At CommonBond, we serve people of all ages – young people, families, veterans, and older adults. Our belief is that everyone deserves the foundation of a home.
However, it is impossible to ignore the increasing demand for affordable senior housing in our communities. The Lumin – a 60-unit affordable housing development for seniors ages 62 and older – is helping to meet this need.
The Lumin is the first of 10 planned affordable rental developments at Highland Bridge, a 122-acre parcel of land in the Highland Park neighborhood in Saint Paul. The building opened in November 2023, and residents began moving into their new homes.
Older adults face a unique set of challenges such as growing health concerns, caregiving needs, isolation, and so much more. Increased physical and mental health challenges mean greater costs, therefore amplifying the need for affordable housing as folks age.
Not only that, but the increasingly high cost of living becomes even more difficult to manage for seniors who are retired and living on a fixed income. This means older adults must make tough decisions about how to pay for basic needs like food, health care, and housing.
According to a 2023 Harvard Study, “Nearly 11.2 million older adult households were cost burdened in 2021, an all-time high and a significant increase from the 9.7 million and 8.8. million recorded in 2016 and 2011, respectively.” When folks are “cost burdened,” it means they pay more than 30% of their income for housing.*
Across CommonBond, the average resident income for seniors 55 and older is $18,062. Compare that to $59,428, the average annual salary across the United States as of 2024 (forbes.com)*. The need for affordable senior housing in our communities is loud and clear, and CommonBond is proud to provide The Lumin as a deliberate effort to answer this call.
Located at the intersection of Cretin and Bohland avenues, the building includes a community room, a wellness room, and bike storage. There will also be an Advantage Services Coordinator to provide services and programming for residents, including those in the seven units dedicated for seniors who have experienced homelessness.
We are pleased to offer affordable homes for seniors in the Highland Park neighborhood. Thank you to Minnesota Housing, the City of Saint Paul, Ramsey County, the Saint Paul Public Housing Agency, Enterprise Community Partners, LHB Architects, and Ryan Companies, who helped make The Lumin possible!
*“Housing America’s Older Adults” – 2023 – Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University
*forbes.com/advisor/business/average-salary-by-state
