Edina considers housing homeless youth

Published 11:02 am Thursday, August 14, 2014

EDINA — A St. Paul-based religious organization is proposing to turn a former bank building in Edina into housing for homeless youth.

Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative director Lee Blons said Wednesday that the group wants to buy a vacant TCF Bank and turn it into apartments for homeless people ages 18-19 in Twin Cities suburbs.

The Edina City Council is set to vote on the proposal in September.

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City Manager Scott Neal said the city is considering some residents’ concerns that the project could increase local crime. He said officials are looking into whether the collaborative’s other facilities have caused crime upticks.

Blons said the project would have 39 studio apartments and would offer on-site counseling. She said there are about 250-330 young homeless people in the suburbs.