holds an M.B.A from the University of California Davis and a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota.

NeighborWorks America and Aeon announced Friday that Aeon resident James Page, Jr. is a recipient of the 2023 Dorothy Richardson Resident Leadership Award, an honor that this year recognizes five leaders from around the country for their outstanding contributions to their communities.

“Our 2023 Dorothy Richardson Award for Resident Leadership honorees are creating access to opportunities and helping develop solutions to critical community issues,” said NeighborWorks America President & CEO Marietta Rodriguez. “It is my honor to recognize them and hold them as example to everyone that we can all inspire and improve our communities — we only need desire and support. Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to our network of affiliates who are doing the work in the community and who nominated our honorees.”

As an accomplished community speaker and author of two books, James uses his personal story of recovery to inspire communities of color in high-risk situations facing oppression.

He is a mentor, recovery coach, and spiritual leader who helps his clients by interrupting negative experiences with support and understanding. James spreads his message of vulnerability and transformation by facilitating support groups, speaking at correctional facilities and holding trainings for Aeon residents.

“I am thrilled that James is being recognized for his leadership and community outreach,” says Dr. Eric Anthony Johnson, President & CEO of Aeon. “He has turned his personal obstacles into a passion for helping members of his community experiencing similar struggles.”

The Dorothy Richardson Award was named for a Pittsburgh-based pioneer in the community-development movement who was the leading force behind the creation of the agency that eventually became NeighborWorks America.

NeighborWorks America, which creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives, and strengthen their communities, supports a network of more than 250 nonprofits, located in every state, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Aeon is a proud member of the NeighborWorks network.

For more information about the 2023 Dorothy Richardson Resident Leadership Awards, visit www.neighborworks.org.

About Aeon

Aeon believes that home is at the center of everything. With a home, people succeed, families thrive, and our region remains strong. At Aeon, we act boldly to create and preserve quality, affordable homes for those who need them most. We develop and manage affordable homes that serve nearly 17,000 people in the Twin Cities each year. For more information, visit aeon.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

About NeighborWorks America

For more than 40 years, Neighborhood Reinvestment Corp., a national, nonpartisan nonprofit known as NeighborWorks America, has strived to make every community a place of opportunity. Our network of excellence includes nearly 250 members in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. NeighborWorks America offers grant funding, peer exchange, technical assistance, evaluation tools, and access to training as the nation’s leading trainer of housing and community development professionals. NeighborWorks network organizations provide residents in their communities with affordable homes, owned and rented; financial counseling and coaching; community building through resident engagement; and collaboration in the areas of health, employment, and education.

Aeon resident Jurline with Rep. Michael Howard, Chair of the Housing Finance and Policy Committee

Aeon residents, supporters and staff have been active at the State Capitol recently. Residents like Jurline and Randy are making sure lawmakers understand the need for affordable homes. They are sharing the life-changing impact those homes can have for members of our community.

Jurline shared her story in support of a bill that would create more housing vouchers. Housing vouchers help people with low incomes pay their rent. The bill, Bring it Home, MN, would create housing vouchers for all Minnesotans who pay more than 30% of their income toward rent.

Jurline repeatedly lost her home when landlords sold properties where she was living, and the rent went up. “You just get tired,” Jurline said. “It runs you down, steady moving. But things happen, and you’ve got to move on.”

When Jurline found home with Aeon, she found the stability she needed. “It’s been helpful to know that I can move here and have a place – some of us are on a fixed income,” she said. “We need to be able to meet our basic needs.”

Now, she’s lending her voice to help more Minnesotans get the stability they need.

Randy told his story in support of House File 302, which is a proposal for $1 billion in Housing Infrastructure Bonds. This money would help fund the construction and repairs of affordable homes across Minnesota.

After a workplace injury, Randy developed an addiction to the medication his doctor prescribed. That led him to lose his home and spend many difficult years navigating homelessness.

Fortunately, Randy discovered home at an Aeon property. He said the discovery helped save his life and gave him an opportunity to restart. “I still remember the first night that I got my room. How much safer I was, how grateful I was that I had been given this opportunity,” Randy said.

Randy also looks forward to maintaining his stability. He has been sober since finding his home with Aeon. “I’m at a point now where I can smile through the tears and realize that things are better now – because they are,” Randy said.

Randy wants things to be better for other people experiencing homelessness, too. That’s why he’s voicing his support for this state funding for affordable housing.

You can make a difference too.

Contact your elected officials and ask them to support Bring it Home, MN. Your quick email or phone call lets them know that the people they represent want every Minnesota to have the rent support they deserve.

Find your representative’s contact information here, and help your neighbors stay your neighbors.

Dr. Eric Anthony Johnson, Aeon’s President & CEO, joined Emmy award-winning radio host Sheletta Brundidge on WCCO Radio on Saturday to talk about Aeon’s work. Dr. Johnson broke down what affordable housing really means, and why so many people need it now more than ever. Listeners of Sheletta’s show wrote in during the interview to ask about helping members in their community connect with Aeon’s housing, and how they can get involved. Listen to the full interview here.

Aeon is welcoming Laura Russ to its Leadership Team as its new Vice President of Asset Management. The organization is setting a new strategic plan that will guide its work over the next 10 years. Minnesota is facing an affordable housing crisis. Aeon, a nonprofit developer, owner and manager of almost 6,000 affordable homes in the Twin Cities area, is responding by growing its impact. Russ will offer new perspective and experience during this important time.

Laura Russ, Vice President, Asset Management

Laura Russ comes to Aeon with an extensive background in affordable housing operations. Her experience has been in both consulting and organizational roles. In this work, she combines her detailed knowledge of field operations with systems thinking to find innovative solutions to housing challenges. Over her career, Russ has been responsible for asset management, property management and real estate development for private and nonprofit owners.

Most recently, Russ led the asset management and investor service functions at Thies & Talle Management, a Minneapolis-based multi-family owner/operator. Previously, she led the Business Process Group at WinnResidential, one of the nation’s largest affordable housing managers. Russ has also consulted with various affordable housing organizations through Viva Consulting and her own entity, Pine Street Partners LLC.

”I’m thrilled and grateful to be joining Aeon at this crucial juncture,” says Russ. “Not only is there a need to add affordable housing, but there is also an opportunity to preserve and enhance the quality of the housing and communities we serve. I look forward to working with Aeon and our partners to create communities of choice to uplift residents.” Russ holds a master’s degree from MIT in Housing and Economic Development and a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Chicago. She is also a licensed Minnesota Real Estate Broker and on the Board of the Minnesota Multi-housing Association.