Although some colorful artificial intelligence-generated images have circulated on social media, the space is simple. Residences are placed in a grid, and walls are painted in simple, plain colors. Volunteers regularly spruce up the community, and additional furniture like picnic tables and gathering spaces are available inside, too.
While residents live in the individual units on a temporary basis, there is no limit to how long they can stay. Experts are also there to help people find permanent, supportive housing, obtain employment, and more. Staff and security are on-site for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Avivo Village is a tremendous example of what can happen when the community rallies together to address the issue of unsheltered homelessness,” Avivo president & CEO Kelly Matter said in a statement.
“It offers stability and security first. A safe place out of the elements to take personal steps to permanent housing … The indoor community is surrounded by trained staff who walk alongside each person, connecting them to just the right services that help them find permanent, safe places to live. It’s one of the things Avivo does best.”
Plus, residents take part in making the village work for them.
“The village is set up in a way that it really creates community, and a lot of people take on different roles,” Heather Day, another program manager for Avivo, said in the video.
“We have a resident who is a barber, and he cuts people’s hair. We have a resident who is very personable, so if somebody is feeling down, they’re always the one that comes in. Everyone takes a part, just like our regular community would do.”
Avivo Village began as a two-year pilot project and has since grown to support people for over five years. Funding from the state, county, and city — along with private donors — make it possible for the program to stay operational.
“It’s not an inexpensive intervention,” Emily Bastian, vice president of ending homelessness at Avivo, told MPR News.
“But when we do the math, we identify that a night in Avivo Village is no more expensive than a night in a correctional facility in our community.”