Maple Grove church planning tiny-house community for chronically homeless residents

A Maple Grove church is planning the Twin Cities’ largest “sacred settlement,” a tiny-house community for people who have experienced chronic homelessness.

Church of the Open Door, a nondenominational church tucked between Maple Grove Parkway and Interstate 94, has announced plans to build 12 tiny houses on its land. It will be the third project of its kind in the metro, and it follows a recent Minnesota law that allows religious institutions to create such communities.

Maple Grove residents packed Tuesday night’s City Council meeting, voicing both support and concerns about the project. The state law allows churches to avoid many of the typical roadblocks to development, allowing the tiny-house communities to move ahead as long as they comply with several rules and provide a plan to the city.

“I would argue every major world religion has a mission to care for the poor,” said Gabrielle Clowdus, founder and CEO of the Maplewood-based nonprofit Settled, which works with churches on the projects. “If they’d like to invite them off the street, into an intentional, supportive community, then local zoning won’t be a barrier for a church to carry out its mission.”

Church leaders hope to open the community in 2026.

Clowdus started the initiative after researching homelessness while completing her Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. She said the goal is providing stable, permanent housing for residents experiencing long-term homelessness. And she believes embedding the settlement within a church congregation is an ideal partnership, allowing residents — many of whom have experienced a loss of family and relationships — to be part of a supportive community.

Mosaic Christian Community in St. Paul hosts the first, six-unit tiny-house community, started in 2022, with a garden and greenhouse. Each house is sponsored by a different religious institution, including one built with the help of Open Door in Maple Grove, Clowdus said.

The second community was built with three houses at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Roseville. There, the microunits have a kitchen, lofted bed and “dry toilet” rather than a bathroom.

Residents have access to common areas with kitchens, bathrooms, showers and living areas. They pay between $200 and $400 in rent, and help around the community with chores. Church members and volunteers help residents access services, connecting them with providers and job opportunities and driving them to appointments.

Two-thirds of the microunits house formerly homeless residents, while the others are occupied by “intentional neighbors,” church members or others who are part of the community and there to offer support.

Open Door Pastor Rose Larson said during Tuesday’s council meeting that she has lived at the tiny-house community in St. Paul for two years and it has been a “very successful model.”

“We are very intentional with our efforts,” she said. “And we are working very hard in establishing [in Maple Grove] the policies and procedures that have been very effective” at the other settlements.

Some residents have organized and voiced concerns about the new project, starting a newsletter and website called “No Settlement Maple Grove.” Residents say they have safety concerns, including about vetting of residents and whether there are rules concerning potential drug and alcohol use. They argue that the church has not done enough to address their questions.

Resident Jan Murakami said during Tuesday’s meeting that she worries about “the safety of the surrounding area, as well as the residents of the tiny homes. This is a densely populated residential area with schools and a daycare, as well as homes with young children.”

Clowdus said as part of the planning process, churches meet with surrounding neighborhoods to work on plans and requirements for each community. She said one result is a neighborhood agreement, which can include policies restricting noise and panhandling.

She said thorough background checks are completed for each resident, and in St. Paul, for example, leaders decided not to allow anyone who has a violent criminal history or who is a sex offender to be a resident.

Clowdus said tiny-house residents have been found so far through church connections, such as street outreach, and building relationships with homeless neighbors. She said a detailed application and vetting process is required.

Valerie Roy, 55, moved into a tiny house at Prince of Peace in Roseville after the church allowed her to park the bus she was living in on the property. Roy said she was homeless off and on starting at the age of 12, often living in her car or van.

“I’ve spent a lot of winters in my car,” Roy said. “And my body was hurting.”

Having a permanent place to live, Roy said she’s been able to take time and heal. She completes chores around the community, works a seasonal job and is now studying to become a licensed drug and alcohol counselor.

“It’s been very peaceful here,” Roy said. “The people here have been great and very accepting of me.”