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2026 Minnesota NAHRO Spring Conference

Thanks for Joining Us for the 2026 Minnesota NAHRO Spring Conference

May 18โ€“20, 2026 | Sugar Lake Lodge, Cohasset, MN

Connect, learn, and grow with colleagues from across the state at the 2026 Minnesota NAHRO Spring Conference. This yearโ€™s gathering brings together housing professionals for three days of practical training, timely policy updates, and meaningful peer exchange designed to strengthen agencies and the communities we serve.

Attendees will gain valuable insights through a dynamic lineup of sessions, including:

Newly Added: Mary Hirsh-Justice will share her insights on PHAS indicators and answer your questions on HUD systems.

Repositioning Public Housing: Options & Opportunities โ€“ Explore strategies to sustain and modernize your housing portfolio.

Understanding PHAS Indicators โ€“ Strengthen your agencyโ€™s performance with our half day session focused on PHAS. We know that it can be a challenge to manage and keep track of the many elements that contribute to your PHAS score. Our session will help you better understand the key elements for assessment and how you can use PHAS to proactively manage your public housing portfolio. If you have public housing, this half day session is for you!ย 

Best Practices & Policies for Hearings โ€“ Navigate hearings with confidence strategies and real-world considerations.

Legislative & Policy Updates โ€“ Stay informed on the latest policy developments impacting housing authorities.ย 

Skill Building Workshops on Burnout, De-escalation & Handling Hostile Clients featuringย Dr. Lisa Sorensen

  • Giving Burnout the Boot: A Toolkit for Renewal – Feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or detached? This session is designed to guide you from chronic burnout back to a state of vitality. We will bridge the gap between understanding the physiology of stress and taking practical action. You will learn how to identify personal triggers, break the cycle of exhaustion, and foster lasting mental and emotional resilience.
  • Working with Challenging Customers/Clients – Hostile, difficult, frustrated, emotional, and upset people are all around us. At some point or another, we are all faced with difficult people or situations. This course provides a practical toolkit for navigating and de-escalating potentially difficult or intense circumstances. During this session, we will review tools and techniques for maintaining emotional regulation, de-escalating conflicts, and effectively managing aggressive behavior.
  • Trauma and the Workplace – This introductory session provides a foundational understanding of how trauma, ranging from acute events to chronic toxic stress, affects brain function, behavior, and performance at work. Participants will learn toย identify signs and effects of traumaย and review practical skills to help those experiencing distress without becoming overwhelmed.

Plus much more…

Beyond the sessions, enjoy networking events, roundtables by role and region, and opportunities to share ideas with peers who understand your challenges and successes.ย 

Whether youโ€™re a seasoned leader or new to the field, this conference offers actionable tools, fresh perspectives, and valuable connections you wonโ€™t want to miss.

Register today and be part of strengthening Minnesotaโ€™s housing community!

Event Details

Contact Info

Sessions

We will post session material as we receive them from our speakers. Thanks for joining us!ย 

Plenary – Giving Burnout the Boot: A Toolkit for Renewal
-Speaker: Dr Lisa Sorensenย 

 

Session Material – to be postedย 

Repositioning Public Housing: Options & Opportunities

Speaker: Jill Keppers, Duluth HRA

Session Material – to be postedย 

Trauma and the Workplace – How Trauma Impacts Your Work & Your Clients

– Dr Lisa Sorensen

Session Material – to be postedย 

Understanding Your PHAS Indicatorsย 

Speakers – Dana Hiltunen, Diane Larson, Lori Lynberg and Mary Hirsch Justtice

Session Material – to be postedย 

Best Practices & Policies for Hearings

Speaker – Brandon Engblom, Duluth HRAย 

Session Material – to be postedย 

Working with Challenging Clients & Customers

Speaker – Dr. Lisa Sorensen

Session Material – to be postedย 

Ask the HUD Data Expert & Public Housing Rountableย 

Speaker – Mary Hirsch Justice, Housing Data Symstems

Session Material – to be postedย 

Employee Safety & De-escalation Techniquesย 

Speaker – Detective Jon Swenson, Virginia Police Departmentย 

Session Material – to be postedย 

Connect & Comply – The New Digital Front Door for HRAs

Speakers – Taggert Medgaarden, Allison Streich & Wendy Anderson, Aurora Web Solutionsย 

Session Material – to be postedย 

Minnesota 2026 Legislative Updateย 

Speaker – Sam Richie, Larken & Hoffman & Minnesota NAHRO lobbyistย 

Session Material – to be postedย 

Lodging Info

Lodging - Sugar Lake Lodge

Lodging & Meal Package at Sugar Lake Lodge

Our Spring Conference will be held at Sugar Lake Lodge located 15 miles outside of Grand Rapids, Minnesota. We have exclusive use of the full venue for the duration of the conference. Reserve your lodging with Sugar Lake Lodge by using the fillable form provided. Advance payment is required.

What Is in the Lodging & Meal Package?ย Minnesota NAHRO has secured a lodging and meal package for the conference which includes:ย 

  • 2 nights lodging for Monday & Tuesday nightsย (see lodging package below for more details)ย 
  • Meals includeย Monday lunch and dinner, Tuesday breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus Wednesday breakfast and lunch.ย  ย 
  • Sunday night available as an add on (includes Sunday dinner and Monday breakfast)
  • Conferenceย lodging and mealย package begins at $433.06ย per personย double occupancy. Single occupancy $521.76 per person.ย 
  • More details available on the form provided.
  • Contactย Rachel Watson or use the form to request a meal only option for those living nearby.
  • Lodging package rate honored up until arrival.ย 
  • To make your reservation, complete the form and email toย Rachel Watsonย or callย (218) 327-1462ย 

Location Info

Event Sponsors

Elite Sponsors

HAIGroup PMS2186C 400X100 300dpi
Minnesota Housing

Platinum Sponsors

Hawkins Ash

Gold Sponsors

Hai Group Logo
Hai Group Logo

Silver Sponsors

Hai Group Logo

Bronze Sponsors

Latest News

2026 Calendar of Events

Each year Minnesota NAHRO hosts conferences and trainings to help our members keep up to date with the affordable housing industry. Use the button below to see our event calendar which provides a list of events at the state, regional, and federal level of NAHRO. We...

$53 Million for Public Housing Rehab Awarded to Minnesota HRAs

$53 Million for Public Housing Rehab Awarded to Minnesota HRAs

Minnesota Housing recenlty awarded $53 million to finance in repairs and updates to 32 public housing buildings across the state. The resulting work will help preserve more than 3,200 apartments statewide, including 22 projects in Greater Minnesota and 10 in the Twin...

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About Minnesota NAHRO

The Minnesota Chapter of the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO) serves the stateโ€™s housing and community development needs.

Our mission is to be the leading housing and community development organization in Minnesota by promoting strong, viable communities for all Minnesotans, particularly those with low and moderate incomes.

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Latest News

2026 Calendar of Events

Each year Minnesota NAHRO hosts conferences and trainings to help our members keep up to date with the affordable housing industry. Use the button below to see our event calendar which provides a list of events at the state, regional, and federal level of NAHRO. We...

$53 Million for Public Housing Rehab Awarded to Minnesota HRAs

$53 Million for Public Housing Rehab Awarded to Minnesota HRAs

Minnesota Housing recenlty awarded $53 million to finance in repairs and updates to 32 public housing buildings across the state. The resulting work will help preserve more than 3,200 apartments statewide, including 22 projects in Greater Minnesota and 10 in the Twin...