03/15/2026
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This is what a homeless shelter looks like when it's designed to treat people like human beings.
Instead of leaving people out in the cold, Minneapolis turned a warehouse into an indoor village of private rooms for homeless residents. This is Avivo Village, one of the first of its kind in the United States. Each unit has a bed, storage, and a door that locks. There is no curfew. Pets are allowed.
The project opened in December 2020 after COVID-19 and the aftermath of George Floyd's murder exposed the limits of traditional shelters. People in encampments told outreach workers they avoided shelters because of rigid rules, no privacy, and safety fears. Avivo was designed around those answers. It offers mental health care, addiction support, and housing assistance under a harm reduction model.
As of February 2026, the facility has served 831 people and helped 340 move into permanent housing. It was built in partnership with the White Earth Nation and won the ULI Americas Award for Excellence.