There are several new homes coming to our neighborhoods. The planning commission will meet on Monday, November 15th at 4:30 to discuss a few new projects planned across Southwest and beyond. Here's the agenda for that meeting.

The Department of Community Planning and Economic Development has recommended approving all site plan reviews, variances, and zoning for these projects, which all align with the Minneapolis 2040 plan. If you want to leave a public comment, visit this site.

Here are the four new developments that will be on the agenda.

3401 W 44th St./4404 Abbott Ave S

All sections below have been condensed – full answers are available here.

Project name: Linden 44

Description: "The design proposal is for 32 units of apartments geared towards retirees from the neighborhood. The units would range in size from 550 sq.ft. to 1,100 sq.ft. with a make-up of 2 studios, 14 one-bedroom, and 16 two bedroom units. Units would have an above market rate level of finishes. The first floor will have a commercial space fronting W 44th Street and Abbott Avenue."

Location: "The subject site includes two parcels – 3401 44th St W and 4404 Abbott Ave S. The parcel at 3401 44th St W contains two structures that were converted to commercial/office uses and physically attached. The property at 4404 Abbot Ave S has one residential structure. All existing buildings on the subject site are 1.5 stories.

5139 Penn Ave S

All sections below have been condensed – full answers are available here.

Project name: MPHA Family Housing Expansion – Site 8 

Description: "The applicant is proposing to demolish the existing two-family dwelling on the site and to construct a new three-story multiple-family dwelling containing six dwelling units."

Public partners: "The project is 1 of 16 deeply affordable scattered sites developments that is being proposed by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. The agency is committed to the preservation and production of quality, well-managed affordable housing in the City of Minneapolis."

2400 Stevens Ave

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Project name: 2400 Stevens Avenue – Emergency Shelter

Description: "The proposed property use is an emergency shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness who identify as female. The shelter will provide temporary accommodation (up to six months) with the goal of assisting shelter guests in transitioning to safe and stable permanent housing"

Public partners: "Hennepin County is in the process of acquiring 2400 Stevens Avenue for an emergency shelter for individuals who identify as female. This shelter has been running in a different neighborhood for 10 months, but needs a new location as that property was sold. The proposed property at 2400 Stevens was recently renovated and will be used in its current condition."

Note from Whittier Alliance staff: "The Whittier Alliance Neighborhood Organization would like to state our strong support for Hennepin County to secure a Conditional Use Permit for the operation of a shelter for individuals identifying as women in partnership with Salvation Army. This project will help to fill a critical gap in the emergency shelter system, and the building in its current state is already well-positioned to take on this new use."

2609 Blaisdell Ave

All sections below have been condensed – full answers are available here.

Project name: Whittier Community Housing

Description: "To establish a new planned unit development consisting of an existing 45-unit residential building and a new 40-unit residential building."

Location: "The existing building at 2609 Blaisdell Avenue was originally Whittier Community School and was converted into apartments in the 1970s and run by the Whittier Coop. The Coop approached CommonBond Communities to purchase the site in 2009 and CommonBond purchased the building in 2010 and did a very light rehabilitation. CommonBond has continued to own and manage the site in the years since. The building contains 45 units of 100% affordable housing and includes a 100% Project Based Voucher (commonly known as Section 8) contract which allows families that live there to pay only 30% of their income for rent. This is deeply affordable housing for families in the heart of Whittier. The site has also long contained an empty, unused asphalt lot to the east of the existing building. CommonBond plans to build an additional 40 units of deeply affordable housing in this space and the City has assigned this building the address of 2617 Blaisdell Avenue S." 

Note from Whittier Alliance staff: "The Whittier Alliance Neighborhood Organization would like to state our strong support for the development of additional affordable housing in the neighborhood and the renovation of existing units, as proposed by CommonBond Communities at 2609 Blaisdell Avenue."