Rebuilding Neighborhoods | In the most disadvantaged neighborhoods of the Twin Cities, Urban Homeworks focuses the combined resources of individuals, churches, businesses, government entities and other nonprofits to transform foreclosed, condemned or boarded properties into dignified, quality places to live.
Beyond Chocolate Donuts
A group of silver-haired retired men sits around a breakfast table at Milda’s Café in north Minneapolis, poking fun at each other and telling stories about what’s going on today and from years ago—flying jets, rehabbing their own house, the weather. It’s a Tuesday morning and this group of Quicksilvers enjoys the usual banter before beginning their work volunteering on one of Urban Homeworks’ work sites. 
Some of the guys joined the group years ago while others have joined recently. Some have come with construction skills, and others learn on the job (or have fun trying). Whatever the experience, all are welcomed by the rest of group, and quickly become part of the camaraderie.
When asked what makes them keep coming back every week (sometimes twice a week!), they’re quick to shoot off a smart response, saying that chocolate donuts during the morning break are the motivating factor. And although some say they’re afraid of being talked about by the others if they don’t show up every week, it’s easy to see the meaningful friendship they have with each other. “Breakfast with the guys” on Tuesday and Thursday mornings isn’t the only reason they return. “We’re restoring a house that we know will do something good for somebody,” one of them says, “It’s a wonderful way to give back.” Bob Haberkorn, one of the very first Quicksilvers, replies “We are helping to restore a house so that somebody can restore their life.”
Thank you, Quicksilvers, for your faithful commitment in helping to restore lives. We appreciate your dedication and hard work every week.
Would YOU like to join the Quicksilvers group? Contact Jon at 612-703-9093 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Rebuilding & Reconnecting in 2012
Urban Homeworks’ Rental: Reclaim and Project: Reclaim are our direct responses to the overwhelming number of boarded, condemned or foreclosed properties in Minneapolis and St. Paul and to the loud cry we’ve heard for dignified, affordable places to call home.
Rental Reclaim is a multi-unit residential rental acquisition and rehabilitation program to help rebuild neighborhoods. Through Rental: Reclaim, Urban Homeworks can provide housing that is stable, dignified and sustainable. The program has four phases, and we completed the first two at the end of 2011, which added 30 units of rental housing for Urban Neighbors and families of low income. In 2012, we’ll be completing Phases 3 and 4, which include adding 16 more units as well as rehabbing 36 of our current units, updating them and making them sustainable for the long-term. The debt that we have on them will also be completely retired, allowing us to lower rents and strengthen their financial viability. More families will be able to have a stable place to live and be proud of the place they call home.
In addition to the rental homes, we will also be rehabbing 13 single family houses in 2012 through Project: Reclaim. The program provides an opportunity for families of low to moderate income to become homeowners through a contract for deed arrangement. When families can move from renting to owning, they not only have a place to call home, but also become more engaged in the life of their community. They now control the destiny of their housing and become reconnected to their neighborhood.
We’ve got our work cut out for us this year! Adding these new homes will not only provide more families with dignified homes, but will also provide sites for construction trainees to learn valuable job skills, create jobs for local contractors and increase volunteering opportunities. We need you more than ever. Your involvement is necessary to help restore quality housing and reweave a strong tapestry of community.
Please help by
• Volunteering on site or in the office
• Signing up to be a monthly giver
• Telling a friend about Urban Homeworks or
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share at your church or organization
Lovell Square
By the end of 2011, Urban Homeworks will have completed 30 units of dignified rental housing for low-income families and Urban Neighbors. The Lovell Square project is one of the main ways that Urban Homeworks is able to offer so many additional units. The six buildings were sold to Urban Homeworks by the City of Minneapolis for $1 one year ago. By the end of this year, they will be ready for 18 families and Urban Neighbors!
The homes in Lovell Square would have taken much longer to complete without the volunteer support of groups such as Community Covenant Church. This faithful partner of Urban Homeworks identifies itself as “a place where everyone is welcome,” but this church doesn’t wait for people to come through the doors to help; over its 45 years in the northside neighborhood, Community Covenant has made it a priority to get involved in the surrounding community, considering it “a natural offshoot of the church,” says member Carleton Johnson.
Thankfully, there are many groups like Community Covenant who have been volunteering and working diligently to make more dignified homes possible. Thank you for recognizing that we are all in this together!
