Supportive housing project earns $2.85 million grant

BRAINERD — My Neighbor To Love Coalition received a $2,850,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines to help with its supportive housing project, Creekside Community. Supported by Bremer Bank, the grant comes from the Affordable Housing Program and will go toward phase three of the Creekside Community project, supporting the construction of 19 affordable renter-occupied housing units in Brainerd.

For Vicky Kinney, founder and executive director of My Neighbor to Love Coalition, the grant is both exciting and validating of all the work that’s happened over the past few years.

“We are just so grateful and so glad to be seeing more people get into housing,” Kinney said in a phone interview Monday, Dec. 16.

The first phase of Creekside Community was a four-plex, finished in 2023 on property between James Street and Riverside Drive. Currently under construction is phase two — Creekside North, which is a nearby 12-unit apartment building between Northwest Second and Third streets and between Jackson and James streets.

My Neighbor To Love Coalition continues to raise funds to complete the phase two project. The residents are expected to move into their new homes in early April 2025. More than 40 applicants applied for housing at Creekside North, and Kinney said the difficult task of turning so many away is now made a little easier with the funding for Creekside South. She anticipates construction to begin on phase three in the spring.

The third phase of Creekside Community will include Creekside South, a multi-family 12-plex, and Creekside Center, a combination of seven transitional housing units and apartments. Sixteen of the 19 housing units are reserved for households experiencing homelessness and with incomes equal to or less than 50% average median income. Ten units are reserved for people with special needs. Creekside Community grounds will include a park area, playground, community garden and permaculture features.

The competitive Affordable Housing Program encourages collaboration between Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines member financial institutions and housing organizations to create affordable housing solutions for families in need.

“FHLB Des Moines is very honored to play an important role in enabling communities across our district to be strong and vibrant places to live and work.” Kris Williams, president and CEO of the bank, said in a news release. “Our housing and community development programs are central to our mission.”

Each year, Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines returns 10% of its net income annually to assist with housing needs throughout its district, consisting of 13 states and three U.S.

Pacific territories. In 2024, 55 Affordable Housing Program applications were approved for a total of $100.3 million. Since the inception of the competitive program in 1990, the bank and its members have helped facilitate approximately $835 million in funding to benefit more than 95,500 families through new construction and rehabilitation of owner-occupied or rental housing.

Still working to pay off debt for the four-plex and continue fundraising for the first 12-plex, Kinney said it would have been hard to see the finish line without this grant.

But that doesn’t mean fundraising efforts are at an end. Money is still needed to help the nonprofit complete Creekside North. Donations can be made online at mntlc.org/donate or via mail with checks payable to MNTLC mailed to: PO Box 581, Nisswa, MN 56468.

Kinney is grateful to have built partnerships with other area organizations like Sharing Bread Soup Kitchen, Bridge on Seventh and Open Arms to help further her goal of housing the homeless.

“We really are beyond excited,” she said of the grant and the progress made with the Creekside Community project. “It’s kind of hard to say how grateful we are.”

THERESA BOURKE may be reached at [email protected] or 218-855-5860. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/DispatchTheresa.