The Duluth HRA’s groundbreaking at Harbor Highlands is part of a multi-phase housing project in Duluth. There are currently two phases of housing projects to bring more senior, affordable and mixed housing to Harbor Highlands.

More and more people are looking to make Duluth their home. However, where will people live and can they afford it? Duluth HRA’s Executive Director Jill Keppers says there will be 70 housing units for seniors in Harbor Highlands. After city’s groundbreaking there will be an additional 40 more units to the neighborhood next year.

“We hope Sky Ridge Flats should open in December. Then the Town Home Project should open in, we hope, June of next year. We have to have at least up by the end of 2025. It is a tax credit project, so there are some tight timelines with that,” Keppers said. “Our Town Home Project, which is 40 units of family housing. It’s a variety of 1-, 2-, 3-, and 4-bedroom houses, which will provide housing for families, as well as 13 of those units will be for households that need supportive services.”

The townhomes at Harbor Highlands also give housing to people experiencing homelessness, people with disabilities, and senior housing. Jill Keppers says when it comes to future homeownership, don’t lose hope.

“I think one really important thing, though, is that we continue to build more units, whether that is rental units or homeownership units. All housing is good housing,” Keppers said. “Whether we’re affordable housing developers or market rate housing developers, we’re working together to try to bring that housing to Duluth.”

The groundbreaking at harbor highlands is more than a symbol for the development of future homes. James Lehnoff, the Minnesota Housing Assistant Commissioner says several affordable housing units can be a spring board for many families.

“It is a lot more than turning dirt. It is a huge dose of perseverance to get to this point,” Lehnoff said. “For people like me that also grew up in affordable housing in greater Minnesota, it becomes a launching point to a spot you don’t even know where you’re going to be in 20 years.”

These two phases of housing at Harbor Highlands will offer mixed income housing to people in need. Roz Randorf with the Duluth City Council says these projects are instrumental to helping residents and families find stable living in Duluth, but more housing is still needed.

“When it comes to a housing strategy. We need over 3,500 units of affordable housing. We need it for our households earning $50,000 or less,” Randorf said. “Since the completion of that study, we have added 838 units, leaving us still a shortfall of 2,671 units of housing that we desperately need.”

Randorf says housing security enhances the quality of life for Duluth residents, and it’s pretty clear that there will be plenty of more housing projects for people looking to call Duluth their home

For more information about the Section 8 Housing you can read more here. Also for other stories about the Duluth HRA you can read more here.