Mission and Strategic Vision

About Us

Vision Statement

We envision an AIDS-free world built on a foundation of equitable access to housing and health care.

Mission Statement

Clare Housing provides a continuum of affordable and supportive housing options that create healing communities and optimize the health of people living with HIV/AIDS.

Land Acknowledgement

Click here to read our land acknowledgement.

Clare Housing Strategic Framework: A Vision for Our Future

Introduction

Download the Strategic Priorities (PDF)

First and foremost, our strategic framework reaffirms the urgency of Clare Housing’s mission. Despite medical advances and limited public awareness, new HIV[1] cases continue to spread throughout Minnesota and globally, and these cases are disproportionately high in LGBTQ+, BIPOC and homeless communities. Yet, we know that affordable, stable and supportive housing such as that offered by Clare Housing is highly effective at ending the spread of HIV.

[1] All acronyms are defined at the end of this document

Clare Housing will continue to both grow and adapt to new challenges in a world where funding, health services, and the treatment of HIV is constantly changing. This Strategic Framework is a living tool that will change and guide our work today and into the future. The Clare Housing Board of Directors and our Senior Leadership Staff are committed to reviewing and updating this Framework regularly to ensure we have a relevant and timely approach that supports the achievement of Clare Housing’s mission. To that end, Clare Housing leadership creates and executes an annual plan to track accountability on each of the four elements of this Strategic Framework. It is our hope that focusing on these key elements will lead to the fulfilment of our mission and a healthier, more hopeful future for people living with HIV.

Our History

Clare Housing began housing individuals diagnosed with AIDS in 1987, opening our first Community Care Home to provide compassionate end-of-life care. Over the years medical advancements have changed the experience of living with HIV or AIDS, making it possible to lead a healthy long life with either diagnosis. Clare Housing continues to be focused on providing high quality nursing, supportive services and affordable housing for people living with HIV or AIDS. We are the largest provider of supportive affordable housing for people living with HIV in Minnesota, with particularly high numbers of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ residents engaged in our services. Clare Housing has grown from a single home with four individuals to a robust spectrum of housing with nursing and other services that supports over 300 individuals each year. With the continued spread of HIV and high demand for our affordable supportive housing, our work is unfinished.

How we demonstrate impact

Annual outcomes show that Clare Housing is both ending homelessness among individuals living with HIV or AIDS and is preventing the spread of HIV through the provision of housing. When an individual has stable housing, they are more likely to receive health care, to adhere to their medication regimen, and to be virally suppressed. Virally suppressed people are no longer at risk of spreading HIV to others (known as “Undetectable HIV = Untransmissible HIV” or U = U).  Through every new move-in, Clare Housing has a positive impact on reducing homelessness and stopping the spread of HIV.  Our annual goals are that at least 90% of Clare Housing residents are linked to health care, are virally suppressed, and maintain their housing for 12 months or more. We routinely achieve all three of these annual goals and are committed to ongoing improvement.

How we approach our work

We believe that housing is a human right, and that housing is a form of healthcare. We know that eliminating barriers and helping people access and sustain their housing is a necessary public health intervention for ending the HIV epidemic. Clare Housing plays a key role in helping people achieve wholeness and self-sufficiency by providing an array of housing that is low-barrier, affordable, not temporary, and comes with supportive services. We embrace individual uniqueness and experiences and recognize that trauma can play a significant role in someone’s housing and health status. We seek to meet each person where they are, to create welcoming communities that honor and respond to experiences of stigma, trauma, and impoverishment. In particular we celebrate and work to build inclusive spaces for our residents in respect to their gender, sexual orientation, and racial demographics. Our work is to foster humanity through housing and support.

Our commitment to racial equity  

Racial justice is a value Clare Housing is invested in, and we commit to stand behind efforts that advance racial equity. We recognize that racial and social justice are ongoing pursuits, and we must be accountable to act on these values. To that end we commit to the following actions: 1) transparency about our policies and practices, specifically regarding our staff hiring and resident housing demographic outcomes, 2) seeking and incorporating meaningful input from our residents, staff, and community members regarding our role in racial equity and inclusion, 3) deepening the racial diversity of our workforce, client base, and community partnerships to better reflect our community of people living with HIV, and 4) continuing our work in racial justice as we learn and grow, never stopping at “good enough.”

Our Strategic Priorities

Our People

Policy Statement:  We live our mission with our employees as well as our residents. This means ensuring our staff members are paid equitably for the work they do, are treated with respect and dignity, have access to a range of benefits and opportunities, and are provided the support they need to be successful.

Mission Impact: Our employees are our most valuable asset. They are united by a unifying core value of respect for the dignity, diversity, and worth of every human being. When we invest in our employees, we create a strong foundation for the future sustainability of our work and achievement of our mission.

Operating Parameters:

  • Staffing and wage growth will be determined each year during the development of the annual operating plan and budgeting process, in consultation with a report on commensurate local wages. Significant effort will be put into providing competitive wages across all positions.
  • An employee benefit plan will be established and updated as needed to ensure our benefits are in line with the current market.
  • Using input from all staff, we will annually commit financial and staff resources to the highest priority areas for the recruitment, retention, support, and professional development of all Clare Housing staff.
  • Racial equity will be a focus in our annual staffing goals, to address BIPOC and LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts and any disparities in hiring and rates of pay between BIPOC and white staff.
  • As Clare Housing services evolve and grow, we will attempt to proactively add staff resources to help balance new and existing staff responsibilities.

