Minneapolis opens new public housing for the first time since 2010

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - More than a dozen families who have recently experienced homelessness now have a new place to call home.

Tuesday, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority celebrated the grand opening of Minnehaha Townhomes. The 16 units are the first public housing the city has built since 2010.

City leaders say the two and three-bedroom options are located close to the light rail and Minnehaha Park and are available for families who were previously in homeless shelters.

“We do have an affordable housing crisis where values are going up, rents are rising through the roof, and people are being displaced from some of the neighborhoods that they've made wonderful to begin with... a huge part of addressing that demand is making sure that families have a safe and affordable place to stay,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.

The City of Minneapolis donated the land and helped pay for the $5 million project. Families began moving in back in March and all 16 townhomes are occupied.