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“Aeon – over the long term – has done a tremendous job at creating quality affordable homes that are an asset to Minneapolis. Their properties are investments in our community which revitalize our neighborhoods and meet a vital need for affordable places to live.” ~Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak | |
Resident Stories
Aeon
serves more than 3,500 men, women and children annually. Our 2,000-plus
apartments and townhomes offer affordability to individuals and families
earning low to moderate incomes.
| James, Alliance Apartments
James found home at Aeon's Alliance Addition apartments in Minneapolis, which offers permanent affordable housing for formerly homeless adults. With the combination of safe, stable housing at Aeon and case management support by RS Eden, James maintains sobriety and is actively involved in his community.
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| Jenny, Clover Field Marketplace
Jenny found home at Aeon's Clover Field Marketplace apartments in Chaska, Minn. As a single parent, she was looking for an affordable, quality apartment home to raise her two children. At Clover Field she has found comfort, community and easy access to schools, work and other important amenities. She artfully juggles working full-time and keeping up with her school-age kids.
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 Penny, Sienna Green
Penny spent nearly three years, homeless and living
on the streets. “I had worked for 20 years and was married,” she said.
After her divorce, she began to battle depression. She started drinking,
which triggered mental illness. After four years, she lost her
apartment. She slept in parks, down by the river and various shelters.
“Being homeless does something to your soul,” she said. “I saw a lot of
bad things…some happened to me.”
With the help of People Incorporated
and a personal drive to turn her life around, Penny found a one-bedroom
apartment at Sienna Green. It is one of 10 apartments at the Roseville property
that are designated for adults who have experienced homelessness.“I’ve lived at Sienna Green for two years,” shares
Penny. “You meet residents in this community all the time… walking their
dogs, grilling in the open space, or just sitting outside. People [here] really care.”
 Chris, The Continental Hotel
How can a choice to help a sick parent result in being homeless? That’s what
happened to Chris, an Aeon resident. After Chris’ mother began experiencing
serious health problems, he immediately moved
into her home to help take care of her. But when his mother moved to Arizona to
receive more intensive care and his plans to continue leasing her apartment fell
through, Chris was left without a home for the first time in his life.
For the next six months, Chris spent most nights at a homeless shelter in
Minneapolis. One day, his sister told him about The Continental Hotel, an Aeon property that provides stable, affordable apartment homes for
formerly homeless individuals. Chris applied right away and has been happily
living at The Continental Hotel since 2011.
“When you have a place of your own, it’s different. It’s your place and your
home. That’s what makes it special,” Chris said. “Aeon is helping people find
their way back into the community and into the world so they can feel proud
again.” Raelene, The Lamoreaux
Plagued by health problems that prevented her from working, Raelene endured homelessness for six years. While dealing with a plethora of health issues that included hospitalizations, two surgeries and a severe anxiety disorder, Raelene also had to cope with homelessness as she frequently moved from one friend’s house to another. She moved into The Lamoreaux in September 2011.
“I was 50-plus years old and I didn’t have anything,” Raelene said. “I knew part of my healing was going to be having my own place. When I’m here, I have the support that I need.”
 Tonya and Mary Kate, Ripley GardensTonya re-mortgaged her house to buy a
car that would accommodate the scooter she needed for her MS. She never
imagined it would lead to becoming homeless. “I lost our home to
foreclosure,” she explained. “I felt ashamed, like I should have known
better.”
After being approved for a housing
subsidy, Tonya and her daughter moved into Ripley Gardens. “Home to us
means comfort, safety, a haven, my own little nest,” Tonya said. “Ripley
Gardens helped us get to a stable place where we can dream about our
future again.”
 Fardeen, Alliance Apartments
After
being laid off from his job as a welder, Fardeen didn’t know where to
go or what to do next. He found drinking to be the only solution to his
problems. “The more I drank the more I wanted,” said Fardeen. “Alcohol
seemed like the only thing that could fix my problems, but it only made
things worse.” This addiction seemed like it was never going to stop.
Fardeen realized he needed a change, and he needed to turn his life
around. He found a place at Alliance Apartments, which offers a
sober environment for chemically dependent, formerly homeless adults.
“Alliance
gave me more than an apartment – it gave me a place I can call home.”
Fardeen explained. “This home has given me a sense of safety and
community that has helped me get my life back on the right track.” Fardeen now plans to give back to the community. He hopes to teach
welding and share his experience and knowledge with others.
 Jama & his family, Chicago Avenue ApartmentsJama says he, his wife and children have prospered in the stability of their three-bedroom apartment home. Abdullhi and his wife, both refugees from Somalia, say it’s the life they hoped for their children. “Too
many people have no home. I am blessed to have affordable housing,”
Jama said, adding that his income from working at a rental car company
would be stretched without the affordability Chicago Avenue Apartments
offers. “We’re having a good life because we can survive.”
 Lita and DuWayne, The Cedars
Lita and DuWayne call their one-bedroom at Cedars
Apartments a “safe haven.” After being laid off from his janitorial job of 10
years, the couple lived with family for three years before finding a place they
could afford.
Even with affordable rent, their budget is stretched thin.DuWayne works six days a week at a mechanic shop for $7/hour. He's rarely scheduled for 40 a week - making it challenging to afford bus passes, food and medical bills. At times, Lita has gone without her diabetes medication. Despite these challenges, the couple is grateful for their quality apartment. "This is our space. This is our home," Lita said proudly.
Edward, Allian ce Apartments“As a young man, I didn’t know any better than to pattern my life around
the things I saw: drugs,” Edward explained. He became a drug dealer and
eventually went to prison. When he got out, he was determined to
separate himself from people and places that would draw him back to his
addiction. Edward applied to live at Alliance Apartments, which offers a
sober environment for chemically addicted, formerly homeless adults.
“Alliance
gave me a safe haven and allowed me to gain confidence in my new walk,”
he explained. Today, Edward is in a job training program and spends
time mentoring youth whose parents are in prison. “I am trying to give
back to the same community I once tore down.”
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