>> CATHY: THE CITY OF ST.

CLOUD IS MOVING FORWARD WITH A PROJECT DESIGNED TO HELP PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE PERMANENT HOUSING.

- THE NON-PROFIT AVIVO ORGANIZATION IS PROPOSING TO BUILD A FACILITY IN ST.

CLOUD THAT WOULD HOUSE 56 PEOPLE AT A TIME IN SMALL PRIVATE SPACES.

HERE TO TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECT IS KELLY MATTER, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF AVIVO.

WELCOME TO THE PROGRAM.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Cathy: I'M THINKING LISTENERS AND VIEWERS ARE WONDERING, REALLY, ST.

CLOUD?

>> D.H.S.

A GROWING POPULATION OF PEOPLE EXPERIENCING UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS IN ST.

CLOUD.

ST.

CLOUD IS A REGIONAL HUB FOR THE AREA AND THEY DO HAVE A GROWING NEED.

>> Eric: WHAT'S YOUR PHILOSOPHY TOWARD THE HOMELESS?

AND UI'M KIND OF SPECIFICALLY INTERESTED IN HOW YOU DEAL WITH ISSUES OF DRUG OR ALCOHOL ABUSE, DEPENDENCE?

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

WE BELIEVE EVERYBODY DESERVES HOME.

YOU KNOW, YOU CAN'T TAKE NEXT BEST STEPS IF YOU'RE SLEEPING SOMEPLACE NOT AMENDMENT FOR HUMAN HABITATION.

THERE IS A MENTAL HEALTH AND AN OPIOID CRISIS, NOT JUST IN OUR STATE BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE TREAT ADDICTION AND MENTAL ILLNESS AS A DISEASE.

AND WE RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE AREN'T GOING TO BE ABLE TO QUIT USING JUST BECAUSE THEY MOVE INSIDE.

SO WE HELP SAVE LIVES FIRST.

GIVE PEOPLE SAFE, RESPECTFUL, DIGNIFIED PLACE TO LIVE AND CALL HOME.

AND HEN WE HELP THEM TAKE THOSE NEXT BEST STEPS.

>> Cathy: I'M THINKING SOME TWIN CITIES VIEWERS MIGHT REMEMBER THE NAME AVIVO BECAUSE YOU HAVE THAT FACILITY IN MINNEAPOLIS.

WE MIGHT WANT TO SHOW SOME PICTURES HERE OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.

SO THIS S NOT YOUR TYPICAL SHELTER FOR UNHOUSED.

THIS LOOKS QUITE DIFFERENT.

>> YOU KNOW, IT IS A LOW BARRIER SHELTER, MEANING THERE'S A LOW ARRIER TO ENTRY INTO THE SHELTER.

THE ONLY CRITERIA TO ENTER IS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN SLEEPING OUTSIDE OR SOMEPLACE NOT MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION.

>> Cathy: ALL RIGHT, I'M LOOKING HERE, WE HAVE SOME PICTURES.

THIS LOOKS LIKE IT'S MAYBE ONE ROOM CUBICLES IN A SENSE?

>> YEAH, IT IS A ROOM.

EACH UNIT IS EIGHT BY EIGHT.

EVERY ROOM HAS ITS OWN HVAC AND SMOKE DETECTOR AND SPRINKLER.

EVERYONE GETS THEIR OWN BED WITH STORAGE UNDERNEATH, A PLACE TO HANG CLOTHING, A COMFORTABLE CHAIR WITH A TRAY THAT COULD BE A DESK OR, YOU KNOW, PLACE TO EAT.

A RUG, BRAND-NEW BEDDING FOR EACH NEW RESIDENT THAT MOVES IN.

>> Cathy: IT LOOKS LIKE YOU CAN HAVE PETS.

>> YES, THAT IS ALSO UNIQUE.

WE TALK ABOUT THE THREE Ps, PEOPLE, PETS AN POSSESSIONS.

