CommonBond’s model of safe, affordable housing not only benefits individuals with low incomes. It is also an essential element of livable communities and a means to economic opportunity and success for the whole area. For each home that we manage, we engage partners to create healthy communities together.
Engaging Neighborhood Partners
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CommonBond engages neighborhood partners
- Homes are developed with the whole community in mind
- Community members stay engaged through volunteering
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"We enjoy a terrific relationship and high level of trust with CommonBond Communities. We are particularily impressed with CommonBond Communities' ability to involve local sponsors in the development process."
- Gordon Hughes, City Manager, City of Edina
Developing trust
Before the first brick is laid, community members have a voice in a CommonBond development. Often, communities themselves see the need for affordable housing in their neighborhoods and invite us to develop housing. Many CommonBond housing communities, such as Trails Edge, Robbins Way and Cathedral Hill homes, begin through community-led efforts.
Addressing concerns
Sometimes communities are wary of affordable housing. We take the time before we build to connect with local leaders and address community concerns. Often after working with us, the most vocal opponents become our best advocates.
Inviting community members into housing communities
These partnerships continue throughout the life of the building. Community volunteers form relationships with residents through Advantage Services. working side by side, these relationships help staff and residents keep the housing communities well maintained and up to the standards of the neighborhood.
Interested in becoming a neighborhood partner?
Check out our Volunteer Opportunities or contact us at info@commonbond.org. To learn more about the community impact of affordable homes, click here.
Engaging Service Partners
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CommonBond engages service partners
- Partnerships prevent replicating services
- Collaborations are mutually beneficial
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"CommonBond Communities helps in our work in the neighborhood by providing space and connecting us with Seward residents that might otherwise not be involved"
- Diann Anders of the Seward Neighborhood Group
Providing the best services to residents
It is a documented fact that when supportive services are combined with affordable housing, residents are more likely to keep their homes and move beyond affordable housing. CommonBond provides many of these life changing services through our on-site Advantage Services. However, there are often many other quality organizations in the area that are also working to improve that community. In this case, we do not replicate their services, but instead invite these organizations to partner with our Advantage Centers.
Working together to achieve mutual goals
These partnerships are mutually beneficial: the partner organizations access clients in need of their services and have space to do their work, and CommonBond residents access a wide range of services from the best providers. By pooling resources and talents, we work together more efficiently to help the community succeed.
Interested in becoming a service partner?
Check out Advantage Services or contact us at info@commonbond.org
Engaging Resident Partners
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CommonBond engages resident partners
- Community building resources help residents help each other
- Engagement activities help the whole neighborhood work together
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"There are so many acts of charity within this building, big and small. It really is a family."
-Dorothy, resident of a CommonBond housing community in Hastings
Supporting neighbors within a housing community
Advantage Services not only provide tools for individual success, but also opportunities for residents to build community among one another. We often hear stories of these relationships, from residents organizing child care to neighbors checking in on seniors to make sure they’re okay. As one resident of CommonBond housing said, “You’re my neighbor and if you’re happy, I’m happy.”
Supporting neighbors outside
Community boards at specific sites offer more structured leadership roles, partnering residents with other members of the community to serve the public. Many of our residents volunteer for CommonBond, and many more volunteer in the surrounding community.
Interested in becoming a resident partner?
Check out our volunteer opportunities, contact your Advantage Service coordinator or email info@commonbond.org
Engaging Business Partners
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CommonBond engages business partners
- Engaged businesses provide time, talent and treasure to their commitment to community
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"It's more important than ever for companies to help strengthen and grow their communities through nonprofit organizations like CommonBond."
-Clarence Nunn, CEO and President of GE Capital
Many area corporations and businesses also share our commitment to providing homes and hope. We work to engage these businesses, both big and small, to get involved with CommonBond housing communities.
Time forms connections
Businesses like GE and Travelers have organized company volunteer projects to help keep affordable housing well maintained and successful, donating hundreds of hours. These projects not only help residents of CommonBond, but also form valuable connections between a company and the community.
Talent builds capacity
CommonBond also provides businesses opportunities to contribute talent to help us build capacity. Companies like BBDO Advertising have made generous donations of their services, becoming valued partners in our work and allowing CommonBond to better utilize resources.
Treasure helps build homes and hope
From company foundations to employee giving, businesses are instrumental in raising money to provide homes and services. These resources are invested back into housing and resources, creating stronger communities.
Interested in becoming a business partner? Please email info@commonbond.org.
Engaging Public Partners
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CommonBond engages public partners
- Government trust allows us to achieve mutual goals
- Partnerships with law enforcement keep communities safe
- Communication with schools builds strong students
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"In the Saint Paul Public Schools, we are grateful for our partnership with CommonBond Communities. CommonBond's Advantage Centers give us an additional way to connect with students and their families.
Perhaps even more importantly, by providing our students with stable housing and resources close to home, CommonBond homes and services help us provide a premier education for all."
- Joe Munich, Family & Community Involvement Coordinator at Saint Paul Public Schools
A trusted government partner
CommonBond has developed a reputation as an excellent developer and long term property manager. This trust means that we are often approached by planners and local governments to create housing in their community. Our nearly 40 year record of excellent work allows us to acquire financing, permits and further requirements where others may have failed.
Preventing and coping with crises
CommonBond’s trained staff and Advantage Center programs on-site make us quick responders to crisis situations. By intervening with residents challenging situations, we can often prevent burden on police, emergency rooms and other emergency services. If a crisis does occur, we work in concert with law enforcement and other services to manage the problem and keep the neighborhood safe.
Pursuing education as a community
CommonBond housing communities also work with public programs, like schools. For example, in St. Paul we have developed a Learning Circles mentoring program with the St. Paul public schools. Partnerships like this allow us to coordinate a student’s education both in and out of school.
CommonBond affordable homes work with public organizations to solve and prevent crises and improve the entire community. A public policy task force estimated that CommonBond homes and services save the public over $2 million a year.
Interested in becoming a public partner?
Check out our Housing Development information, or contact us at info@commonbond.org
