The 2022 Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless annual conference was two days of thought-provoking breakout sessions, networking time, and collaboration with over 600 individuals from across the state working to ensure every Minnesotan has a suitable place to call home. The focus of the conference was deepening understanding and community care. MACV is thrilled to be a part of the network of people and organizations collaborating and innovating to end homelessness thoughtfully in Minnesota.

At MACV, we are working to end Veteran homelessness in Minnesota; however, our innovative approach to affordable housing options can be applied to the general population as well, and we are proud to be leading the way with our housing initiatives. At the conference, Jon Lovald, our COO, hosted a breakout session alongside our partner Jamie Stolpstad  from YardHomesMN on Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). ADUs  can be placed by any home owner  behind their home to create affordable housing unit for a person experiencing homelessness. MACV currently has 3  ADUs built for Veterans and is planning on  building the 2 more by the end of the year.

Also, our Clinical Program manager Shanon Lowe presented on the Barriers to Housing Stability and how to address inequities through service and advocacy alongside Lorna Schmidt from Catholic Charities. Their presentations highlighted some of the policy-related barriers to housing stability, such as rental history, criminal background checks, and source of income discrimination and energized participants as agencies start to think about advocacy efforts for the upcoming legislative session.

For more information about the conference and to find more information visit the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless website by clicking here. To learn more about our ADUs click here.