Southern Minnesota housing nonprofit celebrates 30 years
Aug. 12—After 30 years of providing affordable housing and community assistance for 30 Minnesota counties, leaders of the Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership have plenty to celebrate.
The organization, which partners with community organizations to provide housing to those in need across the region, has expanded its reach and impact dramatically since its formation in 1992.
"It doesn't happen by accident the way this organization has grown from something so small and grassroots to what we are today," SWMHP Board President Tara Onken said in front of about 40 people at the nonprofit's anniversary event Thursday. "It kind of gives me goosebumps talking about it because it really is special what we have."
SWMHP staff, clients and others gathered to eat and chat at the open house event outside of Homestead Apartments, where the nonprofit's office is located.
Mankato Mayor Najwa Massad spoke in front of the crowd about her personal experience living in the building next to her after migrating with her family from Lebanon. She said she felt grateful to have had access to affordable housing during that difficult time, as she had to support both herself and her parents, who could not find work when they first moved to the area because they didn't speak English.
"I know what it's like to be in this situation where you don't know what to do, and thank God for affordable housing at that time," Massad said. "It brings me great joy to be here today and look at Homestead Apartments, remembering what it was like almost 50 years ago."
Current resident at the same building Edith Githinji, an immigrant from Kenya, has jumped between properties owned by Lloyd Management, a partner of SWMHP, over the past 16 years.
She said she has always been well-accommodated despite her family's changing housing needs and considers the staff who have supported her family.
"When my son came back to the United States, we had to move to a three-bedroom," Githinji said. "Homestead Apartments gave us the first opportunity, and that's why I feel this is home. For me, my kids and my husband, it's a wonderful place to be."
One of the most recent projects powered by the SWMHP is a community land trust program to offer new and used affordable houses in Mankato for first-time homebuyers, with support from the city.
"Your work with diversity and equality is unbelievable," Massad said, addressing the leaders of SWMHP. "You help people have the dream of owning their own home for the first time ever. And you don't know what it's like for an immigrant to come here and be able to say to their country's back there, 'I own my own home because of the people and the hearts of this community.'"
SWMHP Chief Operating Officer Kristie Blankenship, who has been with the organization for 23 years, said some of the projects she's most proud of have to do with incorporating art into the communities they serve. She said SWMHP received a grant in 2015 to form the Community Development Investments Program, engaging artists and creative residents in planning new projects and finding solutions to local challenges.
Blankenship said much of the organization's most recent work has to do with preserving the affordable housing that currently exists in rural areas.
"The loss of that type of affordable housing is gonna be very detrimental," Blankenship said. "With prices rising, we still have people who can't obtain those basic things ... Our mission is to develop places for people to call home, and one of the things that has made me come in the door every day for years is that I get to help somebody with that very basic need of having shelter."
