Frequently Asked Questions

What is CommonBond Communities?

Founded in 1971, CommonBond Communities (CommonBond) is the largest nonprofit developer, manager and service provider of affordable housing in the Upper Midwest, transforming and strengthening urban, suburban and rural neighborhoods so all people experience the benefits of a strong sense of home. The organization preserves, builds and manages apartments and town homes and provides on-site resident supportive services, called Advantage Center Services, to families, seniors and people with special needs.

What is the CommonBond Playhouse Parade?

The CommonBond Playhouse Parade is a public awareness and fundraising event that supports the thousands of children and adults with limited incomes living in CommonBond housing communities. At the heart of this unique event are the local corporations, builders, architects and volunteers that designed and constructed these one-of-a-kind dream playhouses, as well as those who have teamed up to sponsor and promote the event to benefit CommonBond Communities housing and services. The playhouses will be showcased at the Mall of America March 20-29, 2008 and sold at the Playhouse Parade Auction Party on March 29, 2008 in the Mall Rotunda. Details and images of the playhouses can be found online at www.commonbond.org and the public can vote for their favorite playhouse in multiple categories including Kid’s Choice category and Wish I Could Live There category online at www.mspmag.com

How big are the Playhouses?

Width: 8 feet, Length: 12 feet, Height: 10 feet at roof peak. The playhouses will not exceed 9,600 pounds and 96 square feet.

How can I get involved in the CommonBond Playhouse Parade?

Please visit www.commonbond.org for more information about the event, but getting involved in the CommonBond Playhouse Parade is easy!

How do I purchase a playhouse?

Attend the Auction Party and buy a playhouse on March 29 in the MOA Rotunda. Purchase a ticket to attend the event and bid on the playhouses one of three ways:

The winning bidder will get the fabulous playhouse in their back yard!

How do I win a playhouse?

Raffle tickets are NOT available online. Purchase a $5 raffle tickets in the Rotunda, the Macy’s and Sears courts between March 20-29th. The winning name will be drawn on March 29th between 2:00-5:00 p.m.

What is the current housing need for affordable housing?

It is estimated that there is a need for 33,000 additional units of affordable housing in Minnesota by 2010. There is a growing need for housing close to public transportation and jobs, housing to provide stability for those caught in the mortgage crisis and housing serving the unique needs of residents age one to one hundred. CommonBond provides housing to all these people and more. In the past six months CommonBond added 600 homes to our housing portfolio so that today 7,300 people call CommonBond home, including more than 2,000 kids.

How are CommonBond homes different?

CommonBond works with first-rate architects to create award-winning, attractive designs and utilizes quality builders and materials to ensure well-built, affordable homes that last. Our experienced property management team professionally maintains the properties so municipalities will always see these important housing resources as assets in their communities. Additionally, CommonBond’s more than housing approach provides on-site resident services to foster resident success.

What are CommonBond Advantage Center Services?

While serving residents has always been a vital component of CommonBond’s work, innovative Advantage Center services provide more than housing. These learning centers bring resources directly to residents that help to stablize their lives. Customized services are administered at CommonBond housing communities. The result is that individuals get jobs faster and keep them longer, kids’ lives stablize and they do better in school, and seniors live independently instead of moving prematurely to long-term care facilities.

Why should we have affordable housing in our community?

Maxfield Research, Inc., a private real estate research firm, studied home sales in neighborhoods surrounding affordable rental housing developments in 11 Twin Cities suburbs. Their study found that prices of homes located near affordable housing were as high or higher than those located further from rental housing in 98 percent of the cases. CommonBond is committed to being excellent stewards and asset managers of their existing portfolio. The organization is deeply committed to preserving existing homes and building new homes in order to sustain the quality of affordable housing in the region for generations to come.