A pattern of imbalanced housing in North Minneapolis dates back to a “1950s decision by the City of Minneapolis to locate hundreds of new low-income family housing units on Minneapolis’ near northside.” In 1992, Legal Aid and the NAACP filed a lawsuit against the City and HUD, citing the intentional concentration of low-income, BIPOC families in Minneapolis’ northside. The resulting ruling found that the City and federal government agencies had segregated the community through the placement of public housing on the basis of race and income.

The ruling also created the landmark 1995 Hollman Consent Decree, which ordered the demolition and redevelopment of public housing, as well as other standards, to ensure fair and equitable housing in North Minneapolis. Despite the requirements of the decree, de facto segregation and redlining have persisted. In the last 15 years, North Minneapolis has seen the development of 400 units of public housing and 0 new housing options for other demographics.

Satori Apartments, phase one of a three-part “village” concept for community revitalization, delivered in November 2023, bringing 112 units of housing to North Minneapolis. The grand opening drew community-wide turnout, featuring heartfelt remarks from Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota State Senator Bobby Champion. Satori offers a robust mix of affordable and workforce affordable housing, with units targeting households making <50%-80% AMI.

By offering market quality housing at a mix of price points, Satori is poised to deconcentrate poverty, bringing economic diversity to North Minneapolis without displacing residents. The project expands North Minneapolis’ tax base, increases economic stability, attracts new businesses, boosts public safety through increased density, and allows Northsiders at all income levels to build their lives in North Minneapolis.