Clare Housing receives $1 million for two new apartment buildings — December 13, 2013
FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 16, 2013
CONGRESSMAN ELLISON ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION FROM FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK FOR TWO CLARE HOUSING PROJECTS
New dollars bring total commitments to $6.4M for $7.3M Clare Terrace in Robbinsdale
MINNEAPOLIS, MINN. (December 16, 2013) – Today Congressman Keith Ellison announced that The Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines has added a total of $1 million from its Strong Communities Fund to affordable housing projects for Clare Housing.
One of the projects, 36-unit Clare Terrace in Robbinsdale, is expected to open in 2016.
“With the bank’s contribution to our Clare Terrace financing plan, we have reached $6.4 million for this $7.3 million apartment building project,” said Clare Housing Executive Director Chuck Peterson.
“What I see are 36 people living with HIV/AIDS whose lives will be changed when they have a home at Clare Terrace,” said Peterson. “We offer supportive services along with independent living in our apartment buildings and we know firsthand what a difference that makes for our clients.”
Shortly after the nonprofit opened 45-units at Clare Midtown in 2011, it started work on the complex financing package that a project like this requires. To date, Clare Terrace has been awarded tax credits worth approximately $4.8 million, $100,000 in HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS) funds from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development, and $1,054,000 from Minnesota Housing and the Metropolitan Council. Today’s announced $500,000 brings the total to nearly $6.4 million.
“Like the residents of Clare Midtown and Clare Apartments, those living in Clare Terrace will be at different places in their journey with HIV/AIDS,” said Peterson. “We’ll have 24/7 front desk security and a resident services coordinator to provide information, support, referrals and advocacy.”
The design will be done by Cermak Rhoades Architects. The same firm worked on Clare Apartments in 2005 and Clare Midtown in 2010.
A second Clare Housing project called Marshall Flats in northeast Minneapolis also received $500,000. This project is in the early stages of planning. To date, Clare Housing has raised $1.5 million for this 36-unit apartment building.
Research supports the value of safe, affordable housing in staying healthy with HIV/AIDS
“Years of experience and research show that safe housing and supportive service are the foundation for living successfully with HIV/AIDS,” said Board Chair Nancy Lee.
“Housing has been our mission for more than 26 years because the combination of affordable, safe and stable housing with access to the supportive services helps people lead satisfying lives with independence and dignity,” said Lee. “Research tells us that individual-level interventions that focus on changing behavior are likely to fail if people don’t have a safe and secure place to live.”
“We are constantly working on projects to develop more housing for the 200 people on our waiting list,” said Peterson. “We are energized both about this work as well as finding ways to position Clare Housing within the evolving health care system so we maximize our ability to serve Minnesotans who live with HIV/AIDS and are at risk of homelessness. ”
About Clare Housing
Clare Housing provides affordable housing and supportive services to 150 individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS in the Twin Cities. Begun with a single care home in 1987, today Clare Housing operates four community-based care homes and two apartment buildings with supportive services, along with multiple units of scattered-site housing. The nonprofit is the state’s largest provider of low-income housing for people living with HIV/AIDS who have experienced long-term homelessness or are at risk of homelessness.
Contact: Elisabeth Loeffler, Development & Communications Director, Elisabeth.loeffler@clarehousing.org, 612-236-9524, cell 612-210-2343
Ginger Sisco, Sisco Public Relations, Inc., ginger.sisco@tela.com , 763-544-0629, cell 612-581-4272