Author: resi

After more than 70 years in operation, the Lowry Grove mobile home park in St. Anthony, Minn., now sits empty.

Aeon, a member of the NeighborWorks network, is receiving $577,000 in flexible grants from the Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation, dba NeighborWorks America. This grant will support its affordable housing and community development activities.

Aeon joined the NeighborWorks network in 2010 and has used NeighborWorks funds to power its mission and provide staff development. With NeighborWorks’ latest grants, Aeon will continue to preserve existing and build new affordable homes.

“The availability of affordable housing – housing that a family can fit in their budget – is one of the most important issues for families,” Senator Klobuchar said. “This grant will help communities across Minnesota build and maintain reliable, affordable housing options for residents, and provide relief to Minnesotans who are still facing higher housing costs than they can handle.”

“Since 2010, NeighborWorks’ steady support has helped Aeon save and add more than 2,500 affordable apartment homes to the Twin Cities region,” said Alan Arthur, President and CEO of Aeon. “We thank NeighborWorks for the funding to make our work possible so that our residents can find the stability of home.”

NeighborWorks America is announcing $70 million in grants to its network of nearly 250 nonprofit organizations located around the country. NeighborWorks organizations will use the grants to develop and manage high-quality affordable housing, help consumers set and reach their goals through financial coaching, offer homeownership education and counseling, and revitalize and strengthen communities.

“NeighborWorks America is dedicated to securing that these grants create opportunities for people to improve their lives and strengthen their communities,” said NeighborWorks America President and CEO Marietta Rodriguez. In fiscal year 2018, the NeighborWorks network provided 457,000 housing and counseling services; owned and managed 166,900 rental homes; and created more than 41,100 jobs.

For more information about NeighborWorks America go to NeighborWorks.org.

I would often get on the bus and ride from one end to the other. It was my shelter during the day.

Jim moved into his home at the Maryland in 1999. When the building went up for sale nearly 10 years later, Jim was at risk for having no place to go.

But thanks to committed supporters like you, Aeon was able to purchase the property to maintain its affordability and to ensure residents living there didn’t have to move.

For Jim, who knew what it was like to live out on the streets, this meant everything.

You see, before moving into The Maryland, Jim spent about three years living on the streets. He struggled with sobriety. Without a home, he had a tough time getting back on his feet.

After a near-death experience, Jim realized that he needed to make a change. He put himself into a detox program and has been sober ever since, knowing he had the stability of a home he could depend on.

But 20 years later, Jim remembers his days walking the skyways and riding the busses just to stay warm. He remembers having to search for a new place to sleep every night. He never wants to go through that again.

“I would often get on the bus and ride from one end to the other. It was my shelter during the day.” – Jim

Because of you, Jim and his dog Popeye have a place to call home. He has been living at The Maryland for over 15 years now.

Thank you for supporting homes like Jim’s.

Alan Arthur is CEO of Aeon, a nonprofit organization in Minneapolis that develops and manages affordable housing. “Decades of converging economic, market, social and policy trends are pushing us toward 20 years of the worst housing situation for lower-income households since the Great Depression,” he said.

With rental vacancies low and rents high, the city of St. Paul is offering property tax discounts to landlords who keep at least 20 percent of their apartments affordable to low-to-moderate income households.

Nonprofit developers in Minnesota are creative when it comes to financing and building affordable housing, but the partial federal government shutdown is putting their resourcefulness to the test.

Whether you’re starting your journey by giving your time, or you’re well on your way to creating a lasting legacy, local organizations offer their best advice for making it meaningful.

A family-oriented, low-income apartment building in Ramsey celebrated its grand opening Nov. 6.

A draft of the Minneapolis 2040 comprehensive plan proposes building fourplexes across the city, sparking a heated debate among residents and policymakers.