Building Equity. Centering Community. Reclaiming Home. Urban Homeworks 2023 Recap is live! 2023 Recap is live! the logo for UHW's podcast Listen Now Become a Monthly Donor!

About Us

Our Mission:
The mission of Urban Homeworks is to lead the fight for housing justice so that all people have a safe, stable, and dignified place to live.

Our Vision:
Housing justice for all.

 

 

What We Do

We Build Affordable Homes

four UHW built or rehabbed houses

 

Urban Homeworks is working to close the racial gap in homeownership by developing high-quality, energy-efficient rehabilitations and new constructions in North Minneapolis to be sold at affordable rates to low- and middle-income, first-time buyers.

Our goal with affordable homeownership development is to transfer community ownership to BIPOC community members who have been left out of homeownership for far too long. We work to ensure sale prices and down payment assistance are accessible for various household sizes and incomes. We also build strong relationships with Urban Homeworks residents who want to pursue homeownership and provide resources and support to make their dream a reality through our Equity and Engagement program. READ MORE.

 

We Provide Dignified Rentals

four photos of UHW families, smiling in front of their homes or a red backdrop

Urban Homeworks owns 134 affordable rental units that are home to roughly 450 individuals in North and South Minneapolis and Frogtown St. Paul. We provide dignified, affordable single-family houses, duplexes, and small-scale apartment buildings to those predominantly at or below 50-60% of the area median income (AMI). Our aim is dignified housing—housing that is affordable, high-quality, and includes a supportive network of resources from local community partners and a responsive property manager. A stable rental home is one of many tools that can reach a much grander vision of repairing generations of discrimination, divestment, and extraction in our communities. READ MORE.

Email rental@urbanhomeworks.org to be notified when vacancies become available.

**If you are a resident and have maintenance concerns, please reach Property Solutions and Services at the numbers below: 

UHW/PSS Maintenance Line: 612-598-6545

UHW/PSS EMERGENCY Line: 612-746-0400

 

We Empower and Engage

a UHW homebuyer, residents after a Housing Justice Forum, residents at an ice cream social, and the EE Director testifying at the MN Capitol

At Urban Homeworks, we believe a dignified, stable home is the foundation from which equitable communities are built. Our Equity and Engagement (E&E) team was created with this in mind. Recognizing that community power lies within the people living in UHW rental homes, our E&E team centers the voices of our residents with every decision we make and every project we pursue. Our goal is to co-create communities where trust among neighbors is high, connections are strong, and historically silenced voices are amplified and heard to transform their neighborhoods. READ MORE. The three strategies we employ are:  

People-Oriented Development

Our People Oriented Development (POD) model builds important relationships between neighbors, businesses, and contractors to create sustainable, people-based solutions. Through monthly POD meetings, healing circles, and seasonal community events, we create a platform for residents to gather, connect, and build relationships with each other and with UHW staff.

Homeownership Pathways

UHW’s Homeownership Pathways program was born out of the strength of our POD relationships. Many of our longtime residents shared that they felt stable enough to go after their next dream of becoming a homeowner. UHW now provides homeownership readiness courses to help walk residents through the process of purchasing a house and provides resources to help overcome the barriers that get in the way of homeownership. READ MORE ABOUT OUR HOMEOWNERSHIP ACCESS FUND.

Civic Engagement

UHW believes that civic engagement includes meeting your neighbors, getting involved in your child’s school, attending neighborhood gatherings, volunteering, voting, and so much more. We empower residents to step into leadership roles, share their insights, and collectively create solutions. We broadcast those solutions through Housing Justice Forums and create spaces where our residents have the floor to speak truth to elected officials. Individual ideas, concerns, and solutions are joined into the building blocks of community efforts to bring greater justice and equity to our neighborhoods.

contact us

 

    • 927 W Broadway Ave, Suite 301, Minneapolis, MN 55411
    • 612-724-9002

Property Solutions & Services (PSS) Property Management Office Address:

  • 927 W Broadway Ave, Suite 301, Minneapolis, MN 55411
    • Walk-In Hours are Mon, Wed, Fri | 10 am-3 pm.
    • Please call and make an appointment for times outside of walk-in hours 612-598-6545
  • UHW/PSS Maintenance Phone: 612-598-6545
  • UHW/PSS Emergency Maintenance Phone: 612-746-0400