Making Emerson Village a reality
More action is needed to get Emerson Village and Vista 44 fully funded
by Emily Goldthwaite Fries, Senior Congregational Organizer
The end of a year is an exciting time for our collaborative, as we anticipate news of funding awarded to the affordable homes we plan to build across the Twin Cities Metro area. This fall, there was good news and bad news. Particularly surprising was the news that the City of Minneapolis turned down Emerson Village’s funding application for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund.
The AHTF is intended to make it possible for developers to create homes that will be affordable for people with incomes below the area median income (AMI for short). Beacon is a somewhat unique developer, with the goal of creating apartment homes that are affordable for people with the lowest incomes, below $30,000 a year – like Lydia Apartments and Bimosedaa, both to begin construction soon.
One challenge is that this takes many layers of funding. As people of faith we don’t shy away from that challenge, and when we saw that the City’s scoring system ranked Emerson Village the fourth highest out of eighteen proposals, yet no funding was awarded, we discerned quickly that we needed to speak up. In mid-December, our Emerson Village team met with six city council members and about 90 members of the collaborative signed up to witness the vote on Friday. We didn’t receive the $2 million that Emerson Village will need – yet – but we successfully raised the issue that only 20% of the apartment units funded in this year’s round would serve households at the lowest income level. We found allies among the City Council who pledged to work with us to ensure the City follows through on its commitment to deeply affordable housing and assured us that Emerson Village should be funded next time.
Funding from Minneapolis would have improved our applications to other government programs, so this is indeed a setback. But we have learned once again the importance of organizing to keep our elected leaders and City and County staff accountable to the values we believe they share with us. Our work and theirs has only become more urgent throughout the pandemic, as so many Minnesotans have lost jobs or become sick – with African American, Native American and other people of color impacted at much higher rates than white Minnesotans.
In the coming months, you will need to continue to show up and speak up for families who are struggling to afford housing, families who are right now waiting for homes like Emerson Village, Vista 44, and Prairie Pointe. Hennepin County actions will be next! Keep your eyes open for meetings with Hennepin County Commissioners this spring as we call on them to align the county’s funding with their values by prioritizing homes for people with the lowest incomes.
Our goal is to make sure we receive all the remaining funding needed for these homes in 2021. This is a big lift and an ambitious timeline, but the families who will benefit can’t wait. They can’t afford half-measures and delays that kick the can down the road. Full funding is needed now, – and it won’t happen without us.
