SAINT PAUL, Minn. - On Friday, April 28, Representative Athena Hollins (DFL-Saint Paul) and Sacred Settlement Mosaic co-hosted a tour of their intentional tiny home community on religious land. The bipartisan legislation passed in 2023 provides faith communities with yet another way to respond to chronic homelessness. The "sacred settlements" model developed by the Twin Cities nonprofit Settled is based on the philosophy of creating a community around those who've spent years in isolation searching for a permanent place to live.
Rep. Athena Hollins, who authored the 2023 bill in the House, released the following statement:
“I worked across the aisle with former Representative Anne Neu Brindley in 2023 to establish a legal framework allowing religious organizations to create tiny home communities on their property, providing permanent housing for our chronically unsheltered neighbors. This bipartisan effort was developed in close collaboration with the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition, the City of St. Paul, and the League of Minnesota Cities.
“Today, this vital policy is under threat. A GOP bill has been introduced in the House that seeks to undo the work we accomplished together. I am committed to defending this important legislation. I am proud to have a Sacred Settlement in my district and was delighted to recently tour it with my colleagues to show them firsthand what we are fighting for. These communities provide dignity and stability to our most vulnerable residents. If not in my backyard, then where? I will continue working to protect this critical housing solution and the progress we've made together."
Rep. Hollins with DFL members and members of the Sacred Settlement Mosaic.