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Media contact:
Anna Rockne
612-465-0844
arockne@aeon.org

Minnesotans respond to housing crisis with outpouring of support

MINNEAPOLIS (May 5, 2023) — Nearly 400 Minnesotans gathered yesterday to

support affordable housing nonprofit Aeon at its Beyond Bricks & Mortar fundraising
breakfast. Aeon is a developer, owner and manager of affordable homes serving more
than 17,000 residents annually in the Twin Cities area.

“We are at a crossroads; the housing crisis we are facing today is unlike any other we
have seen.” said Aeon President & CEO Dr. Eric Anthony Johnson. “And a third of our
homeless population is children. Together, we have the power to chart a new course.”

Aeon is committed to providing desperately needed affordable homes through

partnerships with the government, business and nonprofit sectors, and hundreds of
generous donors and investors.

An Aeon resident, Linda, spoke at the event. She shared her experience as a senior citizen
navigating homelessness while managing a chronic health condition.

“Now, I can afford my home. I don’t have to choose between my health and my rent,”
Linda said. “And, best of all, I have a place where my grandchildren can come to visit
me. I can welcome them in my own space, and I know that it’s safe for them to be there
with me.”

Linda thanked attendees for supporting others who are still searching for a home they can
afford.
“It's time to get rid of those not-in-my-backyard, or ‘NIMBY’ attitudes as people call
them. I say YES in my backyard. YES in my community,” Dr. Johnson said. “I want to
be a part of a community that believes home is a building block of life that we all
deserve.”

Dominium, a private affordable housing development and management company, was the
presenting sponsor of the event. Dominium and 35 other sponsors joined in supporting
Aeon’s work.

Local legislators also joined in-person and via livestream to show their support for
Aeon’s work. Bloomington Mayor Tim Busse asked attendees to dig deep to create more
affordable homes. Aeon has partnered with the City of Bloomington to preserve and
create 900 affordable homes there since 2017.

Attendees responded with generosity, committing more than $400,000 through gifts and
sponsorships to support Aeon. Aeon will use the funds to increase production and
preservation of affordable homes to meet the growing community need.

This year, Aeon is developing two new properties, and expanding an existing property.
These developments will provide more than 200 new affordable homes for seniors,
families, and individuals leaving homelessness.

About Aeon
Aeon believes that home is at the center of everything. With a home, people succeed,
families thrive and our region remains strong. At Aeon, we act boldly to create and
preserve quality, affordable homes for those who need them most. We develop and
manage affordable homes that serve more than 17,000 people in the Twin Cities each
year. For more information, visit aeon.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook and
LinkedIn.