PEOPLE CAN BRING THEIR PETS.

PEOPLE CAN BRING THE POSSESSIONS THAT THEY HAVE AND STORE THEM SAFELY IN THEIR UNIT AND WE PROVIDE EXTRA STORAGE.

AND PEOPLE CAN DEFINE FAMILY, THEY CAN DEFINE ENDER HOW THEY CHOOSE O.

>> Eric: WHAT'S YOUR PITCH TO PEOPLE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT ARE SKEPTICAL OR FEARFUL?

>> YOU KNOW, HONESTLY, I THINK THE FOLKS THAT DID THE BEST PITCH FOR US WERE NEIGHBORS OF OURS FROM THE NORTH LOOP.

WE DESIGNED A GOOD NEIGHBORHOOD AGREEMENT.

AND WE'VE HAD REALLY GOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE NEIGHBORS, ALL OF THE NEIGHBORS IN THE NORTH LOOP NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> Cathy: HOW SUCCESSFUL HAS AVIVO IN MINNEAPOLIS BEEN GETTING FOLKS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING.

>> WE'VE HOUSED ABOUT 200 PEOPLE IN PERMANENT HOUSING.

OVER 200 FROM MOVED FROM THE EMERGENCY SHELTER.

>> Eric: DO YOU HAVE STATE MONEY AND I GUESS IT NEEDS A CITY MATCH?

>> WE'VE RECEIVED 7.6 MILLION FROM THE STATE OF MINNESOTA AND 1.2 IN A COMBINATION OF FUNDING FROM CITY OF ST.

CLOUD?

>> Cathy: WHAT'S THE COST PER UNIT?

YOU KNOW, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE YOU THE WRONG ANSWER.

I KNOW THE OVERALL COSTS AND I CAN CERTAINLY FOLLOW UP.

>> Cathy: JUST CURIOUS ABOUT THAT, BECAUSE IS IT COST PROHIBITIVE?

I MEAN, GOING TO INTO THE FUTURE HERE, WHAT'S THE MODEL THAT KEEPS YOU AFLOAT?

>> WHERE WE LOOK AT THE COST FOR EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS, PEOPLE DYING OUTSIDE, PEOPLE FILLING UP OUR JAILS AND OUR PRISONS, YOU KNOW, I DON'T THINK ANY COST IS OO HIGH.

IF WE DID ROUGH MATH, YOU KNOW, APPROXIMATELY 7 MILLION TO BUILD 56 UNITS, YOU KNOW, IN A YEAR'S ERIOD OF TIME.

PEOPLE WILL MOVE TO PERMANENT HOUSING, WE'LL SERVE BOUT 150 PEOPLE A YEAR.

SO IT'S -- AND IT'S A SUSTAINABLE MODEL AS WELL.

>> Eric: WHAT DOES ST.

CLOUD, THE CITY COUNCIL THERE MEET TO TALK ABOUT THE MATCH OR IS THAT ONGOING?

>> HERE WAS A PUBLIC HEARING ON MONDAY MARCH 25TH WHEN THE CITY COUNCIL VOTED TO APPROVE A LEASE OF LAND OWNED BY THE CITY AS WELL AS INITIAL FUNDING THAT SOME FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT FLOW TO THE CITY AND OTHER.

>> Cathy: MUCH LIKE IN MINNEAPOLIS, IF I RECALL, IT'S A LARGE BUILDING.

IS THE ST.

CLOUD SITE JUST OPEN LAND THAT YOU'RE INTERESTED IN OR ANOTHER LARGE BUILDING THAT YOU WOULD PUT THESE SMALLER LITTLE HOMES INTO?

>> IT IS CURRENTLY OPEN LAND.

THAT WE WOULD BUILD A BUILDING THAT SPECIFICALLY, YOU KNOW, MET THE NEEDS.

>> Cathy: OBJECTION.

>> Eri