Cindy at her new house Alliance Housing INCORPORATED Annual Report 2021 30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY M uch of the world as we know it came to a standstill after the pandemic shut-down and restrictions imposed in March 2020. We all found ways, some easier than others, to adapt and survive. e Alliance Housing staff continued to report to work. It’s near to impossible to do property management and maintenance from a home office. We managed to stay healthy as did most of our tenants – a benefit of being stably housed. COVID disrupted the hours and employment of many of our tenants. Many, as essential workers, continued to report to work with the early anxiety we all felt about risks to ourselves and our families. Alliance created and raised nearly $60,000 for a Rent Match Forgiveness Fund. It brought immense relief to our tenants who worried about getting so far behind in rent they may never catch up. During the last year, the fund assisted 27 tenants with matching funds totaling $32,241. The average match was $287. Many tenants tapped the fund multiple times over some period of time. Three of our tenants had an eventful year despite the pandemic. Cindy Arnold bought a house. Charles McMillian was present at the murder of George Floyd and was a witness in the trial. Cherise Marshall moved her family out of a homeless shelter and added an extra member to her family. They have all agreed to share their “what I did during COVID” stories with our readers. Cindy Arnold goes way back with Alliance Housing. You may remember reading about her in our 2018- 2019 Annual Report. Due to a drug addiction, she lived unsuccessfully in and out of two of Alliance’s properties over a period of 4 years. In 2017, now drug-free and What I Did During COVID...
Transcript
Cindy at her new house
Alliance HousingINCORPORATED
Annual Report 2021
30 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Much of the world as we know it came to a standstill after the pandemic shut-down
and restrictions imposed in March 2020. We all found ways, some easier than others, to adapt and survive. The Alliance Housing staff continued to report to work. It’s near to impossible to do property management and maintenance from a home office. We managed to stay healthy as did most of our tenants – a benefit of being stably housed.
COVID disrupted the hours and employment of many of our tenants. Many, as essential workers, continued to report to work with the early anxiety we all felt about risks to ourselves and our families. Alliance created and raised nearly $60,000 for a Rent Match Forgiveness Fund. It brought immense relief to our tenants who worried about getting so far behind in rent they may never catch up. During the last year, the fund assisted 27 tenants with matching funds totaling $32,241. The average match was $287. Many tenants tapped the fund multiple times over some period of time.
Three of our tenants had an eventful year despite the pandemic. Cindy Arnold bought a house. Charles McMillian was present at the murder of George Floyd and was a witness in the trial. Cherise Marshall moved her family out of a homeless shelter and added an extra member to her family. They have all agreed to share their “what I did during COVID” stories with our readers.
Cindy Arnold goes way back with Alliance Housing. You may remember reading about her in our 2018-2019 Annual Report. Due to a drug addiction, she lived unsuccessfully in and out of two of Alliance’s properties over a period of 4 years. In 2017, now drug-free and
What I Did During COVID...
Charles testifying in court
Cherise and her familyA L L I A N C E H O U S I N G 2 0 2 1 - 2
while participating in an MCTC internship program, she moved into one of our properties in North Minneapolis.
Cindy works fulltime at Burger King and has 3 classes left to complete her two year Human Services degree. Her employer recognized her hard work and kept her on 40 hours per week throughout the pandemic when many others were getting laid off or had their hours reduced. With her stability, Cindy was determined to buy a house. Cindy connected with a realtor her daughter had used through a first time homebuyer program. In January of 2020, Cindy gave her notice because she had bought a house in Camden.
Cindy is proud of her house – a two bedroom, 1 bathroom house with room for expansion. It has a big backyard where she can entertain her family and friends. Her grandkids love the swing set and trampoline. She knows her neighbors. She is also proud of herself and rightly so. Cindy noted, “I have a good credit score, have worked fulltime, have a bank account and have paid taxes to the
IRS for 2 years.”
Charles McMillian has been a tenant since January 2017. Like so many people, Charles’s ability to earn money was upended by the pandemic. He hasn’t yet recovered. Currently he has several part time jobs with very irregular hours. He is one of three men in the shared ½ of a duplex.
