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Minneapolis News
Elizabeth Shockman

Minneapolis City Council members propose grant to avoid shelter closure

Audience members listen to the Minneapolis City Council
Council president Elliott Payne speaks during a Minneapolis City Council meeting on April 11.
Ben Hovland | MPR News

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Members of the Minneapolis City Council announced a proposal Friday that would provide a $1.5 million grant to avoid the permanent closure of Agate Housing and Services’ downtown shelter.

Last month the Agate Housing and Services board of directors said it would close its shelter in early October, affecting more than 80 residents and 23 employees. The shelter said it needed $3 million to repair its more than 100-year-old building and was facing increased financial pressure. 

If approved by the full council later this month, the grant would pay for half of the needed repairs. Agate Housing and Services would have to raise $1.5 million in funds by the end of December. 

“Our neighborhoods are seeing a growing number of people living outdoors in tents, which creates significant health and safety concerns for everyone,” said Council member Jamal Osman. “As winter approaches, the need for safe, indoor shelter options will become even more urgent.” 

Agate’s downtown shelter includes a 42-bed shelter program and a 95-bed board and lodge program. If the grant is approved, Council member Jason Chavez said he was “confident” Agate would find the rest of the needed funds and the shelter would be restored.

“We will be able to get this done,” Chavez said. “We will be having conversations with the county to see if they can support this critical housing resource and we will work with whoever we need to work with to make sure this gets done. I know that Agate is having conversations with a lot of folks to make this happen.”

Regardless, the shelter will close temporarily on Oct. 9. Repairs would take 6-12 months.

“Many people are being evicted across multiple different encampments without notice or humanity, quite frankly,” Chavez said. “We can’t jeopardize losing more shelter beds in the city of Minneapolis … we need to build more capacity, not less.”

The proposal is scheduled to be addressed at the council’s budget committee Sept. 16.