NorthEast 2023 Autumn Report
Our 2023 Affordable Housing Virtual Bus tour saw over 25% growth in attendees with 45 people ‘on the bus’, and we were able to highlight not only the good work in the region, but the historic support for housing we got at the State Legislature this year. We started with Washington County, which had finally gotten site control for the Emergency Housing Services Building, to be built just south of the Washington County jail on Highway 36 in Stillwater. They were able to access new shelter capital funds, and the ‘fill the gap’ funding in rental supports were used by the County as well. The County’s video, Our Neighbors Experiencing Homelessness, was powerful and well done.
We then moved along to the St. Andrew’s Community Resource Center, which is still going strong under new executive director Breanna Nichols. The mission there is strong, and their resources including a food shelf, clothing store, and rent support are being heavily used. Their two shelters are now open although volunteers are somewhat thin on the ground.
The bus tour then moved along the continuum to housing from shelter to rental. Solid Ground and Beacon Interfaith are moving together on Gladstone Crossing, which will provide 40 units of deeply affordable rental in Maplewood. Twenty-one units will be permanent supportive housing for young adults with children (18 to 24) who have experienced homelessness. The project is currently assembling what they call the ‘funding stack’ – the many sources that these projects need. Some of these are in place, and they have benefited from the Legislative increase in housing funding. We also awarded our Community Hero award to Trisha Cummins Kauffman, who is retiring this year as the Director of Solid Ground.
After Solid Ground, we moved to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity, which has been working on a new project in Roseville. Jessica Coyle told us how they are asking Roseville homeowners to consider selling to Habitat; the purchase prices are slightly lower, and they come with support from the city to renovate these homes and get them into the hands of low and mid-income homebuyers.
The next presenter on the tour was Paris Dunning of the East Side Area Business Association, who has been working with MICAH on the Purple People, a pro-Bus Rapid Transit support group that MICAH has been partnered with. While White Bear Lake has indicated they do not want the line, and Maplewood is urging the project to reconsider the Bruce Vento Trail alignment, the project is continuing to move forward with a possible route on White Bear Avenue. Several MICAH members took part in the White Bear Avenue Community Parade.
We finished with a presentation on the Minnesota Constitutional Amendment for Housing, Our Future Starts at Home, by Madeleine Hammerlund. The campaign would dedicate a 3/8ths percent increase in the sales tax to three funds to assist in shelter, rental, and homeownership. Sue Watlov Phillips, our executive director, ended with an overview of the historic successes at this year’s Legislature, as well as focusing on federal issues that needed attention.