They each have their own lease and locked bedroom. They share the kitchen, living room and bathroom. He did not know the others when he moved in, but they all have become close and they look out for one another.
Charles became an unfortunate celebrity during COVID. He was present at the murder of George Floyd. He was on his way to meet his boss that day and saw the initial encounter. He urged George Floyd to cooperate but the situation evolved rapidly. After it was over, he had some words for Derek Chauvin as well. He had suffered at the hands of the MPD in the past, and felt it was his duty to try to help.
In the initial aftermath, Charles didn’t want anyone to know he was there that day. People were angry. He feared that he would be accused of not doing enough to try to help Mr. Floyd. He was later contacted by the Attorney General’s
office, and came to realize that testifying was the right thing to do.
The experience has changed him. He feels he’s a stronger person but after more than a year he still struggles with depression due to the trauma he experienced. Contrary to his initial fears, he’s received support from people all over the world via Facebook and Messenger. A friend set up a Go Fund Me page for Charles. He dreams of setting up his own lawn care and snow removal business and achieving some financial independence.
Cherise is humble about all that she has accomplished in the last year. For context, she shared that she and her kids moved to Minneapolis in 2015. They were homeless. She managed to get employment and an apartment and stay there until 2017 when a domestic situation upended their lives once again. She moved in with her sister and her family to help out after her sister’s husband had died. The landlord of the property ended up selling the house and she and the kids ended up homeless again in December.
A L L I A N C E H O U S I N G 2 0 2 1 - 3
GOOD NEIGHBOR CIRCLE
AFSCME Local 34BDS Laundry Tom Beer & Rita DoucetBlackbaud Giving FundBroen Housing Consultants, Inc.Buuck Family FoundationCenterPoint Energy FoundationJim & Linda CombConstellation FundWilliam FisherFlannery ConstructionFoundation for the Development of PeopleFrerichs Construction CompanyFrey FoundationFS FoundaitonPaul Gates & Marie FranchettDarryl Graves & Linda Bennett-GravesGuaranty Commercial Title, Inc.Mindy HangslebenHennepin County Minnesota Brownfields Gap ProgramMark & Margaret HottingerBarbara Jeanetta & Mark RichardsonNancy KiskisGreg & Anne KurowskiDean & Sarah LeDouxNicole LettnerThomas Lowe, Sr.Madeleine & Phil Lowry
MacGillis Family FoundationBob & Mardie MarshallJohn & Connie McMahonRichard & Kimberly MerriamChet & Miriam MeyersMinneapolis FoundationBill Moore & Mary WagnerMichael & Cassie MorrisTim & Mary NantellNational Equity Fund, Inc.National Philanthropic TrustFrancis NeirOlivia NeirRick & Lisa NelsonNorthPoint Health & Wellness Center ClinicRita Olk & Benedict A. Olk, Jr. Ben Olk III & Kris BerggrenProto Labs FoundationDan & Lynne RectenwaldJohn & Eudora RettgerRichard M. Schulze Family FoundationJason RichmondMahoney CPAs & AdvisorsMark & Shelley ShermanRajdeep & Jasjeet SinghSteven & Stephanie SmithDiana Soran & Kyle SrivastavaSt. Joan of Arc Catholic Community’s CARE CommitteeT.S. Palmer Family Charitable FundTarget FoundationThrivent Financial ServicesTouchstone Mental HealthJohn & Jill TrautzTurner Family FoundationU.S. Bancorp Community
Development CorporationUS Bank National AssociationGary VigMiranda WalkerWatson Forsberg General ContractorsWells FoundationWelna Hardware, Inc.WiCare FundDan & Carol WolfeRobert & Barbara WoodruffJohn YackelAlison Morse & Peter Yackel
