St. Cloud To Break Ground on $7.65M Low-Barrier Homeless Shelter Friday

(KNSI) – A groundbreaking ceremony will take place in St. Cloud on Friday for a new homeless shelter.

Avivo Village Central Minnesota will break ground at 10:00 a.m. at 3100 1st Street South in St. Cloud. Community leaders, elected officials, and Avivo staff will hold a ceremony to mark the start of construction.

The St. Cloud facility will offer 48 private apartments along with common areas for services and activities. Unlike traditional shelter models, Avivo operates as a low-barrier facility where residents can bring pets and belongings while receiving individualized support.

The shelter will have 24/7 security and on-site staff, including advocates, housing case managers, and support personnel. The plans call for outdoor areas for recreation, pet care, and community gatherings. Other services will include healthcare, mental health support, and recovery programs, all designed to help get people off the street and into permanent housing.

The $7.65 million project is funded primarily through the Minnesota State Legislature and administered by the Minnesota Department of Human Services’ Homelessness, Housing and Support Services Administration.

The city allocated $750,000 from Statewide Affordable Housing Aid funds, $232,000 in redirected federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.

Avivo hopes to open the new shelter sometime in the summer of 2026.

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