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Editorial: A new approach to housing, services

Innovative Minneapolis center is a model for affordable living.

Last update: November 19, 2008 - 6:14 PM

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MAKING A DIFFERENCE

To see the building, hear stories about the people Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota serves and to learn how to get involved or make a donation, go to centerforchanginglives.org.

Low-income residents of the newly opened Center for Changing Lives in Minneapolis have fewer barriers to getting their lives on track. They're settled into affordable, roomy apartments that help them manage their budgets. Key transportation issues are solved because services ranging from employment to budgeting to mental health counseling are just steps away from home. And activities for children are available under the same roof.

The mission of the center, which officially opened for business this week at 2400 Park Av. S., is to make it easier for people to stabilize their lives and become more productive members of the community. The center is an impressive example of how housing and social services can be combined on a single site.

With the apartments filled and the service providers up and running, the center is well-positioned to effectively serve the mix of African and Hispanic immigrants and other lower-income residents in the Phillips neighborhood.

Bright and airy with loads of natural light, the building fills a large city block. Colorful play spaces are available for children to use while parents meet with counselors. A small, indoor basketball practice court is on-site for older kids. And because at least a third of those served are Muslim immigrants, two private rooms with tiled floor-level and foot-washing facilities are available.

Thanks to thousands of gallons of donated paint, clean earth-toned walls greet visitors in the service center. The spacious apartments have granite-like silestone countertops and energy-efficient appliances.

In addition, the building is full of recycled materials from the building that was torn down on the same site. The green building is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified as an energy-efficient, eco-friendly structure.

Partners in creating the $27 million center include Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota, Messiah Lutheran Church, Hennepin County, Faith in the City and several Lutheran organizations. Among the coalition of contributors are several dozen public, private, business, faith, individual and community donors, including the Star Tribune. The project needs only about $1.5 million to reach its fundraising goal.

Eligible families got the apartments through a lottery and started to move in on Labor Day. About 1,000 families applied for 48 spots; only one apartment remained open this week. Some rents are subsidized, and others are offered at below-market rates to help low-income residents manage. Ten of the units are reserved for families or individuals who have been chronically homeless.

The combination of services and housing brings the life-cycle housing/community concept to a lower-income neighborhood. Families initially benefit from moving into affordable apartments. Once stabilized and employed, they can move on to reasonably priced townhouses and single-family houses nearby. Residents have both short- and long-term housing options and a chance to establish roots in the community.

In today's challenging financial times, the Center for Changing Lives offers a good model for providing effective, efficient social services. With the proper support, families and individuals can indeed change their lives and lift themselves out of poverty.

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