March 2018
The following article is reprinted with permission from our outreach partner, Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative’s, Winter 2017-18 update.
With your support, 66 West is providing safe, stable homes and essential support to young adults who 
have experienced homelessness. Residents are creating community and working on personal goals for education, income and health. All 66 West residents were homeless before they moved in to their new homes. More than half were without a stable home for more than a full year before moving into 66 West. In the first cohort of residents, two thirds are from the western suburbs.
About half identify as male and half identify as female. 20 percent of residents have self-identified as LGBTQ and three-quarters of the residents identify as people of color, reflecting disparities in who experiences homelessness in the Twin Cities metro area. Nearly all residents are between the ages of 18 and 24. In a recent resident survey, respondents replied that they feel safe and secure at 66 West and think the building is well maintained.
Building Community
As young people get settled at 66 West, they are making a significant adjustment. They are living in their first independent homes and are learning how to take advantage of the support available to them. They are making a transition from being on their own to being part of a residential community, and moving beyond day-today living to setting goals and making long-term plans.
During the first few months at 66 West the community room white board showed a list of shared values that residents had created: respect, empathy, safety, responsibility, community. On another board residents shared ideas for group activities they’d like to do; cooking, slam poetry, a basketball tournament, and a meditation group are some that made the list.
66 West staff have helped facilitate these activities to build community and have been there to provide structure for collaborative planning: hosting monthly community meals, launching a community council of residents, and organizing life skills groups.
Advocates are also engaging the broader community to support youth through partnerships: the Southdale Library set up and staffs a mini-library on-site; Fairview Hospital hosted an employment and job shadowing workshop; and a peer mediation program partner has helped residents adjust to living in community.
Gaining Stability
Now that residents aren’t worried about where to sleep each night, they get to follow their dreams for personal success. 66 West staff are working with residents to set and pursue goals related to education, income, and health, and they are seeing residents make great strides. All residents reported a lack of steady income and employment before they moved in, but of those who have lived at 66 West for a full six months nearly all are either employed or enrolled in school.
Nearly 80 percent of the first cohort of residents had sustained their housing through the end of 
December 2017. It’s exciting to see young people move from surviving to thriving. One of the 66 West youth, Kira,* is completing course work to earn a Food and Beverage Management Certificate at Normandale Community College while also maintaining employment at Cub Foods. She’s investing in her career.
Another resident, Jose, just bought a car. He is making on-time payments and successfully maintaining his auto insurance. Having his own transportation will help him maintain his employment and housing. For Lexi, living at 66 West has given her the support she needs to begin college. She is in the middle of her first semester and working part time at the Southdale YMCA.
We continue to be grateful for the collaborative efforts that are making 66 West a success in helping young people transition from homelessness to home. Beacon congregations have provided essential support in the first months, supplying Dale’s Closet with household supplies to welcome residents and making year-end financial contributions.
Our on-site partner, Simpson Housing, is providing intensive support services for residents every day, and CommonBond Communities is providing ongoing property management. The impact of supportive housing as young people grow into independent adults changes the trajectory of their lives. By investing in these young people and their futures, you are taking part in building a strong, more equitable community.
As a collaborative of congregations united in action we create homes and advance equitable housing.
Thank you for helping to create safe, stable homes for young adults!
*Resident names have been changed.
