Beacon Housing Update

In a continuing effort to keep the congregation informed on the issue of affordable housing, the Oak Knoll Beacon Housing Committee likes to share relevant housing articles, information and events. The following message is from the 2025 Beacon year-end report.

A Message from Chris LaTondresse

Dear Supporters,

This past year has tested our community in profound ways, especially our friends and neighbors overcoming homelessness. Across Minnesota, we see a rising need for affordable homes and supportive services. The systems that hold this work are stretched thin. Nonprofits and partners like Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative face more challenges than ever to serve our neighbors with care and excellence as we navigate new risks and uncertainties, especially from the federal government. Through these challenging times, with so much at stake, Beacon is not simply holding strong. Together, we’re proving what’s possible when persistence meets determination. We are boldly stepping forward, inviting our community into a future where every Minnesotan has a place to call home.

We opened new doors at Emerson Village in Minneapolis and Vista 44 in Hopkins, creating 90 new homes with services for families overcoming homelessness. We broke ground at Prairie Pointe in Shakopee, organized for approval of The Aragon in East St. Paul, and began transforming Kimball Court in St. Paul, ensuring this older property can continue offering stability and belonging amid rapidly evolving community need. 

At the State Capitol, we helped secure the first-ever dedicated funding to sustain family supportive housing, a landmark victory that will keep families stably housed for years to come. Nationally, Beacon earned more than $5.2 million through HUD’s CoC Builds program for two new developments—Aster Commons in Richfield and Gladstone Crossing in Maplewood—recognizing our strength even as shifting federal priorities put that progress at risk.

For more information about Beacon Housing, visit beaconinterfaith.org.