Housing Solutions in the News

It can be easy to think of people without a permanent home as “homeless” first and “people” second. But this article is a good reminder that people are people, and we all have more in common than we realize. Many of us like to run or walk with friends as a way to relieve stress and build relationships. In the case of this running club, it is comforting to have others around who are dealing with the same thing – coping with the experience of not having housing.

County approves lease for homeless shelterclub, it is comforting to have others around who are dealing with the same thing – coping with the experience of not having housing.

Last week, we talked about how 125,000 Minnesotans were “one paycheck away” from losing their housing. We often think of homelessness as an urban issue, but due to the foreclosure crisis, job market, etc., it is a growing issue in the suburbs. In Anoka County alone, there are nearly 700 homeless adults. Anoka is taking steps to address this problem, expanding an already existing homeless shelter from a capacity of 20 to 60. Although it doesn’t meet the full need for emergency shelter in that area, we want to highlight this move in the right direction.

If you liked these article, please visit our Housing Matters! interactive online learning center, and see our Housing News section for more articles.

Solutions will only happen if we bring enough attention to this issue. Please share this post and help create dialog about housing solutions. 

Shari Hemmingsen, Housing Matters! Intern, and Jill Kilibarda, Education and Civic Engagement Program Manager, Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity.