about
We transform, redeem & engage.
Urban Homeworks catalyzes powerful people, using equitable housing as a platform to build community.
We transform vacant or distressed properties into dignified, healthy homes in neighborhoods in Minneapolis and St. Paul, redeeming real estate so that the community can catalyze change agents and leaders.
Our People Oriented Development (POD) model engages people in determining what their neighborhoods look like, catalyzes them to become powerful advocates, and promotes active neighboring. This work helps reverse deeply entrenched inequities allowing for solutions to emerge organically from within neighborhoods.
Our Mission
The mission of Urban Homeworks is to perpetuate the hope of Jesus Christ through innovative community development.
Our Vision
Neighbors raising their collective voices to address injustice and overcome the barriers that perpetuate inequity.
average days in Urban Homeworks housing
days | longest length of stay in UHW housing
total homes redeveloped
people currently housed
what we do
Housing
Urban Homeworks focuses the combined resources of the public, private and faith sectors to transform vacant, condemned, or underutilized properties and vacant lots into quality, attainable places to live for low to moderate income households.
Housing has been one of the primary ways that racialized wealth gaps have been maintained in our country’s history. Our goal is to transform housing into a redemptive force not only for the resident or owner, but for the contractors, vendors, and individuals and businesses that benefit from the development and management of the housing we work with.
Our ultimate aim is dignified housing – housing that is both affordable and high quality, and includes a supportive network with a responsive landlord and resources from local community partners.
With dollars leveraged from public and philanthropic sectors, Urban Homeworks offers rental and homeownership opportunities for a broad range of income levels.
Dignified Rentals
Urban Homeworks provides quality rental housing that is both affordable and dignified. Our expertise is in small-scale, scattered site housing. Partnerships with local social service organizations often add support to assist rental families in gaining greater stability.
In November of 2018, after careful evaluation we decided to bring in Property Solutions and Services as our third-party property management company. Beyond our properties, they manage 500+ units through Minneapolis and St Paul, have significant expertise in funder regulations (compliance), and experience working in the neighborhoods we’re located.
Email rental@urbanhomeworks.org to be notified when vacancies become available.
Qualifications for Renting
Rental History
Positive and Verifiable rental history 12 months of the past 36 months
No Negative Rental History in the past 36 months (Eviction, Money Owed, Damage to property)
Verifiable Gross Income
Required minimum monthly income of 2 ½ x monthly rent
Pass Criminal Background Check
A record of no “adverse” criminal convictions for at least five years: an adverse criminal conviction or incarceration record is considered a history which would adversely affect the safety, well-being of residents, staff or which would adversely affect the viability of Urban Homeworks. Any record of any sexual offense, arson, or serious violent felonies; will automatically disqualify an applicant household.
No Outstanding Utility Bills
You must have the ability to have utilities in your name where required
Homeownership
Urban Homeworks is dedicated to producing quality single-family homes, in Minneapolis and St. Paul, for purchase by low to moderate income households. Houses available for purchase include high-quality rehabs as well as new construction. Many properties have exclusive down payment or closing cost assistance that may be available to eligible buyers.
Email homeownership@urbanhomeworks.org to be notified when properties are listed for sale.
Geography
We focus most of our homeownership projects on North Minneapolis and Frogtown neighborhood in St. Paul. These communities experienced high levels of vacancy and foreclosure rates during the great recession and have only recently started to recover property values.
Reinvestment
As the housing market stabilizes and values appreciate in these areas, investors with a focus on profit are increasingly being drawn to purchase properties in these areas. Our goal is to facilitate community ownership in these properties before they are bought up by investors and to keep prices at an attainable purchase level for a variety of household sizes and incomes.
Pre-qualifications for Prospective Buyers
Meet required income guidelines as defined in each property listing
City of Lakes Community Land Trust properties have additional application and qualification requirements
Typically agree to occupy the home as their primary residence for at least 5 years
Warning: preg_match(): Compilation failed: invalid range in character class at offset 12 in /home/urbanho9/public_html/wp-content/plugins/js_composer/include/classes/shortcodes/vc-basic-grid.php on line 184
Equity & Engagement
Urban Homeworks uses housing as a platform to catalyze powerful people in becoming change agents. We believe people are not beneficiaries of charity but actors in their own destiny. Families make homes, homes make neighbors and neighbors create community.
We focus on both the physical structure of houses and the people in the homes. This is what we call People Oriented Development. (POD)
Leadership Council
Activities
Education
Community Organizing
Community Collaborators
get involved
Volunteers are essential to our work.
They provide on-site labor, office support, donations, holiday baskets and more. We are eager to partner with you and your group for a meaningful experience for us both.
Want to learn more about volunteering with us?
On-Site Volunteering
Join us in renovating a newly acquired property or revitalizing an apartment between residents. This work can include cleaning, painting, light carpentry, light demolition, landscaping, etc. No experience is necessary, and all tools are provided.
Group
Groups of 10-15 volunteers
Work day typically runs 8:30am – 4:00pm
When you volunteer with a group your sponsorship helps keep our housing affordable to the families we serve.
We ask churches and faith groups to contribute $1,000/day and corporations $1,500/day to cover additional volunteer expenses like insurance, supplies and staffing.
Interested in having a group join us? Please fill out our interest form here.
Individual
We dedicate the 3rd Saturday of every month to individuals! Sign up today for an opportunity to live out your beliefs and network with a group of like-minded individuals!
Max 15 volunteers per day
Work day typically runs 9:00am – 1:00pm
No fee to join us on individual volunteer days
Follow the link to sign up.
Quicksilvers
Weekly on-site construction
The Quicksilver Crew is a group of mostly retired professionals who volunteer anywhere from a ½ day to 2 full days each week. Quicksilvers do everything from rough framing to putting the finishing touches on a home.
Quicks meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Interested in joining? Please fill out the interest form here.
Baskets
Volunteer without ever swinging a hammer! Fill this need anywhere, anytime, from anyplace. Engage your children, youth group, or office by putting together a basket filled with items that would be useful as a new neighbor.
Every year, we welcome home at least 60 families, and their journeys warrant a celebration. By putting together baskets you’re playing an integral role in their stability and our community building efforts. We are always in need of baskets. Contact our team to get started!
Office Volunteers and Interns*
We need consistent volunteers to help in the office. Hours can be flexible – sometime between 9 and 5 on most days.
To learn more about office volunteer opportunities please contact Emily at emilyl@urbanhomeworks.org
Administrative & Database Management
Filing, database updating and entry, during office hours. Attention to detail and computer skills required, but training provided.
Reporter
Gather stories and pictures from our different program areas and help prepare them for our communications. No camera required, but photography and writing/editing abilities preferred.
Event Coordination
Help us tackle the planning process as we get ready for events during the year, including fundraisers and celebrations.
Community Outreach
Distribute flyers door-to-door to share information about homeownership possibilities. Excellent communication skills required. Walking required. Suggested 4–5 hours/week.
*View our current internships & job openings here
who we are
Leadership Team
Chad Schwitters
Executive Director
Chad Schwitters
Executive Director"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom." Viktor E. Frankl
What brought you to UHW?
The chance to attempt to live into the 'ole charge given by the Prophet Micah: To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
Key experience that helps you do your current role well?
The generous, gracious, and sometimes harsh investment into my life and growth by team-mates, board members, advisers, and friends.
Fun fact about yourself?
I lied to Sheila (wife) about being allergic to cats. She figured it out. Now we have Mike, the cat.
Lindsey Hunter
Human Resources Director
Lindsey Hunter
Human Resources Director"And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same” Nelson Mandela
What brought you to UHW?
The radical audacity to drive towards such a complex mission and the inspiring team that has resiliently and excitingly agreed to be on the bus headed there.
Key experience that helps you do your current role well?
One of the key learnings for me is to trust my instincts.
Fun fact about yourself?
Live music is my ultimate love!
Asalesol Young
Marketing & Development Director
Asalesol Young
Marketing & Development Director"Stand in front of the people you fear and speak your [truth], even if your voice shakes." Maggie Kuhn
What brought you to UHW?
The power of the work, audacity of the mission, and trust in folks who lead.
Key experience that helps you do your current role well?
Experienced the struggle of my own underfunded vision and learned the hardest way that "cash is king," but the people still have a vote!
Fun fact about yourself?
Certified PADI Scuba divemaster and proud of it! In the depths of the sea is where I find my peace.
Lissa Grabowski
Finance Director
Lissa Grabowski
Finance Director
Marque Jensen
Equity and Engagement Director
Marque Jensen
Equity and Engagement Director“A church that does not provoke any crisis, preach a gospel that does not unsettle, proclaim a word of God that does not get under anyone's skin or a word of God that does not touch the real sin of the society in which it is being proclaimed: what kind of gospel is that?” ― Oscar A. Romero
What brought you to UHW?
As a Northsider, engaged in the community, and I have been a fan of UHW since the early days, I came on staff to help organize our tenants and other neighbors to expand our impact of just and dignified housing in the community.
Key experience that helps you do your current role well?
Having seen families evicted, and loosing everything from furniture to family photos, I realize we must find ways to keep this from happening. The cost on our society and these families is unacceptable.
Fun fact about yourself?
People say I am fairly good at dancing " el Zapitiado."
Anna DeCrans
Innovation & Special Projects Manager
Anna DeCrans
Innovation & Special Projects Manager"The most luxurious possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity." – Jackie Robinson
What brought you to UHW?
Passion for people and housing justice.
Key experience that helps you do your current role well?
Bachelor degree in Sociology with emphasis in Community Development. Graduate studies in Social Justice & Human Rights. Professional career includes property management expertise, homeownership qualifications, accounting, and special project management.
Fun fact about yourself?
Been skydiving 5 times. Once had a fleeting aspiration to become a professional synchronized skydiver.
Anne Ketz
Real Estate Development Director
Anne Ketz
Real Estate Development Director"Be the change you wish to see in the world"- Mahatma Gandhi
What brought you to UHW?
The focus on community and equity, and for my role in particular, the focus on reclaiming, rehabbing, and reusing real estate to benefit those historically left out of the system.
Key experience that helps you do your current role well?
Project management and finance experience combined with a Masters in Historic Preservation which, deceiving by its name alone, taught me not only about the reuse of existing buildings, but also the impact the built environment has on people and community, and the racist history of housing, real estate and finance policies and practices in the US. These experiences drive me in my role to help move toward a better future through the power of real estate.
Fun fact about yourself?
I love the community of the city and the solitude of nature equally and split my time between both. A lesser known fun fact, I previously served in the MN Air National Guard as an Information Management specialist.
Staff
Holly Amaya
Grants Manager
Holly Amaya
Grants Manager"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." Anais Nin
Yuri Harper
Housing Specialist, NAZ
Yuri Harper
Housing Specialist, NAZ"Language is often our first act of resistance. It matters how we talk about the work we do; the words we use or the words we create matter to describe the world we live in, the freedom and justice we deserve. It matters now whether you call yourself protesters or organizers, activists or the like. Whatever title you assume, be the people committed to fighting for accountability and justice. Let that be what defines you.” DeRay Mckesson
Dejon Jones
Facilities Custodian
Dejon Jones
Facilities Custodian"You learn more from failure than from success." Unknown
Emily Lassiter
Development Manager
Emily Lassiter
Development Manager"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Maya Angelou
Jamie McDougall
Senior Accountant
Jamie McDougall
Senior Accountant"How strange that the nature of life is change, yet the nature of human beings is to resist change. And how ironic that the difficult times we fear might ruin us are the very ones that can break us open and help us blossom into who we were meant to be." Elizabeth Lesser
Stephanie Moran
Volunteer Coordinator
Stephanie Moran
Volunteer Coordinator"Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you lose, you will be wise.” Swami Vivekananda
Joyce Thomas
Office and Engagement Coordinator
Joyce Thomas
Office and Engagement Coordinator"All things are possible! The key is to identify what you want, claim it for yourself, and believe that you are worthy to have it." Iyanla Vanzant
Barbara White
Real Estate Development & Construction Coordinator
Barbara White
Real Estate Development & Construction Coordinator"Live, love, laugh, leave a legacy." Unknown
Kali Yeado
Communications & Marketing Manager
Kali Yeado
Communications & Marketing Manager"Have the courage to be imperfect." Brene Brown
Want to join the team? Learn more about current opportunities, here.
Board of Directors
Partners
updates
An update from our Executive Director
Consider supporting the mission of Urban Homeworks today here!