St. Cloud City Council to Hold Hearing on Proposed Supportive Housing Complex

(KNSI) – The St. Cloud City Council will hold a public hearing Monday on a proposal to build a 40-unit permanent supportive housing complex on 25th Avenue North.

The council meets at 6:00 p.m. Monday at city hall. Duluth-based Center City Housing is asking the council to amend the St. Anthony Catholic Church Planned Unit Development to allow construction of the three-story Elm Ridge Apartments, behind Walgreens and across the street from Central Minnesota Montessori School.

The apartments would serve extremely low-income people who have experienced homelessness or who are living with mental health conditions, chemical dependency, or other disabilities. All 40 units would be studio apartments with full kitchens and bathrooms.
At the planning commission’s request, city staff compiled additional information after the April hearing.

A St. Cloud Police Department review of calls for service at 78 multi-family properties found Center City Housing’s River Heights property had the most calls in 2025 at 77 total. Center City Housing has said many of those were tied to a single resident who has since been evicted. Staff also reviewed the intersection at 25th Avenue North and 1st Street North, noting four marked crosswalks with overhead flashers, and said the crossing could be upgraded but that the work is not critical. The proposed building would be staffed around the clock.

The council has continued to receive written comments. Many letters of support have come from members of the Catholic community and the Diocese of St. Cloud, who point to a shortage of supportive housing in the area. Some neighbors remain opposed, citing the project’s location across from a school and church and concerns about the population it would serve.

It is Center City Housing’s second attempt to build the Elm Ridge Apartments in St. Cloud. The organization received council approval in June 2025 for a complex at 1530 Northway Drive, on the site of the former St. Cloud Area Family YMCA, but that project was scrapped in January 2026 after a state grant fell through. The new project also depends on grant funding, with the organization expected to learn about its applications in August and December.

The planning commission recommended approval on a 6-0 vote May 12th after closing its public hearing in April. Approval from the council requires four votes, a simple majority of the full council. Council members can approve the request, table it for further consideration, or table it and direct staff to prepare findings for denial.

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