The modest brick building on a bustling corner of the Phillips neighborhood belies the impressive contributions of its occupants — Hope Community Inc.
Born from the crack epidemic that crippled this Minneapolis community in the 1980s, the nonprofit began buying boarded-up housing, one at a time, and today counts 300 units.
It has also developed playgrounds, community spaces, two businesses, three gardens, and learning and leadership opportunities for thousands of neighbors.
The $67 million transformation was accomplished through an unusual model of community development, based on asking neighbors what they want instead of giving them what nonprofits think they need.
On November 3, 2015, Hope Community was awarded the “Community Innovation” prize from the Bush Foundation for that strategy — the latest of many accolades it has won over the years.
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[Our thanks to subscriber Suzanne Gunther, of the National Alliance for Community Economic Development Associations (NACEDA) for contributing this article.]