The MPHA Family Housing Expansion Project: RISE Modular Is Building Affordable Housing Project in Minnesota

Our clients in the modular construction sector do incredible work building homes, schools, emergency response buildings and other specialized structures. But, RISE Modular’s recent contract is one of particular recognition, not only for the community it will serve but the blueprint it will create for similar, much-needed projects across the country. 

Together with general contractor Frerichs and the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, RISE Modular will build two- and three-storey buildings totaling 84 highly affordable rental units 84 new modular homes for the MPHA Family Housing Expansion Project that will serve approximately 420 families over the next 30 years. 

“This project demonstrates the power of partnership in addressing our region’s affordable housing crisis — local leaders making major financial investments to supplement federal financing tools accessible to MPHA,” Abdi Warsame, Executive Director/CEO of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority explained. “The success of this project provides a blueprint for developing new, high-quality, deeply affordable housing across Minneapolis.”

Modular construction as a smart, strong investment

It’s well-known that modular construction produces affordable homes. But as RISE Modular explains, it’s the high-quality and factory-built and -controlled process that makes modular construction such a good investment for municipalities. 

“Municipalities need to spend money wisely, and modular construction gives them the opportunity to both balance the budget and provide the utmost quality and care for the people they serve,” Michel Denn, Vice President of Field Operations at RISE Modular tells us. “The MPHA was actually given three options in their initial proposal for this project: traditional site-build, panelized, or full volumetric modular. But we believe they chose modular construction because of the superior quality, cost savings, and the construction timeline is estimated to be 30% faster than traditional construction, reducing the impact on the neighborhoods and allowing MPHA to house families sooner.”

What’s more, RISE Modular was able to help make funds go further, anticipating cost savings to be around 13% to 21% without compromising quality or aesthetics. 

Family Housing Expansion Project: Making A Real Difference

As the MPHA explains, this Family Housing Expansion Project will consist of 26 two-bedroom and 58 three-bedroom units in fourplexes and sixplexes. They will place these new buildings in 16 sites across Minneapolis as part of the city’s deeply affordable scattered-site family housing portfolio. Notably, 16 of the units will be disability accessible, with another 17 being high-priority homeless units.

“It’s projects like this that really emphasize the growing importance of modular construction,” Denn explains. “This construction method is the way of the future. It’s fast. It’s affordable. It’s higher quality. And getting the backing of MPHA highlights the growing confidence in the positive impact this construction method can have on our lives and in our communities. I truly think this is just the first of many similar projects across the country, and we’re excited to be part of establishing a blueprint that can help so many individuals and communities.”

“Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to call home. Without it nothing else in your life works — not your job, your health, your family, or your education,” U.S. Senator Tina Smith says. “The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s work has been critical in providing affordable housing for families across the city. Making 84 new deeply affordable units available is going to have a ripple effect of positive impacts.”

The Last Leg: Modular Transportation 

After building these 84 new rental units, Stream Modular will step in to help RISE Modular with the logistics of transporting and delivering the finished products to Minneapolis. After months of hard work, it’s our job to ensure that these life-changing homes make it to their final destination safely, fully intact, and on time so that the MPHA Family Housing Expansion Project teams can meet all their deadlines and stay on budget. As a company, we are proud to be part of this impactful project.

Stream Modular is a transportation logistics company specializing exclusively in modular construction. We help modular manufacturers and builders transport mods, pods and panels so they arrive on time and safely to the build site.

Read more:

• Is Modular Construction the Best Solution for Affordable Housing?
• Startup Modular Factories Should Consider Logistics in Operational Decisions
• 3 Pro Tips for Offloading Prefabricated Modular Buildings More Efficiently
• 4 Alternative Ways to Finance Industrialized (Modular) Construction