Coalition for Rochester Area Housing names executive director

(ABC 6 News) – The Coalition for Rochester Area Housing named an executive director on Thursday.

JoMarie Morris, will take on the role and lead the organization’s growth and strategic vision to generate innovative solutions to meet the communities housing needs.

The lack of housing options has been identified as the highest rated challenge in the region according to recent City of Rochester and Olmsted County housing surveys.

Morris says that she is “grateful for this opportunity to work across sectors with other committed community leaders to leverage resources and enhance our collective impact to address these urgent affordable housing needs.” She indicates that to meet this challenge “We must work collaboratively to create and preserve housing options that will ensure the dignity and security of our residents and economic growth of our region.” 

Most recently, Morris led the efforts to build and launch a Jeremiah Program campus in southeast Minnesota as the inaugural Executive Director of the Rochester-SE MN Jeremiah Program. The Rochester Jeremiah Program Campus which provides housing and whole family services for single mother scholars and their children was one of the first investments made by the Coalition when the organization was created 5 years ago.    

Morris is a graduate of Winona State University and attended William Mitchell College of Law where she received her Juris Doctor with honors and served as associate editor of the law review. She was a partner at Klampe, Delehanty & Morris law firm in Rochester for 18 years practicing civil litigation and immigration. Morris is passionate about social justice issues and has done work relating to domestic abuse, sex and labor trafficking, and citizenship for refugees.

The Coalition for Rochester Area Housing is a community funders collaborative with the purpose of acquiring, investing, managing, and distributing locally originated funds and related resources to create and preserve affordable and workforce priced housing in the greater Rochester area. Coalition members and contributors include Olmsted County, the City of Rochester, Mayo Clinic, Rochester Area Foundation, and Destination Medical Center.

To learn more about the Coalition for Rochester Area Housing, CLICK HERE.