The Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Duluth (HRA) has been awarded $8.85 million through the State of Minnesota’s bonding bill to support construction of the Mission Engagement Center, a new low-barrier triage and stabilization center that will be operated by Union Gospel Mission.
The funding marks a transformational investment in the Northland’s response to unsheltered
homelessness, health challenges and housing instability.
The Mission Engagement Center will serve as a low-barrier triage and engagement center for
individuals experiencing homelessness and housing crises, offering coordinated access to meals, hygiene services, showers, laundry, clothing support, medical and behavioral health connections, addiction and recovery support services, outreach coordination, and overnight stabilization space.
The project is designed to create a direct pathway from crisis stabilization to long-term housing, treatment and recovery support.
The project is being developed by the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Duluth in partnership with Union Gospel Mission. The HRA will own the public facility, consistent with state bonding requirements, while Union Gospel Mission will operate the Mission Engagement Center and provide on-site services and programming.
The state bonding award will also help leverage a pending $17 million application with Minnesota Housing Finance Agency to fund the second and third floors of the building, which would add 40 units of permanent supportive housing to the Duluth community.
“We are incredibly grateful to the State of Minnesota for recognizing the urgency of this need in our region,” said Katie Hagglund, Executive Director of Union Gospel Mission. “This project represents years of collaboration, planning and community partnership focused on creating a more coordinated and compassionate response to homelessness in the Northland. This investment moves us significantly closer to making that vision a reality.”
Union Gospel Mission extended special thanks to local legislators Representative Pete Johnson, Representative Liish Kozlowski, and Senator Jen McEwen for their leadership and advocacy
throughout the bonding process.
“We are especially grateful to Representative Pete Johnson, Representative Liish Kozlowski, and
Senator Jen McEwen for championing this project and continuing to advocate for the needs of
our region at the Capitol,” Hagglund said. “Their commitment to addressing homelessness and
expanding housing opportunities in the Northland made this possible.”
The Mission also thanked Representative Mary Franson for her bipartisan support of the
request.
Jill Keppers, Executive Director of the Duluth HRA stated, “This project will change the way our
city responds to serving our unhoused population. Having a center where people can have their
immediate, basic needs met in order to move towards housing stability is a goal we all can get
behind.”
The Mission Engagement Center is part of a larger community effort to create a more
coordinated continuum of care in Duluth, with stronger connections between emergency
services, shelter, treatment, outreach, and long-term housing.
Construction timelines and next steps for the project will be announced as additional funding
components are finalized.
