A new Minneapolis affordable housing facility opened its doors Oct. 9, and a women’s shelter in the facility is set to open in November.

Brenda Petry, director of shelter and outreach at Agate Housing and Services, a social advocacy organization, said the shelter is designed to address reasons why someone would choose not to come to a shelter.

Valiance has 50 affordable housing units, with 54 shelter beds available for 30-day consecutive periods and eight emergency shelter beds. The shelter provides showers, three meals a day and has space for some pets.

Valiance, located in the Longfellow neighborhood, is a joint project by Agate and Trellis, a real estate company focused on affordable housing. Agate and Trellis have been working on The Valiance for 10 years, according to Petry.

As winter approaches, Petry said she is excited to open a space that is responsive to people’s needs.

“Folks can take care of themselves and take care of one another in this beautiful, open, warm space,” Petry said.

Petry said the decision to make the center women-focused is based on neighborhood-specific needs that Agate’s outreach team encountered. 

“If a year from now, it’s a different population that we’re seeing outside who are maybe needing this type of shelter, we’ll be able to adjust who we serve,” Petry said. 

Longfellow Community Council executive director Joel McReynolds said in an email statement to the Daily that expanding affordable housing is critical for the neighborhood. He said he hopes the success of Valiance inspires more units in the neighborhood. 

The council serves the neighborhoods of Cooper, Hiawatha, Howe and Longfellow,  McReynolds said. The neighborhoods have a combined population of about 22,000, with one-third of residents renting. 

The median rent for Longfellow housing is about $1,400, and as of 2023, nearly half of renter households are considered cost-burdened, meaning they spend a substantial share of their income on rent, according to the Minnesota Compass. 

“Every week, residents come to LCC’s office seeking resources or programs to help with housing,” McReynolds wrote in the email.

The affordable housing units were built with a unique layout designed to foster community, Petry said. Some have four or five private rooms with a shared community space.

“Sometimes for folks getting their first apartment, it’s very lonely and isolating,” Petry said. “This way, people can have that sense of community, but still have their own lease, their own space, their own lock on the door.”

“There are resources,” Petry said. “I think more people will be seeking the resources, and I hope we can all be working together to support folks with their stability.”

Minneapolis homelessness fell 33% from its 2020 peak as other cities have seen large increases, said Enrique Velazquez, director of regulatory services for the city. He said Minneapolis is focused on developing affordable housing and providing a healthy base of funding for shelter operations. 

“It’s continually evolving in terms of the personnel, how we do outreach and engage with people, and what our overall approach is as well,” Velazquez said. 

Minneapolis formed a homelessness response team in the regulatory services department in 2022 that works to connect people with resources for housing, according to a 2024 Minneapolis City Auditor report. Ultimately, Velazquez said the city and county will find a way to ensure that people experiencing unsheltered homelessness who want shelter can get it. 

Petry said regarding the work Agate does, it comes down to treating each individual with dignity. 

“When you get to hand someone the keys to their new place after seeing and supporting them as they overcome barriers and get connected to resources,” she said. “Then, they are staying in stable housing long-term. That is really impactful.”