Hope Community Inc

HOPE COMMUNITY CREATES CONNECTIONS THAT STRENGTHEN THE POWER OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND COMMUNITIES. WE CULTIVATE COMMUNITY LEADERS, BUILD COMMUNITY CAPACITY, CARE FOR THE HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SPACES WE DEVELOP, AND PURSUE EQUITY AND DIVERSITY IN ALL THAT WE DO.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT- WE COMPLETED OUR 12TH GROWING SEASON IN OUR GARDENS, OUR YOUTH MADE NATIONAL NEWS FOR A GROUNDBREAKING VIDEO THAT REFLECTED ON THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD, COMPLETED 5 COMMUNITY MURALS , 2ND YEAR COMPLETING TRANSFORMATIONAL CREATIVE STRATEGIES TRAINING (TRCSTR), MULTIPLE YOUTH PLACED IN PAID INTERNSHIPS, SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE PARKS AND POWER ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAM, LAUNCHED OUR SANCTUARY TRAININGS WITH STAFF AND BOARD.

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT- HOPE'S WORK WITH REAL ESTATE AND PUBLIC SPACE FEATURES AN INNOVATIVE, ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACH TO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, AND HOPE HAS DEVELOPED A CRITICAL MASS OF HOUSING, INDOOR AND OUTDOOR COMMUNITY SPACE (INCLUDING HOPE'S OFFICES AND COMMUNITY CENTER), AND SPACE FOR TWO NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES THAT ARE CHANGING THE FACE OF A FORMERLY DEVASTATED NEIGHBORHOOD. SOUTH QUARTER, A MAJOR DEVELOPMENT (IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AEON) REFLECTS 20+ YEARS OF PERSISTENT VISION AND STRATEGY TO DEVELOP A CRITICAL MASS OF COMMUNITY-FOCUSED HOUSING ON ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE PORTLAND AND FRANKLIN INTERSECTION. IN TOTAL, HOPE HAS DEVELOPED 267 UNITS OF HOUSING (70% AFFORDABLE, 30% MARKET RATE), 25,000 SQUARE FEET OF RETAIL, OFFICE AND COMMUNITY SPACE, AND 7,500 SQUARE FEET OF URBAN AGRICULTURE SPACE IN THE BLOCKS AROUND FRANKLIN AND PORTLAND AVENUES. HOPE AND AEON CO-OWN THE BUILDINGS IN THE SOUTH QUARTER: HOPE OWNS ANOTHER 50 UNITS OF RENTAL HOUSING IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA. IN 2021, HOPE SUCCESSFULLY RAISED $4 MILLION FOR THE CREATION/PRESERVATION OF AFFORDABLE HOMEOWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH MULTIPLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN PARTNERSHIPS WITH BOTH THE CITY OF LAKES COMMUNITY LAND TRUST AS WELL AS FROGTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND MODEL CITIES OF ST. PAUL. THOSE PROJECTS WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH HOPE'S COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH LAUNCHED IN 2020, AND SUPPORTS ASPIRING OWNER-OCCUPANTS OF SMALL MULTI-FAMILY BUILDINGS. OVER 20 GRADUATES HAVE COMPLETED THE PROGRAM AS OF THE END OF 2021.

HOUSING AND ASSET MANAGEMENT- STABLE, HEALTHY AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT IS AN EFFECTIVE WAY FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES TO MEET THE CHALLENGES OF POVERTY AND ISOLATION IN AN URBAN ENVIRONMENT. HOPE'S RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESIDENTS ARE ROOTED IN RESPECT AND MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY. HOPE'S PROPERTIES ARE MANAGED BY A PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY.AS A PROPERTY OWNER COMMITTED TO ITS BUILDINGS FOR THE LONG-TERM, HOPE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRADITIONAL DUTIES OF A REAL ESTATE ASSET MANAGER FINANCIAL OVERSIGHT, SELECTION OF PROPERTY MANAGER, COMPLIANCE WITH REGULATORY AGREEMENTS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLANNING, ETC. HOWEVER, HOPE'S IDEA OF ASSET MANAGEMENT INVOLVES A MUCH BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW TO MAINTAIN THEIR REAL ESTATE AS A LONG-TERM ASSET. KEY TO THAT UNDERSTANDING IS RELATIONSHIP MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS WITH RESIDENTS, FUNDERS, GOVERNMENT PARTNERS, NEIGHBORS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, AND MANY OTHERS. HOPE IS INVOLVED WITH GROUPS SUCH AS THE LOCAL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, AND CITY PLANNING COMMITTEES. CONSIDERABLE EFFORT IS SPENT TO CONNECT THE DISTINCT FUNCTIONS OF HOPE'S COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PROPERTY MANAGEMENT WORK.