Avivo Celebrates Bimosedaa’s 2026 Preservation Award

Avivo is proud to be part of a broad partnership behind Bimosedaa, which has been honored with a 2026 Minneapolis Preservation Award. Bimosedaa is a downtown Minneapolis supportive housing community which blends historic preservation with permanent supportive housing for individuals existing long-term experiences of homelessness.

Presented by AIA Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission, and Preserve Minneapolis, the award recognizes excellence in restoring and repurposing historic buildings to serve today’s community needs.

Developed by Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative, Bimosedaa, named after an Ojibwe word meaning “let’s walk together,” transformed a long-vacant warehouse, built in 1915, into 48 individual homes dedicated to people exiting homelessness, with a focus on serving Indigenous residents. What was once a neglected building is now a beautiful, welcoming space blending historic preservation with housing.

As the on-site service provider, Avivo plays a central role in helping residents not just secure housing but sustain it. In partnership with Beacon and the Red Lake Nation, Avivo delivers individualized, culturally responsive services that support residents in building stability and moving forward in their lives.

“At Avivo, we meet people where they are and learn with them what matters most in their journey towards housing stability and overall wellbeing. It’s been really incredible for residents at Bimosedaa to have access to Avivo’s entire continuum of services…” shares Charlotte Moris, Program Director.

“At Avivo, we meet people where they are and learn with them what matters most in their journey towards housing stability and overall wellbeing. It’s been really incredible for residents at Bimosedaa to have access to Avivo’s entire continuum of services, especially Avivo’s Mental Health Clinic, through which residents attend individual and group therapy right on-site at Bimosedaa,” shares Charlotte Moris, Program Director of Avivo’s Supportive Housing Programs.

For Avivo, Bimosedaa reflects the power of collaboration. By pairing deeply affordable housing with wraparound support, Bimosedaa demonstrates how strong partnerships can create lasting impact, especially for communities that have experienced disproportionate barriers to housing stability.