Beacon’s Commitment to Providing Safe, Stable Homes
A response to recent news coverage
by Heidi Mastrud, Acting CEO; VP of Advancement & Communications
With Prairie Pointe in the news lately we suspect that some new community members might be interested in Beacon, how we develop and sustain homes, and the need for affordable homes across the metro.
Beacon is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with more than 20 years of experience that currently operates 19 apartment buildings across the Twin Cities metro. We have six more in development. Some of these buildings offer supportive services to meet the particular needs of the residents. Others are affordable without supportive services.
Our nonprofit is both traditional, with a paid staff who are experts in their field, and unique in that we represent a wide variety of faith communities from many religious traditions who work alongside staff to advocate for new homes in specific communities (like Shakopee) and smart policy solutions that make more affordable housing possible to meet the vast community need.
Each building has its own separate character, community assets, and needs. We have homes in the suburbs and in the city. Some are for young people, others for families with children, and still others for individual adults. When services are offered, they are provided by partner organizations who specialize in providing supports so residents can thrive. All of our buildings are affordable to people with lower incomes, and most of our buildings are targeted for people coming out of homelessness and who make 30% or less of the Area Median Income (about $37,000 a year for a family of four). Beacon homes are well-integrated into their broader neighborhoods and communities. We strive to have every Beacon home be safe, stable, and well-maintained.
In the recent coverage about Prairie Pointe, a family affordable housing project that is being built in Shakopee, a number of media outlets have mentioned concerning news about two of Beacon’s properties that arose in the last year. We understand the community concern because we, too, had concerns. While the specifics of the Lonoke and Kimball Court have been covered elsewhere, what we want to share is this: the challenges that have arisen for property owners, both for-profit entities and nonprofits such as Beacon and other organizations like ours, have been unprecedented in the last few years. The acuity of community need has risen sharply in the face of the opioid crisis, challenges in police/community relationships, economic stressors, staffing shortages, and the eviction moratorium. This list is not to provide an excuse – rather it is an explanation of some of the environmental challenges that a nonprofit like Beacon faces in delivering quality, stable housing to our residents.
At the two properties in question, the problems that arose initially outpaced our ability to respond. Both situations were evidence of greater community safety concerns. Once we got a handle on the situation, we directly addressed the concerns at the properties and both have seen marked improvements. We deeply regret that residents and neighbors ever felt unsafe and have spent months diving into the organizational learning that can help us prevent similar challenges and deploy a more rapid response in the future.
Trusted experts, partners including Minnesota Housing, and neighbors across the metro believe in Beacon’s ability to develop, maintain and operate quality, safe, stable housing because they have seen that we are committed to quality housing, are effective at solving problems when they arise, and have a track record of producing positive impacts for residents.
The need is so complex. The solutions demand creativity and resources. Organizations and individuals must be tenacious as we work toward our vision that all people have a home.
We hope you will join us.
