Inside supportive housing at Bimosedaa
Written by Dylan Novacek, Content Specialist
Sitting in the heart of Downtown Minneapolis, the 48 deeply affordable and supportive homes at Bimosedaa provide refuge and stability for individuals exiting homelessness, many of whom come directly from encampments.
An Ojibwe word meaning “let’s walk together,” Bimosedaa is uniquely positioned to serve a primarily Native resident population. Created in collaboration with Avivo and Red Lake Nation, residents receive culturally relevant onsite services under a high-fidelity harm reduction model.
Take a look inside Bimosedaa to learn how these supportive homes will transform lives disrupts homelessness and helps set residents up for long-term stability and success.
A Q&A With Bimosedaa’s Program Manager Heather Day and Program Director David Jeffries
Can you share an overview of the services at Bimosedaa?
Heather Day: The residents at Bimosedaa receive a home they can afford with onsite security and essential services wrapped around them. Under a Housing First and harm reduction model, we meet residents where they are and walk alongside them on their journey to stability.
Here, they receive a spectrum of care that meets their present needs. This includes medical care, mental health treatment, and intensive case management.
David Jeffries: What makes the services unique at Bimosedaa is how they are specifically tailored to this population. Providing culturally relevant services means we acknowledge the unique identities and cultural backgrounds of our residents while connecting them to resources that speak to who they are, where they come from, and what they need most. It’s about giving the right services at the right time.
Can you take us through some of the amenities onsite at Bimosedaa?
Heather: Everything begins on the ground floor in our main lobby. This open space includes comfortable chairs and tables for meetings, access to phones and computers, Avivo’s offices, and space for our partners from Perennial Property Management and onsite security from Relative Intel.
A highlight in our building is the medical exam room. This important space is equipped with everything medical providers need to give residents access to onsite care. This includes dental appointments, HIV testing, and wound care.
There is a variety of meeting spaces in the building where residents can host support groups, have private meetings, and more. There is also our large community room with a shared kitchen, which is perfect for hosting large building events.
Each apartment at Bimosedaa has its own bathroom, kitchen, and beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows.
My favorite space in the building is the beautiful rooftop patio. This outdoor space gives residents a great view of the Minneapolis skyline.
What is your vision for the services at Bimosedaa?
David: Our hope is that residents get connected to everything they need for their daily lives. I want to help residents build good relationships, navigate the healthcare system, and advocate for themselves. All those things are critical for inspiring resident success.
Photo credit to Sahan Journal.
Heather: We’re being led by resident voice. The building just opened its doors in December of 2023, so in this early phase of implementing services we’re asking the residents what they need. It’s different for each person. Some want to dive in and find a job, while others may have that as an end goal.
Right now, our goals are centered around connecting residents to primary care, such as mental health and dental care.
What makes these services so essential to residents?
David: The residents at Bimosedaa are people who have been marginalized, especially when it comes to receiving services. They come in with significant health disparities and other co-morbidities associated with being homeless. This is especially true for Native Americans, who are 30 times more likely to experience homelessness than their white, non-Hispanic counterparts.
It’s critical that we connect residents to services that address their mental and physical health. The most critical things for these residents are getting them access to a safe and secure home, stability, and health care.
How do these services contribute to a thriving community at Bimosedaa?
David: Everything from onsite security to service staff helps keep Bimosedaa a safe and respectable environment. Everything we do here is based on our commitment to helping residents maintain their stability.
To me, a thriving community looks like residents who are living just like we do. They are happy, healthy, supported, and have everything they need.
Heather: A thriving community is one that isn’t in survival mode anymore. We foster an environment of connection and resources. This means residents can address their unmet needs, reconnect with family, and discover their purpose beyond finding a place to sleep at night.
How does Bimosedaa address the unmet needs in our community?
David: Encampments are popping up everywhere these days. Even as we were opening the building, an encampment in South Minneapolis was being ordered to close. Avivo’s street outreach team was onsite to lead part of that evacuation. It was perfect timing because we could bring many of those individuals into Bimosedaa.
We were able to lease up quickly. It was clear that we need homes like Bimosedaa now more than ever.
Heather: Bimosedaa is a direct response to the racial disparities we see in the community for people experiencing homelessness. BIPOC individuals especially are impacted by homelessness, poverty, and negative health care outcomes.
What people need is housing that makes them feel like they are living their best lives. Bimosedaa fills an important gap in the community by doing just that.
What’s been a highlight of your time working at Bimosedaa so far?
Heather: When we gave residents the tour, they were shocked. The big windows, the bright lights, brand new appliances and everything. People teared up imagining themselves living here.
As we’ve been leasing up these homes, I’ve seen residents reunite with friends and family from the encampments. Seeing this community come together in a safe and secure environment really speaks to what we’re looking to do at Bimosedaa.
When adequately resourced, supportive housing is the most effective way to ensure that all people have a home. With onsite case management, 24/7 security, and a home they can afford the community at Bimosedaa thrives. Make a gift to help sustain residents in their homes.
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