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Thrilling Times at Beacon

Dylan Novacek February 20, 2020

Written by Craig Freeman, Community Connections Manager

On a recent Sunday afternoon, I gave a tour of Beacon’s Lydia Apartments location to a group from Plymouth Congregational Church. I enjoy all tours, but this one was especially meaningful because Plymouth is Beacon’s founding congregation and Lydia was the building they built. The first of our 18 and counting affordable apartment buildings.

The tour took on another meaning, however, when I stopped on my way back to my car to chat with the staff member from our property management partner CommonBond. We talked briefly about the relationship between Lydia and Plymouth before he mentioned he’d “just read about Beacon’s ‘Bring it Home, Minnesota’ bill at the legislature.” He said he hadn’t had a chance to fully learn about the bill, but what he’d seen was really exciting.

I happened to have copies of the ‘Bring it Home, Minnesota’ brochure in my bag so I passed one along as we continued to talk. My new friend explained he’d worked at Aeon and Wilder prior to joining CommonBond and he’d often thought rental subsidy was the answer we are all looking for to the issue of homelessness. His eyes positively glowed as he said, “and now you’re doing it! This would end homelessness!”

I’ve been saying for weeks now that the next couple years at Beacon aren’t just exciting, they’re thrilling, but to experience this response from a stranger before the Bring it Home, Minnesota bill is even technically introduced…I have no words.