Preservation and Growth of Housing Units

Policy Statement: Stable housing remains one of the greatest unmet needs for people living with HIV. With nearly 1,000 people living with HIV in Minnesota without a stable home, we are firmly committed to preserving and increasing the number of various types of affordable housing units for low-income and homeless individuals and families with HIV. Evidence has shown that low-barrier housing with harm reduction practices does work to end homelessness and substantially limits the spread of HIV. Ultimately, Clare Housing demonstrates that housing is an effective form of healthcare.

Mission Impact: By increasing access to safe, affordable housing for people living with HIV, we are helping to improve access to health care and social services, increase compliance with individual treatment plans, reduce further transmission, and enhance quality of life.

Operating Parameters:

  • Addition of New Housing Units developed by Clare Housing
    • The addition of any housing units will incorporate design elements and services specific to our prospective residents’ needs, with input and guidance from those who are or will be served.
    • 100% of financing for new units must be secured prior to closing and starting construction.
    • Rental subsidy funding contracts must be in place prior to closing on housing projects, as required by public funders and lenders.
    • Sustainable/long-term funding commitments to cover direct program costs (or a realistic plan to secure funding) must be in place prior to closing. Funding sources that provide a 5 – 10% contribution margin to cover administrative expenses will be prioritized.  Funding can be a mix of government and philanthropic funds.  
  • Scattered Site Housing
    • Funding commitments for rental subsidies must be in place prior to program expansion.
    • Funding for service expansion should be identified and secured prior to program expansion and allow for the potential of a 5 – 10% contribution margin to cover administrative expenses.
  • Preservation of Existing Units
    • Community Care Homes will continue to operate with capital improvement investments made on an annual basis. Collectively, the community care homes should annually target a 10 – 15% contribution margin to cover administrative expenses.
    • A qualified asset manager will oversee the long-term preservation of Clare Housing apartments.
    • Preservation of other buildings may be a viable option for the growth of Clare Housing units.
  • New Models and Alliances
    • In recognizing the spectrum of existing and emerging needs among prospective Clare Housing residents, new housing models and locations should be explored with the potential to add them to the continuum of housing options currently operated by Clare Housing.
    • Alliances may range from partnering on a new development, being the service provider for a select number of units within a development or expanding the continuum of housing options offered by Clare Housing. All new strategic alliances will require a Memorandum of Understanding between the alliance partners outlining the responsibilities and fee structure. 

Service Enhancement and Growth

Policy Statement: People living with HIV are diverse in their experiences and in their needs, thus we use a holistic approach to providing services and medical supports. Clare Housing residents have often experienced trauma and are well served through a harm-reduction approach. We seek to serve those who have nowhere else to turn, using our resources effectively.  Our number one priority remains providing compassionate care and responsive supports that reflect the needs of our residents to live their best lives.

Mission Impact: Clare Housing is a leader in the delivery of supportive services focused on enhancing quality of life, building individual strengths, and promoting independence. When support is combined with affordable housing, we see positive impacts on housing stability, employment, mental and physical health, as well as the successful management of HIV.

Operating Parameters:

  • Ongoing evaluation of Clare Housing programs and staff performance, including annually gathering input and feedback from residents and staff, will drive changes to and the creation of services at Clare Housing. Services at Clare Housing will be mission based, focused on improving the health and/or housing stability of those we serve. Changes and improvements in services will be an ongoing undertaking, informed by our outcomes and qualitative input.
  • When the need for new or changed services are identified, Clare Housing will conduct additional research into best practices and gather input from the community (including partner agencies) to help inform the new or adapted services. Client demographics and shared life experiences will be taken into account to design relevant and accessible services for clients.
  • Clare Housing will intentionally examine and determine how new or adapted services should be provided, such as internally by Clare Housing staff or volunteers, through partnerships with other providers, or some other combination.
  • The provision of services will take into account the holistic needs of our residents and the skills required of our staff. Services will seek to improve the quality of life of our clients, recognizing the connection between physical health, mental health, personal support systems and housing stability.

Advocacy and Public Policy

Policy Statement: In the face of continued new HIV infections and extensive levels of homelessness, we must stay focused on our mission and be in ongoing communication with our elected officials and broader community. Health and housing inequities keep us vulnerable to new HIV infections. Our mission calls us to advocate with people living with or at risk of HIV infection on issues that disproportionately impact our clients. Advocacy is needed if we are to achieve equitable access to healthcare and housing.

Mission Impact: Policy and public funding changes are a threat to our mission, the sustainability of our work, and ultimately to our aim of ending the HIV epidemic.

Operating Parameters:

  • Focus messaging on issues impacting the mission of Clare Housing and those living with HIV.
  • A priority should be coalition building when advocating for or against issues on city, state, or federal levels. Engage outside lobbyist as needed to strengthen capacity and engagement with elected officials.
  • Advocacy and policy work will be led by the Executive Director in partnership with Clare Housing board members, key staff, and other community stakeholders.
  • Ensure public policy work is done ethically, transparently, and within the IRS guidelines so as to not jeopardize Clare Housing’s nonprofit status or reputation in the community.

Acronyms used in this document

AIDS: “Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome” is the most severe stage of an HIV infection. Not everyone with HIV develops AIDS.

BIPOC: “Black, Indigenous, and People of Color” is a term we use to include and highlight the experiences of people of color in our community. We recognize that no one term will represent every member of a community.

HIV: “Human Immunodeficiency Virus” is a virus that harms the immune system by impacting white blood cells which are needed to help fight infection.

IRS: The “Internal Revenue Service” is the United State’s tax collection agency which administers the revenue code.

LGBTQ+: “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Plus” is an umbrella term we use to include and highlight those with an experience in contrast to a heterosexual or straight sexual identity. We recognize that no one term will represent every member of a community.

Originally adopted by the Board of Directors of Clare Housing, June 2014

Updated: November 2015

Updated: September 2018

Updated: February 2022