Simpson Housing Services announces funding support from Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis for their new shelter
OCTOBER 5, 2021 – MINNEAPOLIS, MN: Simpson Housing Services is honored and thrilled to partner with both Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis on Simpson’s Community Shelter and Apartments. Hennepin County acted today to contribute $3.5 million in federal funds. Mayor Jacob Frey has committed to bring a recommendation through the City Council to appropriate an additional $3.5 million to the project. The new building will be a national best practice, low-barrier shelter model designed to meet the short-term housing needs of shelter guests.
“We’re extremely grateful that our government partners are coming in alongside of the community with us on this important project,” Executive Director Steve Horsfield says. Without support from the community, this would not be possible. Simpson’s deepest thanks goes out to them.
Simpson has opted to build on the site of their current shelter in the Whittier neighborhood, where they’ve been operating for nearly four decades. Simpson Housing Services became the official owner of the building in 2019, thanks to a generous gift from Simpson United Methodist Church. They intend to build a modern, welcoming space with a bold, comprehensive plan to support people experiencing homelessness – while continuing to embrace the dignity and uniqueness of each shelter guest.
Plans for the five-story facility include two floors of permanent supportive housing (42 efficiency units), two floors of emergency shelter (70 beds), a commercial kitchen capable of serving roughly 100 people, a 24-hour front desk, and offices/clinic space for service staff and community partners. The additional capacity will help guests stay healthy, maintain a safe social distance from one another, and provide for greater comfort and dignity – an ideal model for operating and responding to community needs during a pandemic.
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to maintain the current shelter – particularly after operating at or near capacity throughout the pandemic. That makes the timing of this partnership, as Horsfield puts it, “absolutely vital.” Between these essential public contributions and an additional $4 million in private gifts and pledges, Simpson hopes to remain on track securing funding by the second and third quarter of 2022, and embark on construction during the fourth quarter of 2022. The board of directors and staff are committed to securing a temporary location for the shelter during construction, so there will be no interruption in services.
Long-term, they hope positive outcomes generated by this approach will be replicable in other communities throughout the state and the country.
“Steve Horsfield and the team at Simpson Housing Services provide essential services to the residents of Minneapolis experiencing homelessness,” says Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “This project will lay the blueprint for a state-of-the-art model to serving our most vulnerable residents and reflects the power in partnerships in meaningfully addressing the affordable housing crisis. Through this work, we’re taking another step forward in helping secure long-term, affordable housing for more people.”
The church site redevelopment is the major component of Simpson’s Build Up campaign, announced last fall. The campaign total is $41 million and includes $10 million in private support. If you’d like to offer your support, email Steve Horsfield at shorsfield@simpsonhousing.org.
Special thanks to Simpson’s Community Shelter and Apartments partners: Project for Pride in Living; LHB; Watson-Forsberg; Crowley, White, Helmer and Sevig; and lead campaign donor, the Richard M. Schulze Family Foundation.
For more information on the Simpson Community Shelter and Apartments – click here.
Media Contact
Elisabeth Loeffler
cell: (612) 210-2343 | eloeffler@simpsonhousing.org