Health and wellness is one thing. A stroke, heart attack, or cancer can be another. Researching retirement home options probably isn’t at the top of your to-do list. But when should you start thinking about them? About 10 years ago, Barbara Satin’s transgender friend Gayle suffered a stroke. Gayle will always be Gayle, except at the hospital. For Gayle to receive medical attention, Gayle’s name needed to return to Glenn. After witnessing this experience, Satin knew it was time to start making plans - Big Plans.
Barbara Satin is a transgender activist and founder of GLBT Generations. The idea for the organization came as she, and other members of her congregation, identified a need to tackle aging issues for senior GLBT community members. Gayle’s experience spoke to the help and support any GLBT person may someday need. Today, GLBT Generations works to educate and train senior care providers on the needs of GLBT people as they age.
In a big way, GLBT Generations is making progress. Satin, Powderhorn Residents Group Inc. (PRG), the Spirit of the Lakes congregation, and a revitalized part of Minneapolis are pioneering change at the intersection of Lake Street and 13th Avenue South. This is where Spirit on Lake is being built. It’s a new co-op housing development specifically for GLBT seniors and they are breaking ground later this year. It’s a location many developers would love to develop with more ‘traditional’ housing options. Instead, this 73 year-old transgender woman has taken the concept of a GLBT retirement community and turned it into a successful reality.
When GLBT Generations was getting settled, the area of Lake Street between Lake Calhoun and the Mississippi River started receiving a major facelift. Located in middle of the reconstruction project, Spirit of the Lakes was approached by commercial developers. Eventually, they came to a conclusion about the future of their congregation. Rather than sell, the congregation decided to reinvest in its community and fill a niche. The result involved rebuilding the church building and adding a 41-unit housing facility. Making the project even more unique was their target market – aging GLBT people.
To get the project off the ground, Spirit on Lake partnered with PRG Inc. According to Satin, PRG Inc., is “a non-profit community developer with a reputation for successful housing projects aimed at underserved populations.” Satin says PRG’s “32- year history of building quality, affordable housing” has helped 3,000 people find their own home. With occupancy scheduled for late 2009 at Spirit on Lake, reservations are currently being taken. By next year, at least another 41 people will benefit from projects and partnerships with PRG Inc.
“A major benefit of this cooperative,” says Satin, “is that it will work directly with the congregation to help GLBT people as they continue to age. It also offers an affordable housing option for more people in the area. The prices are based on the area median income and offer long-term affordability.”
The Spirit on Lake project reflects the innovative spirit of Minneapolis. PRG’s website acknowledges “strong support from the surrounding neighborhoods and from Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.” Nationwide, Josefina G. Carbonell from the Administration on Aging (www.aoa.gov), said there is a need to “develop initiatives advancing consumer education, wellness and nursing home diversion”. Satin says, “PRG’s expertise in all areas of housing development is what makes this project possible.” For more information about Spirit on Lake Housing Co-op, visit www.prginc.org.
