For years, Belinda Walker escaped homelessness by living with her daughter. But when her daughter had plans to move to a new place that wouldn’t be able to accommodate Belinda anymore, she needed a living arrangement she could afford on her own. In 2019, she applied for MPHA housing. Shortly after, Belinda moved into MPHA’s Lyndale Manor.

“Sometimes as a senior you can feel overlooked, but living with MPHA I feel seen and important,” said Belinda Walker, a Minneapolis Public Housing Authority resident.

Since living with MPHA, Belinda has been a strong leader in the community. Belinda is the president of her building’s resident council, serves as the chair of MPHA’s Board of Commissioner’s Resident Advisory Board, and is on the Minneapolis Highrise Representative Council’s Advisory Board. Belinda also advocated for the city reinstating the tax levy bringing MPHA $5 million annually throughout 2023, testified in support of MPHA funding at the state legislature in 2025, and helps out with the monthly food shelf events at her building.

“I want to live fully and that means being involved in the community,” said Belinda. “My mom always said, ‘don’t let the grass grow under your feet.’ So, I have lived that way, choosing to always be going, going, going.”

Belinda says her involvement in the community is a lifeline. It helps get her out of her apartment, helping with her mental health. She’s able to be a resource for her building neighbors; When she learns new information from the various committees, she’s able to funnel that knowledge around. And Belinda is grateful she can help her neighbors in this way.

“There is life in these high-rises,” said Belinda. “We learn from the other MPHA buildings. When we see a different building doing something fun, we bring that idea to our building.”

Belinda says it’s thanks to other resident leaders that she started getting involved in the committees several years back. She was encouraged by her neighbors to step up to her role as resident council president. And other MPHA resident leaders from across the city have been mentors to her, as well.

Although this community building work can be tiring, leaders like Belinda keep showing up and making things better for their neighbors. And together, these residents are making the MPHA community stronger day after day.