Meet the Founder

Founder Jason Hale started his career in banking at the peak of the Great Recession. Interested in housing and finance, he focused first on mortgage lending, and then financial advising. The experience and education in banking were invaluable, refining and guiding him to what he was truly interested in: real estate and development.

Jason started his career in local government as a Real Estate Appraiser for St. Louis County, Minnesota while studying for his Master’s in Management and Leadership. He then accepted a role with the City of Duluth and Duluth Economic Development Authority, exploring the world of economic development and ultimately becoming the first Senior Housing Developer for the City and Duluth HRA. In 2022, Jason pursued the opportunity to launch the Cook County HRA: for almost three years he lead the HRA, creating the infrastructure for the organization, securing millions in resources, and creating projects and partnerships that continue today.

Over the course of his career, Jason has secured over 55 acres at over 13 sites and $30+ million in grants and local resources to assist over 30 development projects The projects range from tiny homes to 200 unit, mixed-use buildings, and have resulted in over $250 million dollars of private investment on the North Shore. He has testified at the Capitol on behalf of housing several times, and he has presented on topics ranging from zoning to real estate development across the state. Growing up in Owatonna, studying in Minneapolis and working on the North Shore for most of his career, Jason loves Minnesota and is driven to see things happen for its people.