Prisoner Built Housing

Minnesota Department of Corrections Community Work Crew Program

In January 1998, the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund became involved in a developing housing production system with the Minnesota Department of Corrections (MNDOC), the Northwest Housing Coalition and Stress Panel Housing Systems.

The homes built under this program train prisoners in a useful trade, build energy-efficient, quality homes, and add affordable housing stock to communities in Greater Minnesota. Crews have completed over 130 homes in west central and northwestern Minnesota.

The new homes created by this program target households earning 80 percent or less of the statewide median income adjusted for family size. Labor unions were initially concerned that this state-sponsored program could lower the competitive price of a traditionally constructed home, thus adversely affecting the wages of their members.

After discussing these concerns with labor representatives, a consensus was reached that this program would not impact union members because the homes built by this program are targeted to a different, much lower income market. Another benefit of this program from the perspective of labor is that it helps union membership by training and recruiting new workers to the construction field.

GMHF's Supporting Role

Since 1998, GMHF has provided over $550,000 in gap financing to this MNDOC program helping to create 42 new housing units in Ottertail, Wadena and Red Lake Counties. GMHF is proud of the workers enrolled in this program who have learned the skills that will enable them to participate in the state's workforce.

For more information on this important program, visit the MN DOC: Community Work Crew, Affordable Homes Program.

Contact for MN DOC, Community Work Crew:

Ron Solheid, ICWC/AHP Program Director, 1450 Energy Park Drive, Suite 200, St. Paul, Minnesota 55108-5219, phone 651/603-0010, email rsolheid@co.doc.state.mn.us, TTY 651/643-3589.