Avenues for Youth wants homelessness to be rare, brief, and non-recurring.
For 30 years, we have provided youth ages 16 to 24 with safe shelter, pathways to stable housing, and holistic support that honors their identities and helps them live lives of joy and purpose.
Despite our successful track record, our current space in Minneapolis is not adequate to meet the critical housing and support needs of today’s youth. As a result, our programming outcomes lag behind those from our other site despite similarities in the youth population. To address this urgent need, Avenues will construct a new site at 1404 North 8th Avenue, Minneapolis, which is where we can increase the number of young people supported by Avenues from 300 to 500 annually as well as increase the successful exit rate into stable housing.
Meeting a deep community need
Each night in Minnesota, over 4,000 youth experience homelessness. As a state, we do not have anywhere near enough beds to keep all youth safely housed.
The Twin Cities has one of the worst housing shortages in the nation, and youth who come to Avenues seldom can afford market-rate rent. Extensive research and community input reinforce a critical need for more housing options for youth experiencing homelessness, especially in North Minneapolis.
A new North Minneapolis home will position Avenues to meet the growing needs of the youth in our community. This dignified, safe, trauma-informed space will demonstrate to young people that they are loved and valued.
Funding for this project is provided by Hennepin County Environmental Response Fund and the City of Minneapolis, Metropolitan Council Metropolitan Livable Communities Fund and the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, and Minnesota Department of Human Services.
Impact of the New Space
Groundbreaking Ceremony
