Nicollet Square a "Blessing" for Homeless Youth

Jordan Zelazny, 19, has been living at Nicollet Square in Kingfield for about four months. He calls the place, which provides a living space for homeless youth, “a blessing.” Zelazny had been in foster care since he was 8 years old.

, the innovative housing project for homeless youth, celebrated its official grand opening this weekend.

Zelazny works at Eddy’s Café, where he preps food and washes dishes. It's a job he got through the HIRED program, which is housed in the same complex.

The 42-apartment facility is nearly at capacity, according to Mike Schmid, Nicollet Square’s property manager. Young adults like Zelazny, who formerly were in foster care or homeless, pay $205 a month for rent.

Zelazny hasn’t decided what he’s going to major in at Minneapolis Community and Technical College when he attends, but he wants to one day live in a house and raise a family. He’s trying to save money, and he says the low rent he now pays makes it easier.

For some of the young people, adjusting to the stability of the new living situation takes time. Shae Charles, 20, moved to Minneapolis from Memphis a year ago in and was living at Salvation Army before. She said she doesn’t like all the rules, and that no visitors are allowed after 10 pm. But she says she feels lucky to be living in the building nonetheless, and is taking it one step at a time. Now she’s working at a day care center.

“They’ve been making a lot of progress,” said Michael West, the employment counselor at Nicollet Square, about the residents. “These kids come from diverse backgrounds, from situations where there is no stability. It takes time for some of the young people to adjust, especially to the rules,” he said.

West teaches the youth how to apply for jobs, how to interview, and other job skills. He assists the young people in finding employment, or else sets them up with an internship, where they are paid $7.25 an hour for 20 hours a week, and are paid through HIRED. Nicollet Square residents have internships at the Salvation Army and Blackbird Café, among others. In some cases, the residents are able to get hired by the employer after the internship, as happened to one of the residents who was hired by The Salvation Army last week.

“A few of [the residents] weren’t comfortable at first,” West said, “but I’m very proud of these young people. I get them the jobs, but they work them.”  

Tura Hassen, 20, moved into the building on Dec. 22 and got a job as an assistant cook through Nicollet Square. Hassen was born in Ethiopia and raised in Kenya until he and his family moved to the United States. “I had trouble with my Dad and had to move out,” Hassen said.

Hassen moved from couch to couch for a while before ending up at Bridge for Youth, and then Nicollet Square. "It’s beautiful,” Hassen said. “It feels nice to have a place to live.”