Saint Paul – Governor Tim Pawlenty today appointed Dan Bartholomay as Commissioner of Minnesota Housing, the state agency charged with financing and advancing affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income Minnesotans. He starts at Minnesota Housing on Monday, November 10.

Bartholomay, 47, has served as director of the Region and Communities program at the McKnight Foundation in Minneapolis since 1995. His work includes fostering collaboration and coordination of affordable housing, economic development and transportation grants.

Bartholomay was previously Executive Director of North End Area Revitalization (NEAR) in Saint Paul from 1990 to 1995. He is a cum laude graduate of Carleton College with a degree in urban affairs. He lives in Minneapolis with his wife, June Thiemann, and they have three children.

“During the past six years, our administration has worked hard to tackle long-term homelessness and assist Minnesotans during the mortgage foreclosure crisis,” Governor Pawlenty said. “Housing affordability and related issues are critical to our state’s economic vitality and quality of life. Dan Bartholomay has the skills, experience and attitude to continue our nation-leading efforts in this area.”

“I am honored to have this opportunity to serve,” Bartholomay said. “I look forward to working with our state’s strong and diverse network of public and private partners that together provide quality affordable homes and important housing opportunities for our citizens. Although we’re facing significant challenges in the housing markets, we will work diligently to build on our past success.”

Minnesota Housing works to meet Minnesotans’ needs for decent, safe affordable housing and stronger communities by focusing on development and redevelopment programs, homeownership loan programs and the preservation of federally assisted housing. Minnesota Housing has just over 200 employees and will invest more than $1.6 billion during 2008-2009 to address a continuum of affordable housing needs for an estimated 90,000 households across the state. It ranks as the 6th largest bank in the state if ranked among commercial banks, with total agency-wide assets of $3.3 billion.