Minneapolis invests millions in new affordable housing projects, including Native clinic

Minneapolis city officials announced Tuesday that the city is investing in 11 affordable rental housing projects. Funding comes from both the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Program (AHTF) and the Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program. The Minneapolis City Council approved the awards on Dec. 5. 

The Native American Community Clinic on Franklin Avenue is one of those 11 projects. Roughly $1.15 million will support the new construction of 83 rental units in a mixed-use project with an expanded clinic on-site. 

“We’re building four floors of housing above that two-story clinic. That is going to help stabilize people’s lives and get them back into spaces where they can feel that they belong, they are supported,” said Antony Stately, the clinic’s executive director and president. 

Wellington Management has partnered with the clinic as a housing partner.  

In addition to housing, Stately says the clinic’s expansion will include larger gardens and a drum room for traditional healing. The plan is to push the clinic and housing to the street and relocate the front-facing parking lot to the back of the building. 

“Multiple generations of Indigenous people living in south Minneapolis have struggled with homelessness, chronically and generationally,” Stately said. He says people who are Native American and live in south Minneapolis have a higher likelihood of living unsheltered.  

“It was really a moral operative,” Stately said.  

Over 25 applications were sent to the city requesting funding from the AHTF. The city made decisions based underwriting standards, financial feasibility, location, project readiness, design guidelines and more 

The remaining 10 projects include: 

Ward 1 

• Clare 5 Housing — 1900 Monroe Street Northeast for the construction of 33 units of 100 percent supportive housing for seniors living with HIV/AIDS. 

• 1345 Central — 1345 Central Avenue Northeast for the construction of 64 units and first floor production space. 

Ward 3 

• Clare Apartments — 929 Central Avenue Northeast for rehabilitating 32 units of 100 percent supportive housing for people living with HIV/AIDS. 

Ward 4 

• Warren Apartments — 3120 Washburn Avenue North for the construction of 61 units. 

• Upper Harbor Terminal — 3700 Washington Avenue North for the construction of 183 units on a city-owned site. 

Ward 5 

• EPIC+R — 1014 Plymouth Avenue for the construction of 68 units with a focus on family sized units. 

• Downtown View — 1205 Chestnut Avenue for the rehabilitation of 39 units serving homeless youth. 

Ward 8 

• Zaria Apartments — 3030 Nicollet Avenue for the construction of 89 units with a significant number of family sized units. 

Ward 10 

• 2116 Nicollet Avenue South for 53 units of 100 percent deeply affordable supportive housing for people at risk of homelessness. 

Ward 12 

• Cheatham Apartments — 3176 Cheatham Avenue for the new construction of 98 mixed income housing.  

At the announcement, Mayor Jacob Frey said, “One of the most critical things that we do at the City of Minneapolis is provide a foundation from which people can rise … making sure that people have a safe place to go home to at the end of the night, to rest their head on the pillow, to rejuvenate for the next day.”  

According to Frey, Minneapolis is creating deeply affordable housing at a rate 8.5 times higher than previous years. 

The Native American Community Clinic’s housing and expanded construction is expected to be completed in March 2026.  

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