Breaking ground, building homes: October updates from Beacon
Celebrating groundbreaking (and future homes) in North Minneapolis
Construction on Emerson Village is underway in North Minneapolis!
Members and friends of the Beacon community—including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Councilmember Jeremiah Ellison—gathered at the Church of the Ascension near the construction site to share words of hope, excitement, and encouragement. As uplifting as their speeches were, Amanda—a Beacon resident and mother of three—stole the show with her testimonial.
Amanda recalled, “The day I got that phone call saying I could move in (to Cranberry Ridge) felt like winning the lottery.” Thanks to the support and generosity of the Beacon community, many more families will soon receive a similar call for their home at Emerson Village.
Read Amanda’s testimonial on our blog.
We still need $150,000 from private sources to build Emerson Village. Will you help families like Amanda’s find the comfort and security of a home? Click here to make your gift.
Victory in Shakopee: Prairie Pointe is on its way!
After months of organizing and advocating, Prairie Pointe—Beacon’s affordable housing development in Shakopee—is back on track.
The project came under threat recently when city officials sought to rezone the land previously approved for Prairie Pointe. This unprecedented move would’ve left the region without a significant source of new affordable homes for local families.
On September 7, justice prevailed when the Shakopee Planning Commission voted unanimously to support a withdrawal of the rezoning proposal.
Thanks to the swift action of Beacon advocates and local allies, we anticipate breaking ground on Prairie Pointe next spring, providing more than 40 high-quality, professionally managed apartment homes to low-income families.
To all who showed up to defend Prairie Pointe, THANK YOU for helping us “Pointe the way home!”
Learn more about Prairie Pointe.
Next up for new homes—Aster Commons!
What makes Beacon different? We create cutting-edge supportive housing developments to meet the needs other organizations aren’t addressing.
Aster Commons—our newest planned affordable housing development in Richfield—will help us achieve this strategic goal. The vision of Aster Commons focuses on providing 40 apartment homes for neurodivergent young adults who have or are at risk of experiencing homelessness, especially low-income BIPOC individuals.
Join us in advocating for Aster Commons by attending the land use event on October 23 at the Richfield Municipal Center.
Update on Unlock the Metro
We’ve worked for years to change the Met Council’s annual plan so that it awards project-based vouchers (PBVs) automatically every year. Our amazing volunteer advocates have shown up strong to champion our cause.
Even then, council members were not ready to revise the annual plan this year.
However, our presence made a difference. We engaged Met Council members in discussions about PBVs for the first time and helped extend the time developers can hold onto PVBs.
Help us build on our momentum by:
- Registering to attend the next Met Council meeting on October 2.
- Emailing your Met Council member: Let them know you want them to allocate PVBs annually. Look up your Met Council member here.
Our new CEO starts this month!
On October 9, we welcome Chris LaTondresse as our new CEO/President!
What led Chris to Beacon? Chris said he felt “inspired by Beacon’s unique position at the intersection of mission-driven housing development, faith-rooted organizing, and the political will required to ensure every Minnesotan has a place to call home.”
We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Chris, and we look forward to you meeting him as well!
Learn more about Chris and our CEO transition.
How does racial disparity impact home for Native people?
Did you know that Native people make up 12% of Minnesota’s homeless population?
To help meet the need for housing among the Native community, Beacon and the Red Lake Nation are partnering to create Bimosedaa, which will provide around 50 homes for adults who have experienced homelessness and offer culturally relevant, onsite supportive services.
Since the project involves renovating a historic building, we encountered some extra costs during development; however, Bimosedaa recently received a boost thanks to a generous $100,000 donation from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation!
Can you make a gift today to help build these vital homes?
