From Goodgoodgood (thanks to Pam P.)
Minnesota experiences some of the coldest temperatures in the United States every winter. In the Twin Cities, temperatures have dropped below -30 degrees Fahrenheit on 12 occasions since 1891.
Considering people can suffer from hypothermia in any temperature below 35 degrees, this harsh weather can be a death sentence for Minnesotans experiencing homelessness.
So, in Minneapolis, housing advocates opened Avivo Village, an indoor community of 100 secure, private tiny houses for people who are otherwise at risk of sleeping on the streets.
Inside the village, which is located in a warehouse, 100 individual units give people their own place to call home — and the freedom to come and go as they please.
Since opening in December 2020, the shelter has supported over 800 people through temporary housing, placed 340 people in permanent housing, and have even reversed nearly 250 overdoses.
In addition to an individual 8-by-8-foot unit, the village provides “wraparound services” to people experiencing homelessness, meaning they have access to essential services like substance use disorder treatment, mental health therapy, medical care, and social work support.
Operating under a “harm reduction model,” the shelter is considered “low-barrier,” meaning people who stay there are welcome regardless of their sobriety. Even dogs and cats are welcome to stay with their humans, too.
“The winters are harsh here. Living on the streets here is harsh. And there hasn’t been a safe space for people to be. And the traditional shelter model hasn’t always worked for everybody,” David Jeffries, Avivo’s program director, said in a video.
“When they first come in … some of the residents are just exhausted. Saying they feel helpless, they’re very emotional, they don’t really know how to feel because they’ve been out on the streets for so long … When they finally come here, they just kind of take a breath, like, ‘Oh, I’m okay now.’” (continued on Page 2 or here)