LEGACY GIFTS
Mary Jo HenningMichael Peller
OTHER DONORS
A Fresh Look, Inc.Bruce & Teresa AcklandMary Adair & Gerald JorgensonAll Seasons Garage DoorAlpine AsphaltAmerican Center for PhilanthropyAmeriprise FinancialCaralyn & Gene Scott AndersonSusan AndersonMary Ann AndreasonAnonymous - Patti Neir MemorialStacy BeckerMariann Bentz & William Burleson
Katie BlumRobert Bono & Susanne GerndtSharon BornBoston Scientific Employee GivingLance BrockBarbara Broen & Greg FinzellMike BrownLeo & Sue Bulger Sharon BurnhamLouise CarpentierSusan CarrMark CasagrandeScott CavanaughCentraire Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc.Bob & Nancy ChristensenAngela ChristyBarry CohenKathleen ConklinDavid & Jeanne Cornish Giving FundTerry & Kathy CummingsMary Deaner & Ehud SnirKelly Delahunty & Eugene JensenWilliam & Colleen DelaneyJessica DonahueDiane Dube & Peter W. GormanChris Duffrin & Jennifer LoveDavid & Sarah EinckDaniel Engstrom & Barbara CoffinRichard EsquivelFrank & Cary EustisElizabeth FeckterElleni FellowsFidelity CharitableJohn Field
They stayed in their car until they were admitted to the shelter once again.
Cherise was working while living at the shelter and then got referred to Alliance Housing from Hennepin County’s coordinated entry system that prioritizes homeless households for available affordable properties. Cherise signed a lease
on a 3 bedroom apartment in a duplex in South Minneapolis a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Cherise noted, “The house fits us perfect. The kids love having their own room and the rent is nice and affordable. It was a blessing.”
In the future, Cherise plans to buy her own home - “their forever home”. Bob Bono, property
manager, says he doesn’t doubt Cherise will accomplish her goal. He says, “Cherise has been a great tenant for Alliance and the neighborhood. Cherise is pleasant, communicative and takes her responsibilities under the lease seriously.” Seeing a family transition from homelessness and settle into a nice place, is part of the reason we all do this work.
Donors
A L L I A N C E H O U S I N G 2 0 2 1 - 4
Matthew & Meghan Gage- FinnDaniel FisherEd Flahavan & Susan O’LearyAnthony FlaminioGerry Flannery & Jean HenjumFlexible PressYvonne ForsytheJim FournierTimothy FranciscoCarol FreemanHerb & Olivia FreyGreta GaetzBrenden GarritySusanna GibbonsJoan GilbertsonAnn & Tracy GodfreyLeota & Stephen GoodneyEllen GraceJack & Nancy Grace Charitable FundTerri GrinaRolf HageChristine HamiltonRuth & David OlkonDonald & Francisca HansonClaire HansonLyle & Cheryl HanzalRegina HarrisJean HeberleWilliam Hefner & Julie RohovitPat HelinAngela HenchenMary Jo HenningJonathan HillJudy Hinck Kristina HomstadMatt & Rose HorovitzStephen HorsfieldJean HowellTamuno ImbuHelen JansmaTina JohnsonLaura & Robert KadwellBradley KahleyJeanne & John KantonenDaon Karpan & Quinn KarpanDoug & Shelley KaufmanBruce & Deb KiersteadMorris & Lana KnopfEvelin Knorr ReinitzJunee KochBenedict KohlerPeter Komarek & Lisa Nelson Giving FundDavid Krall & Mary Burnison Charles & Debora LanceEd & Lois Langerak
