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The open house celebrating the efforts of the SJA Housing Ministry and Third Way Network on Sunday, April 25th was a big success. A steady stream of guests took guided tours of the most complete housing unit of the current project in the Hawthorne neighborhood in North Minneapolis.
The project is an ongoing effort to turn a blighted, crime-ridden area into a safe and nurturing environment where low-income families can find decent, affordable housing. Many of the multi-family housing units in the area, including all the ones in this project, were built early in the 20th century to house immigrants who worked at the nearby mills along the Mississippi River. Bathrooms were only added as an afterthought, were poorly constructed, and cramped.
Many property owners came and went over the years, each doing some minimal rehab and then keeping the properties rented as long as possible to maximize profit. At the time this project began, most of the buildings had been abandoned and were inhabited by squatters. Part of the early volunteer work was to help squatters move to other quarters. Demolition was done in phases and delayed as long as possible to ease the transition for them.
Brian Kallionen currently owns two of the buildings. Ricardo and Mary Solomon own the other two. They are dedicated to improving the neighborhood and providing affordable housing. They have made agreements with Third Way Network to provide screened tenants with below market rents as well as discounted rent-to-own opportunities. Under these agreements volunteer labor, as well as institutional contributions, go directly to making housing affordable to those who need it most.
The building we toured at the open house has been framed, and has much of the electrical and plumbing work completed. With a little imagination, we could envision two bedroom apartments in the lower floors and three bedroom units in the upper floors. Each will have a kitchen, dining, and living rooms and laundry facilities. Stairwells have been relocated for convenience and code compliance. The former attic has been re-framed and insulated to provide a living space in an area that had been only marginally useful for storage. A dormer has been added to provide a window necessary for a legal bedroom. One top floor bedroom window has a nice view of the downtown Minneapolis skyline. There is a common area at the entry, and the back yard will become a common play area shared by all of the buildings. This will help create a sense of community within the neighborhood.
A number of institutions have teamed up with SJA to help finance this project, and volunteers come from other church and civic organizations as well as St. Joan's. Most of the unskilled work is done on Saturdays by small volunteer work groups who can work either a half or full day. The Construction Manager, Bob Snyder, who is skilled in all aspects of construction, supervises the work. The owner stops by frequently to ensure everyone has all the supplies and tools they need. Tracy Vicory of Third Way Network does volunteer coordination. Paul Halvorson, who founded Third Way Network, works with the property owners to manage the project and handle permits and other red tape.
Volunteers also provide meals to the work crews, and they are frequently supplemented by special treats prepared by John, a tenant who has lived in the neighborhood for many years. John opens up his home in the nearly identical building next door to the open house to serve lunch and provide restroom facilities. John also participated in the open house, so guests could get an idea what the building looked like before construction began, as well as sample deviled eggs, fried chicken, and salads he made for us. There was also cake, punch, and other snacks provided by SJA in the open house building.
The neighborhood is excited about this major community improvement. Minneapolis City Council member Don Samuels dropped by the open house to see the progress. The visibility is also generating interest in other projects that are in various early planning stages.
A lot more help is needed to bring this important project to fruition. To get involved, or just to learn more, see the Third Way Network website (http://thirdwaynetwork.org).
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