Creative solutions emerge for affordable housing

“Housing is the answer.” said Tracy Berglund, director of housing and emergency services for Catholic Charities. She said this in response to statistics showing an increase in the number of homeless people in Hennepin County.

While the causes of homelessness are broad and complex, the solutions are surprisingly simple. The route to ending homelessness begins with housing, specifically creating enough housing that people at all income levels can afford. In the case of Higher Ground Housing, an innovating housing development highlighted in the news this week, the issues of both homelessness and the lack of affordable housing are addressed in one place.

Several other examples of creative housing solutions got publicity this week. You can read about new affordable homeownership opportunities being created at Little Earth in Minneapolis, and in Shakopee through a partnership between Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity and Ryland Homes.

At Habitat we say that healthy communities have a continuum of housing choices  - affordable rental and homeownership, supportive housing and emergency shelter – and we’re happy to see progress on all of these areas. 

To Further explore this topic, play our interactive game: WHAT does the solutions look like?    

Solutions will only happen if affordable housing advocates 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