Susan & Mark LarsonNancy LaskarisHans Frederick Law & Janette LawCara LetofskyJunetth LettnerLHB, Inc.Kevin LockeLockhart Family FundSam LovejoyJ.A. & S.H. MadoleMarket Analyst ProfessionalsSarah MatalaJohn & Marie MayhewRichard & Mary R. McCarthyPeter & Charlotte McDermottPeter Mclaughlin & Nancy HyldenAndrew McMahon & Katie BurnsMike Menner & Margaret GrosspietschMetro Sales, Inc.Jeffrey MeyerRichard MichelPaul Moe & Karine Swenson MoeCasie MoenCam MooreDiane MountfordCarol MulliganGreg MureNorth Risk Partners David NortonThomas O’Connell & Rebecca HeistLisa OhlsonMary OlkBenedict B. OlkKari OlkCarolyn OlsonDavid OrladyJoe PalenLois & Steve ParkerParker Creative CommunicationsChuck & JoAnne ParsonsStephan & Mary PatnodePeace Presbyterian Church Mission GroupMary PepinDonna PeszekJim & Donna PeterFrancesca PietrantonioNettie PignatelloJohn PikalaSharon PitalaPatricia & Mark PokorneyPaul Porter
Larry PrindsRandy’s Environmental ServicesDoris RauschWilliam & Barbara ReadScott ReddRenaissance Charitable FoundationBarbara RenshawMary ResemiusBrian RiceAlice RichardsonJohn & Catherine RiesPaul RobertsNate RobitschekJuan RodriguezKaren RoosenBarb RoseJeffrey RoyMelanie Ruda & Kathleen McDonoughDiane RuppertRose ScheckmanJames Scheibel & Mary Pat LeeJason SchmidtHolly & Jeffrey SchrammJulie Schultz BrownSchwab CharitableJames Sealey Wayne SerieNoah Serie ReedMarcy ShapiroT.J. SheldonSusan & Jeff ShellbergSheridan Ventures LLCChristy & Lyndon Shirley Charitable FundTammy ShockleyChelsey ShoupMarissa SkajaHugh Smeltekop & David FeyLaura SmithDan & Tracie Smith Kendall & Debra Smith Anna SmithDeanna SomvongPolly StaffordJim & Martha SteinerJim Stengel & Sandra HeidemannSally StinsonMelissa & Gregory StruveAlex StuartKathie StulcSunrise BanksSteve & Mary SwensonHolly SylvesterJudith Takkunen
Steve Thomas & Milagros SantiagoMark Simonson & Pat ThompsonLucy ThompsonMargaret TinsmanBryan ToftAl & Parker TrostelMike Troutman & Amy BlumenshineEric & Gretchen TuckUS Bank FoundationVanguard CharitableGrant VaroKaren ViskochilDJ VoslerNancy WachsAndrea WalkerBettie L. WalkerGloria & George WallaceDewayne & Theo WeeMarvin WelkLori WellmanPatricia WelnaWelna Hardware II, LLP/The Paint StudioRichard & Sandy WestbyDavid White & Daniel OlsonTessa WilliamsMichelle Lyn Wincell O’LearyIsaac WipperfurthJanet WoolmanJennifer WorleyMichael & Sandy WurmChia XiongCathy Yandell & Mark McNeilDawn Zinda-ValentePaul & Debra ZislaPaul Zorn & Janet PetriRuth Colby
A L L I A N C E H O U S I N G 2 0 2 1 - 5
Tessa was a Jesuit Volunteer Corp with Alliance Housing in 2016-2017. She worked with tenants on issues to help keep them stable in their housing and gather stories and information to better illustrate our work. After her JVC year, Tessa moved back east to be nearer to her family. She currently works at MIT as a data administrator for their grants management database but is actually hoping to transition to a social work career. During the pandemic she decided to make a monthly donation to Alliance.
• Property management operations allowed 133 households – 153 adults and 75 kids - the opportunity to create homes for themselves, regardless of housing and criminal history. Average housing tenure among tenants of 3 years (with a range of 3 months to 20+ years). 54+% of Alliance’s tenants would be rejected by standard rental screening criteria of other landlords: felony conviction or eviction in last 5 years and rent more than 50% of their income.
• The property management and maintenance team worked directly in our properties and with tenants throughout COVID.
• Selected by Hennepin County to manage start-up and leasing of Stevens Square Residence – 31 rooms for tenants being referred from Hennepin County homeless hotels to permanent housing.
• Secured 100% of financing needed to build 3301 Nicollet – future home for low wage workers with barriers to housing and including 20 households who were previously homeless.
