From a school staff member: I currently drive fifty minutes one way to work daily from an area where I can afford a home for myself, my spouse, and my children. Most co-workers in my building also live outside of Eden Prairie because of the lack of affordable housing. I absolutely would love to live in Eden Prairie as it is where I work, where I want my own children to attend school, where my friends are, and where I know the most about resources, opportunities, and events in the community. When people hear the words affordable housing, there is a negative stigma. People think of words like crime, poverty, and government housing. As a community, I know that the people of Eden Prairie would like its school staff, teachers, police officers, nurses, and others who make Eden Prairie as wonderful and successful as it is to be able to live in the community.
Columbine Townhomes: Back in 2017, a group of organizations came together with the goal of getting affordable housing issues in Eden Prairie in front of decision-makers to protect tenants’ rights. They
were aware of abuses going on, especially in low income-based areas. The owners were making money on poor people with spaces that are not livable: roofs leaking, furnace breaking in the middle of winter. In response, tenants created a tenant group, and the owner
of the property fixed some things. Then Covid-19 arrived, and everything went back to how it was managed before. Affordable Housing is about living conditions and accountability from the property owners. Additionally, we’re losing a lot of people whose families are too big for our housing stock.
Broadmoor: Sometimes economic conditions happen that are out of tenant control. Broadmoor was slated for redevelopment before the downturn in 2008 delayed it. For ten years it existed without maintenance because it was going to be torn down. However, no plan was put in place in advance of its redevelopment. A large variety
of people were living there because it was a naturally affordable place. The owner originally gave tenants a three-month notice of non-renewal with the end date being in midwinter. People organized spoke out resulting in the developer agreeing to extend the leases to
give folks more time. However, it was 260 units of affordable housing that went away all at once. We’re losing affordability when things are redeveloped.
Eden Prairie Housing Alliance 