On September 27, 2022, Amani Construction showcased two new affordable housing properties in Minneapolis, MN.
Amani Construction, a mother-daughter team led by Joanne and Jeniffer Kuria, unveiled their newest two single-family homes, currently under construction in Minneapolis, MN. Amani is a locally owned general contracting and real estate development company providing affordable homes so more families can build wealth through home ownership.
Andersen Windows donated windows and doors to the property and Greater Minnesota Housing Fund (GMHF) awarded $50,000 in pre-development grant support for project planning and development. Grant funds came from contributions provided by MacKenzie Scott to be applied toward Amani’s new development of 5 single-family homes and the rehabilitation of another – a total of 6 properties. These donations and grant funds reduce overall development and construction costs, and help ensure the homes can be sold at target affordability levels.
Minnesota has the third highest homeownership rate in the country and has the fourth largest disparity between White/non-Latino households and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) households, according to the State’s housing agency, Minnesota Housing. Increasing the availability of affordable homes helps to address barriers to homeownership and reduces the homeownership racial disparity. Many more homes are still needed to reach pace with the growing market demand for housing.
Watch news segments here:
More media content is available on the Amani Construction website.
GMHF’s Emerging Developer of Color Program Manager, Irene Ruiz-Briseño, worked closely with the Amani Mother-Daughter Team to provide needed grant funding and support. Of their work together, Irene said “Jeniffer and Joanne Kuria are an impressive team who bring a community-minded approach to affordable housing development. They understand the housing challenges we have in the Twin Cities and are willing to do the hard work and get involved to help be part of the solution. I look forward to GMHF partnering with them on future projects.”
Irene’s work with the Amani team led to this project being identified as a recipient of donations from Andersen Windows & Doors. “Andersen firmly believes a stable home provides a foundation for families to thrive. The company has a long-standing commitment to supporting programs that provide critical housing support in the communities in which our employees live and work,” said Eliza Chlebeck, Senior Director of Communications and Community for Andersen Windows. “Every family needs a place to call home, but for many families, systemic inequities in housing policies and racial discrimination in housing continue to prevent families from achieving the goal of homeownership. Andersen Corporation is proud to support organizations like Amani and Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, working to close the racial equity gap in housing.”
 |  |  |