• Was awarded $2.3 million dollars of capital funding needed (7%) to build 700 10th Avenue South/Kyle Garden Square – proposed home for 55 households with barriers to housing and a history of chronic homelessness.
• Played key influencing role in getting new policy initiatives underway at the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County around single room occupancy housing.
• Exceeded budget goals for individual and corporate donations and foundation grants including nearly $60,000 for Rent Match Forgiveness fund. During the last year, the fund assisted 27 tenants with matching funds totaling $32,241.
• Exceeded operating cash reserve goals 12 out of 12 months.
DONOR SPOTLIGHT: TESSA
2020 - 2021 Program Highlights
“It’s nice to have a way to contribute to affordable housing even though
I’m not currently working in the field. I can’t think of a better place to
put my money.” - Tessa
A L L I A N C E H O U S I N G 2 0 2 1 - 6
Many thanks to Rick Nelson and Kimberly Spates for their board service. Rick was one of our longest serving Board Members. He joined the board in 1995 and retired in December concurrently with his teaching position from the U of MN. Rick served as Treasurer
for a long while and general institutional memory. Kimberly served on the board for 8 years from November 2012-December 2020. She served as Board Vice President and was never afraid to ask the hard questions.
Many thanks to Mariann Bentz. Mariann was our Donor Steward for 4 years and retired in December 2020. Mariann’s attention to donor relations and editing will be missed. Best wishes to Mary Resemius who left
in October 2020. Mary was our Housing Operations Assistant for 3+ years. She did a good job systematizing our compliance practices.
June 30, 2021 audited expense
Administrative &management
Fundraising
Basic needs housingmanagement
Workforce housingmanagement
A L L I A N C E H O U S I N G 2 0 2 1 - 7
Operating Expenses:Administrative & management
$113,375
Fundraising $45,697Basic needs housing management
$2,100,792
Workforce housing management
$1,577,281
TOTAL $3,837,145
SPOTLIGHT: REGINA HARRIS
Volunteers
It’s not every day the talents of someone like the retired Director of the Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority offers to volunteer. Regina Harris immersed herself in the legal documents related to our tax credit projects and outlined all of our reporting and compliance requirements – a thankless but important job. Regina offered:
Members of the Alliance Housing Board of Directors and:
Kris BerggrenRose CarrShelley Carr; Baker Court Interiors, Inc.
Mindy HangslebenRegina HarrisPhil Lowry
Tanner QuieMark RichardsonRobert Wright
“During my years of involvement with affordable housing industry I was frustrated by how difficult it was to develop and
manage housing for very low income households. There was never enough financial and community resources. Somehow
Alliance has found a way to make it happen. They have been successful in finding the resources to develop housing for
people often ignored. That’s what drew me to volunteer”
Support & Revenue:Contributions $571,532Government Grants $311,444Partnership management fees
$789,343
Rental revenue $2,314,410Miscellaneous income $20,877
TOTAL $4,007,606
Assets:Cash - operations $1,044,738Cash - restricted $2,390,030Other receivables $199,604Prepaid expenses $164,134Rental properties, net $28,699,099Other assets, net $41,964
TOTAL $32,539,569
Liabilities:Accounts payable $234,725Accrued payroll & related $25,427Accrued real estate taxes $197,612Security deposits $160,938Debt $16,936,810Deferred notes payable $3,083,700Accrued interest - short & long term $946,546
TOTAL $21,585,758
Net assets:Unrestricted $9,594,137Temporarily restricted $1,359,674
TOTAL $10,953,811
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS $32,539,569Government grants for predevelopment & other changes in net assets
$900,298
Statement of Financial PositionAs of June 30, 2020
Statement of ActivitiesFor the 12 months ending June 30, 2021
DONATIONS ALWAYS WELCOME:MAIL: send to 2309 Nicollet Ave, Mpls 55404ONLINE: www.alliancehousinginc.org (Vanco processor)CREDIT CARD: • Phone call to Barb at 612-879-7633 to process credit
card by Square• Round-up credit purchases by downloading app:
