Affordable housing planned at former ADM mill site
Hennepin County has dedicated $480,000 to the Woodson, an affordable housing project planned at 3501 Hiawatha Ave on the former ADM mill site in Minneapolis.[1]
The $38 million, 68-unit mixed-use building will include apartments affordable at 30%, 50% and 60% of area median income and eight units set aside for people exiting homelessness.[1] Zachary Development Group, a Black-owned firm, will develop and build the project near the Blue Line, targeting demolition to begin in late fall 2027 if financing is secured.[1]
Archer Daniels Midland closed its Nokomis flour mill at 3501 Hiawatha Ave in 2019, leaving a 1914-era silo and elevator vacant next to the Blue Line light rail station. A Zachary Construction Group affiliate applied to buy the land in early 2025. It obtained a demolition permit from the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission after ADM said ongoing security costs and trespassing made the site untenable.
Hennepin County had 53,090 households earning below 30% of area median income but only 18,705 housing units affordable to them as of 2026, underscoring local need for more deeply affordable homes. Minnesota faced a shortage of 97,500 homes affordable to extremely low-income renters in 2026, with just 41 affordable homes per 100 extremely low-income renter households.
The mainstream summary does not address the broader context of the affordable housing crisis, particularly the severe shortage of units available to extremely low-income renters in Minnesota. While it highlights the planned development at the ADM site, it overlooks that there is a deficit of 97,500 homes affordable to this demographic statewide, with only 41 homes available per 100 extremely low-income renter households. This stark statistic underscores the urgency of the project but is absent from the mainstream account, which may downplay the systemic issues at play.
Moreover, the summary fails to mention the racial disparities linked to homelessness in Hennepin County. According to the county's 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan, Black residents experience homelessness at rates significantly higher than their representation in the population, a situation exacerbated by economic disparities and geographic inequities. This critical perspective highlights the need for targeted interventions in affordable housing, which the mainstream coverage does not fully capture.[2][3][4]
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📊 Relevant Data
Hennepin County has 53,090 households earning below 30% of area median income but only 18,705 housing units affordable to them.
Hennepin County Housing — Hennepin County
Minnesota has a shortage of 97,500 homes affordable and available to extremely low-income renters, with only 41 such homes per 100 extremely low-income renter households.
The Gap Report 2026 — Minnesota Housing Partnership
Hennepin County's Housing and Redevelopment Authority approved $19.2 million across five programs to create or preserve approximately 1,400 affordable housing units countywide.
Hennepin County approves $19.2 million for affordable housing — Insight News
📌 Key Facts
- Hennepin County dedicated $480,000 in affordable housing funds to the Woodson project at 3501 Hiawatha Ave. in Minneapolis.
- The development is a $38 million, 68‑unit mixed‑use building with units at 30%, 50%, and 60% of AMI, plus eight units for people exiting homelessness.
- Zachary Development Group, a Black‑owned firm, will develop and build the project near the Blue Line, targeting demolition to begin in late fall 2027 contingent on financing.
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