There’s been an encouraging trend in Hennepin County when it comes to the number of unhoused residents. According to the county’s most recent Point in Time count Off Site Link, the number of unsheltered individuals fell by more than 30 percent between 2020 and 2025. In that time, more than 9,500 people were able to transition from living on the streets and into permanent housing.

Simpson Housing Services Off Site Link has played a key role in helping to drive down the county’s unhoused population. Since its founding in 1982 in the basement of Simpson United Methodist Church, the organization has worked to provide safe, dignified space for both individuals and families experiencing housing instability.

Now, Simpson has opened the doors to Simpson Community Shelter & Apartments, a brand-new, modern community shelter space that includes affordable apartments in the same building. Located in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis where the original church once stood, the new space includes 72 shelter beds, 42 apartments, and a host of wraparound services, including an onsite health clinic, designed to support shelter guests and help them transition into stable housing.

“This work of Simpson, along with our city, county and state partners, is quite literally nation-leading,” says Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

“No One Sleeps on Top of Anyone Anymore”

The team at Simpson held a community open house in early January at its new facility, located at 2740 1^st Avenue South in Minneapolis. It welcomed its 72 shelter guests a couple of days later.

“I doubt that anyone would have thought that we’d have to continue providing a warm, safe space decades into the future,” said Stephanie Abel, current board president for Simpson, during the open house program. “But here we are, still committed to the belief that everyone deserves basic human dignity. That fact seems to have always emanated from this particular location.”

That theme of human dignity can be found throughout the building. Steve Horsfield, executive director of Simpson, says they gathered input from many groups, including shelter guests, community members, and service providers.

What came out of that feedback was the need to design a space that was safe, healing and both culturally and community focused.

“We’ve evolved from mats on floors to bunk beds to sleeping rooms with six single beds with a level of privacy in each of them,” says Horsfield.

Features like natural light and soothing colors also help guests feel more comfortable, even in moments of trauma.

Shelter guests also have access to private bathrooms, showers, and laundry facilities. There is also a large commercial kitchen and dining room serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner to guests.

Transitional Housing

The top two floors of the building feature 42 efficiency apartments for people looking to transition to permanent housing. Each apartment has a small kitchen, bathroom and space for a bed, dining table and other furniture. Residents also have access to a community room with a kitchen and additional gathering space.

Project for Pride in Living (PPL) Off Site Link will own and operate the apartments, of which 30 units will be specifically for people experiencing chronic homelessness in Hennepin County.

“It’s a very unique design to not only provide people a place to live, but a pathway to thrive,” said Karla Henderson, president and CEO for PPL. “We know that permanent supportive housing is the key solution to ending long-term homelessness.”

The Work of Many Partners

It took many years and many partnerships to help the vision for Simpson’s new facility become reality.

Sunrise Banks was one of six financial institutions that supported the new facility, providing a New Markets Tax Credit allocation of $7 million and $16 million of bridge financing for the project. The City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Metropolitan Council and the State of Minnesota contributed.

“The New Markets Tax Credit is designed to drive economic investment into places that need it the most, to provide jobs and services that are needed the most,” says Mary Stoick, SVP, Director of Tax Credit Lending at Sunrise Banks. “Housing is a number one need, and we are proud to be able to support this amazing project and the work that Simpson does for Minneapolis and the wider community. This is a gamechanger. This is why Sunrise Banks is here doing what we do.”

Mayor Frey says leaders in other cities have asked him about the partnerships that have helped Minneapolis and Hennepin County drive down its homeless population. He says while there is more work to do, it’s important to celebrate organizations, like Simpson, that have put in the work.

“I’m grateful and inspired by so many people that are truly standing up for Minneapolis and for people that need help during their deepest times of need,” Frey says.

“Simpson represents community,” says Horsfield. “And it is community that keeps us moving forward, serving and giving back.”

To learn more about how Sunrise Banks supports local nonprofits, visit https://www.sunrisebanks.com/nonprofit-banking Off Site Link.

For more information on Simpson Housing Services and how to get involved, visit https://simpsonhousing.org Off Site Link.

This article originally appeared in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal Off Site Link.

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