At the end of 2013, we celebrated the completion of Spirit on Lake, the region’s first affordable housing designed to be fully open and welcoming for GLBT seniors.

The October 30 grand opening event included a performance by Calliope Women’s Chorus, as well as resident-let building tours. A program, emceed by transgender activist and longtime Spirit on Lake leader Barbara Satin, included the many partners who made the project possible, including PRG executive director Kathy Wetzel-Mastel, Andriana Abariotes of LISC, representatives of US Bank, City of Minneapolis Director of Housing Tom Streitz, Minnesota Housing Commissioner Mary Tingerthal, Bob Boyd of Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin, Representatives Karen Clark and Scott Dibble, and Living Table UCC Pastor James Pennington.

As one of the first buildings of its kind in the country, Spirit on Lake continues to be of local and national interest; Representative Keith Ellison recently toured the building and met with residents, and recent articles in the Twin Cities Daily Planet and Huffington Post bring to life what Spirit on Lake means to many of the residents.