With a new building in downtown Minneapolis, Touchstone Mental Health is making stable housing accessible to more people

The newly opened Kyle Garden Square building in downtown Minneapolis can provide stable housing for dozens of people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.

Featuring 59 units, the building was developed and is owned by Alliance Housing, with Property Solutions and Services serving as the property manager and Touchstone Mental Health providing on-site supportive services. Like Touchstone’s other two buildings — Minnehaha Commons and the Rising Cedar apartments — Kyle Garden Square will offer residents 24/7 supportive services for addiction and mental health recovery.

But getting residents through the door and into units isn’t where Touchstone’s work begins. Finding prospective residents and helping them navigate the hurdles to qualify for housing is just as crucial, and it’s where Touchstone’s experience and community connections make a big difference.

“We know that stable, supportive housing is one of the biggest factors when it comes to mental health and substance abuse recovery,” said Touchstone Executive Director Ellie Skelton.

“But there are a lot of reasons why someone might not be able to access it, even when these units exist and are available. Our work is breaking down some of those barriers that might be keeping someone unhoused.”

Skelton says Kyle Garden Square — which Touchstone operates in partnership with Alliance Housing — will provide more of the kind of supportive housing that makes recovery possible.

Meeting people where they’re at

Sometimes called the “street outreach team,” the PATH team relies on connections with local service providers and community members to make connections with people who might benefit from Touchstone’s services.

“We’re meeting folks at an encampment, or at a coffee shop they frequent. And sometimes, we’re meeting with people on multiple occasions before taking the next steps,” Skelton said.

“We really rely on our partnerships with the county and our street team’s connections in the community to find people and make that contact.”

Once prospective residents have been identified, Touchstone can start the process of connecting them with housing. That includes helping people get the documentation they need to apply for housing – something that’s often challenging for people without a home address.

Sometimes, the Touchstone team helps people to provide documentation of health insurance, or to apply for it in the first place. Other times, it’s a driver’s license or other identification.

While Touchstone operates supportive services within Kyle Garden Square, the building itself is owned by Alliance Housing.

The partnership allows the two organizations to work together to coordinate things like a resident’s rental assistance and proof of income and get them into a unit faster.

“Working with Touchstone, we can make sure a resident has all of the things they need to get approved for housing faster,” said Alliance Housing Executive Director Jessie Hendel.

“And once a resident is living in the building, we’re available to work through any issues that may come up with rent payments or anything else. Ultimately, we want to make sure a resident can stay in their unit for as long as they want to.”

Ongoing support for residents

Many residents at Touchstone’s buildings are also in mental health and substance abuse recovery. Recognizing these challenges, Touchstone has made support a part of its housing model.

Residents at Kyle Garden Square have access to 24/7 support from nurses, social workers and direct support staff.

Touchstone can also help residents get in touch with outside treatment programs and resources when they need them. And units are held for residents who have to leave temporarily for treatment.

Ultimately, Touchstone’s mission at its supportive housing buildings is to make sure residents can stay for as long as they need.