Built in 1952, more than 2,000 families have called Glendale home over the decades. Nestled in the transit-rich Prospect Park neighborhood, Glendale boasts access to an early childhood Head Start program and Luxton Park and its recreation center, along with proximity to the University of Minnesota and its many resources. Through the years, Glendale has become a cultural corridor for many refugee families–from Southeast Asia to East Africa–and recently celebrated its 70th anniversary.

Today, nearly 600 people call Glendale home. Eighty-nine percent of residents are Black/African American, 49 percent are children, 41 percent of households are families of five or more, and nearly 20 percent of households have a family member with a disability. Among heads of household, 67 percent have an earned income, averaging $35,797 in annual income.

And while MPHA has been able to maintain these homes despite decades of federal disinvestment in public housing (resulting in a $260 million capital backlog across MPHA’s entire portfolio), the age and state of the homes are creating a growing number of challenges for residents.

In recent months, MPHA staff have hosted listening sessions to learn more about how Glendale residents feel about their homes. Residents shared stories about the lack of accessibility limiting wheelchair-bound residents, how families with many children must share a single bathroom, and the need for better indoor air quality and air conditioning.

Stories from residents illustrate the challenges associated with the capital backlog at Glendale that grows alongside the agency’s overall backlog. At Glendale, the 184 townhomes now carry a $22 million capital backlog. Included in the backlog of needs is $9.7 million of interior renovations (kitchens, bathrooms, flooring, and doors/frames), $6.5 million in exterior enveloping renovations (replacing older roofs, soffit/fascia and gutters, drafty windows, and/or outdated siding), and nearly $4.5 million in electrical, plumbing, and heating repair needs.

The reality of these needs is also reflected in resident work orders. Over the last five years, carpentry (windows, doors, and cabinetry) and plumbing are the most frequently requested repairs by residents. And while Glendale comprises only three percent of MPHA’s housing portfolio, it makes up more than eight percent of the agency’s entire capital backlog.

“Glendale residents deserve better, and that is what we are here to discuss,” said Abdi Warsame, Executive Director/CEO of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority at a recent listening session.

Glendale is a vibrant community within MPHA, Prospect Park, and Minneapolis. However, following decades of federal disinvestment, the properties require a major capital infusion and repair effort in the coming years.

Nearly a decade ago, agency staff approached Glendale residents to discuss possible redevelopment options to address the capital backlog. That effort resulted in a series of public clashes with residents and neighbors who opposed redevelopment. Ultimately, agency staff left those unsuccessful conversations no closer to a solution or vision from residents or the neighborhood on how to preserve Glendale for generations to come.

In the ensuing years, MPHA focused its efforts on major redevelopment projects like the $27 million Elliot Twins renovation, the internationally recognized Family Housing Expansion Project (FHEP), and most recently, the $65 million renovation of Spring Manor—the largest public housing redevelopment in the city’s history. Along the way, MPHA welcomed dignitaries like U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to tour its successful projects and earned numerous statewide, national, and international recognition for this work.

In every new project, MPHA has centered the resident experience in its work to co-create a vision for the future. Key learnings and highlights in recent years include the comprehensive resident relocation plan at the Elliot Twins that protected residents’ right to return to the building and covered all associated relocation costs along with the successful FHEP resident design panel that connected residents with project architects to provide guidance on everything from layout designs to finishings used on surfaces throughout the new units.

Now, with an additional decade of learnings under its belt, MPHA staff have restarted conversations with residents about what the future of Glendale could look like. Residents have shared what makes their community unique and what improvements and added amenities they would prioritize in any large-scale renovation. Residents also shared their concerns about relocation plans that would accompany any development effort. Residents wanted to know they would be welcomed back to their community following any development activities.

[Editor’s note: MPHA is prohibited from involuntarily displacing residents through RAD redevelopment, and residents’ right to return to a redeveloped property is protected by federal and city regulations]

Through these conversations, agency staff will create a shared set of values, guiding principles, and goals for what the future of Glendale should look like. From this community-developed rubric, agency staff will begin exploring and sharing different development options that are aligned with residents’ vision for their community.

Glendale needs a major capital infusion in the coming years, and MPHA is committed to maintaining and improving Glendale for its current residents. The agency also wants to ensure future generations of Glendale residents can weave their story into the community’s rich legacy. Restarting conversations with Glendale residents mark the beginning of the journey to bringing this commitment to life.