Celebrating new affordable housing in the heart of vibrant neighborhoods

A snapshot of three new county-funded and neighborhood-focused apartments that opened doors this year.

Rivkin

Partners come together to celebrate the grand opening of Rivkin in June.

Rivkin, a new affordable housing development in the heart of the Seward neighborhood, opened its doors in June. Developed and managed by Wellington Management, Rivkin provides 155 new affordable units, 46 of which are affordable to households at or below 30% of the area median income (AMI). 18 apartments are reserved for people exiting homelessness and mental health treatment, providing stability and opportunity for folks who have previously been shut out.

Because of Rivkin’s tailored support to our most vulnerable neighbors and its location in a vibrant and connected neighborhood, the county supported the project with a total of $2.1 million from our Affordable Housing Incentive Fund (AHIF), Supportive Housing Strategy Capital, and Transit-Oriented Communities. Hennepin County’s Environmental Response Fund assisted with the cost of site cleanup.

“Deeply affordable housing is the most difficult to fund. and it’s an area of great need for many households,” said Julia Welle Ayres, Director of Housing Development at Hennepin County. “These investments are where the county can have the biggest impact.”

Emerson Village

The grand opening of Emerson Village in July, celebrated by residents and partners, including Commissioner Irene Fernando.

Emerson Village in North Minneapolis opened its doors to residents earlier this year. More than a decade in the making, the new housing was made possible through deep collaboration and partnership across the North Minneapolis community, state, local, and federal partners. Developed by Beacon, Emerson will provide a total of 40 affordable housing units, 33 of which are deeply affordable at 30% of the area median income (AMI).

Hennepin County helped to get Emerson Village off the ground with a $1.2 million award from the county’s Supportive housing strategy, as well as an $800,000 pandemic recovery award and $92,617 in Enivonrmental Response funding. The Supportive housing strategy finances units for populations that otherwise fall through the cracks, and then provides ongoing case management, referrals, and services to ensure that they get into quality, stable housing that positions them for success. Emerson Village provides housing for two county-identified priority populations: 12 units reserved for families with child welfare involvement, and 20 units reserved for families experiencing homelessness.

At Emerson Village, 100% of the residents will be provided with social services on site. This type of wraparound support helps ensure that families can get back on their feet for the long-term and can create a healthy, loving environment for kids to grow up in.

Wadaag Commons

Wadaag Commons is a 39-unit new construction project in the Seward neighborhood. Almost half the units have three or four bedrooms, making Wadaag a great fit for large or multi-generational families.

Wadaag Commons was developed by Noor Companies, an East-African, woman-owned social enterprise, and Redesign Inc., a nonprofit Community Development Corporation serving the Greater Longfellow neighborhoods of South Minneapolis. The apartment building will offer 33 units affordable to households at or below 30% AMI, with four of those reserved for households exiting homelessness. These four units will be paired with supportive services and filled through Hennepin County's Coordinated Entry system.

Because of its focus on deeply affordable units, connection to local employment opportunities, transit, schools, and opportunities for people exiting homelessness, the county was able to support Wadaag Commons with $664,771 in pandemic recovery funds and $600,000 from the Affordable housing incentive fund.