Hennepin County, Minneapolis contribute funding for new shelter

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis have contributed funding for a new community shelter and apartments, officials announced Tuesday.

Simpson Housing Services wrote in a release that it is partnering with the county and the city to build a community shelter and apartments at its current site in the Whittier neighborhood.

Hennepin County and the City of Minneapolis are contributing $3.5 million in federal funds. According to the release, the new building will be designed to meet the short-term housing needs of shelter guests.

The new building will be constructed at the site in the Whittier neighborhood where Simpson Housing Services been operating for the past four decades. Simpson Housing Services became the official owner of the building in 2019.

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 goal is for construction to begin during the fourth quarter of 2022. The board of directors and staff plan to find a temporary location for the shelter during construction.