One of the major and most pressing issues in the United States is the problem of homelessness. Homelessness and housing instability can cause deep rooted trauma and put people in extremely dangerous situations, sometimes even leading to death in the most tragic cases. Minnesotans recognize this .
Updated: 8:15 AM CDT April 29, 2021
ST PAUL, Minn. A local nonprofit that helps homeless women and families in the St. Paul and Ramsey County areas said the need is only growing.
Emma Norton Executive Director Tonya Brownlow said they average serving about 300 people a year. But last year during the pandemic, they helped more than 400. Brownlow said this year, they’re on track to serve more than 500 people. Homelessness is a solvable issue, Brownlow said. It is really about a choice we make as a community to support those that are in need and to say that there is enough housing out there available, it’s just the effort we make to putting people into housing, Brownlow said. It does so much to solve many issues we have when you don’t have people living in the streets and in scarcity, Brownlow said.
With major funding in hand, a project that will provide housing and support services for people in need is teed up for a possible 2021 construction start at the Highland Bridge redevelopment site in St. Paul.
Emma Norton, a nonprofit provider of housing and support services for women and families who have been homeless, is nearing construction thanks to an $18 million funding allocation announced last week by the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.
The project will create 60 homes for women and children and office space for Emma Norton, said Tonya Brownlow, the organization’s executive director. At present, Emma Norton operates a 50-unit building near downtown St. Paul and a townhome site in Maplewood.