July 2024 news from Beacon
Beacon launches development of The Aragon in East St. Paul
Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative is excited to announce its plans to develop The Aragon—a new development envisioned as 53 apartment homes with multifamily capacity. The Aragon will be located on the border of the Eastview and Conway neighborhoods close to the church of St. Pascal Baylon in East St. Paul.
Beacon believes that affordable homes belong in all communities. Residents of The Aragon will experience the rich cultural heritage and city amenities of the East Side. With the development of this property, Beacon is excited to continue its growth in the East Metro with homes for youth, families, and individuals in St. Paul and suburban Ramsey County.
The Aragon is supported by the shared vision and passion of over 100 congregations and faith communities throughout the Twin Cities metro area who believe that all people should have a home.
Beacon’s proposal is to create The Aragon as a building with approximately 20% of the apartments affordable to individuals with incomes below $25,000 annually and the remaining homes affordable to households with less than $70,000 annually for a family of four.
The success of The Aragon’s development is contingent on the energy and support of community members. Land use (zoning approval) is the critical next step coming in the Summer of 2024, and Beacon will invite advocates and members of our community to show up in support of these new homes and neighbors. Additionally, Beacon relies on the gifts of many to ensure our work building homes like The Aragon can continue. To make a gift in support of The Aragon, visit our donate page.
To learn more about how your time, energy, and resources can support The Aragon and Beacon’s supportive housing, contact Fritz Bimberg, Beacon Congregational Organizer, at fbimberg@beaconinterfaith.org.
How supportive housing helps end homelessness
The Beacon community talks a lot about supportive housing, and that’s for a good reason—it’s one of the most effective ways to reduce homelessness and housing insecurity.
“A lot of homeless individuals get taken advantage of. It felt like everything I did when I was homeless came at a cost. It’s hard to save money when everything sets you back. It was even harder when I couldn’t find a place that could help me get on my feet,” says Jom.
Learn more about how supportive housing can offer a path to stability for Jom and others by visiting our blog.
Housing updates: Summer 2024
The energy of the Beacon community and the remarkable investments of public and private partners have helped us make significant progress in developing over 350 supportive homes across the Twin Cities.
This makes Beacon one of the leading developers of supportive housing in Minnesota.
Check out our summer 2024 housing updates to get up to speed on all the progress the Beacon community is helping to make possible.
Board member spotlight: Theresa Dolata
Meet Theresa Dolata—Beacon Board Member, housing advocate, and congregant at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Community.
By channeling her lived experience with housing insecurity into action, Theresa helps advance policy changes that expand access to deeply affordable housing in Minnesota.
Like other members of the Beacon community, Theresa envisions a Minnesota with thriving, safe, and prosperous communities, thanks to widespread access to affordable homes for individuals of all income levels.
Click here to find out what energizes Theresa as an advocate and what makes her hopeful for the future.
Help Beacon galvanize community support during our Light the Way Home fundraiser
Are you interested in getting your network active in the movement to increase deeply affordable, supportive housing in Minnesota? If “yes,” we invite you to consider helping us as a Community Builder during our Light the Way Home fundraiser in September.
Community Builders invite newcomers to attend the event and support Beacon with a financial gift. Find out more about what it means to be a Community Builder for Light the Way Home by clicking here or contact Ashley Bauer-Yuen at (651) 377-8189 or abauer-yuen@beaconinterfaith.org.
Featured Event: Beacon 101
Help Beacon build our community of support by inviting your connections to Beacon 101!
This program is ideal for newcomers to Beacon’s work. Participants will discover how Beacon went from a single building to a leading housing non-profit that serves over 1,100 residents across 20 buildings. They’ll also learn how Beacon community members work together toward the vision that all people have a home.
During this short virtual program, participants will deepen their understanding of the housing crisis in Minnesota so they can have more meaningful and persuasive discussions about housing issues. They’ll also learn how to join Beacon’s community of housing champions.
Discover future opportunities to participate in this recurring event, hosted twice monthly, by viewing the details below.
Other upcoming events
Beacon 101 on July 10 at 4:30 p.m. (virtual)
Beacon 101 on July 17 at 8:30 a.m. (virtual)
Rent is Due: Day of Action on July 10 at 8:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. (virtual)
