Columbia Heights Launches New Homeownership Workshops

Columbia Heights is taking a new step toward housing equity and accessibility with the launch of multilingual homeownership workshops, funded through a 2025 Key Communities Program grant from the St. Paul Area Association of Realtors (SPAAR).

The city’s Economic Development Authority (EDA) applied for the grant in December of 2024 and was awarded up to $4,500 to develop resources that promote housing choice and homeownership. As Community Development Coordinator Emilie Voight explained, “We’re really focused on housing choice, homeownership, education, sharing of resources, and making those connections across languages—that’s what we’re focused on for this program.”

Meeting Community Needs Through Language Access

With nearly 27% of Columbia Heights households speaking a language other than English at home, the city saw a clear need to expand housing-related resources across languages. “We need to provide services to all residents regardless of their language of choice, and to really create trust and confidence in relationships with the city,” Voight said.

The first pilot event, Homeownership Resource Night, will take place on Sept. 16, at City Hall. The same session will be offered twice: first in English from 5–6 p.m., and then in Spanish from 6–7 p.m. The city is also providing dinner and activities for children free of charge to make the event more accessible.

“We’re setting up one session to start with in two languages, and depending on how that one goes, we’ll evaluate it,” Voight said. “Could we replicate this in other languages, or should we refine it and do it in a different way? We have the advantage of getting the grant funding to try something new, and we’re using it as a pilot project based on community needs.”

A Comprehensive, Partner-Driven Approach

 The workshops are designed to take a holistic view of the homeownership journey—from first steps to long-term sustainability. “We’re trying to look at it from this overhead process, comprehensive lens of ‘How do I get started if I’m looking to buy a home?’ and ‘What does it look like down the road once I’ve been there for a few months?’” Voight said.

To deliver on that vision, Columbia Heights is working closely with SPAAR, the Neighborhood Development Alliance, and sustainability partners such as the Center for Energy and the Environment (CEE), Xcel Energy, and CenterPoint Energy. Together, they will cover topics such as dispelling myths about homebuying, city permit assistance, and cost-saving energy initiatives.

“We want to learn from the expertise of partners and not try to supplant a partner’s role, but to say, ‘Hey, let’s work together on this initiative. What can you tell them that we can’t tell them?’” Voight said.

A vital part of the effort is Columbia Heights’ Multicultural Liaison Angela Montero who provides interpretation services, translation support, and day-to-day connections between residents and city staff. “She’s really wonderful in building connections between different Spanish-speaking communities within the community and the different departments of the city that might have answers to questions,” Voight said.

Montero will also play a direct role in Homeownership Resource Night, helping present information in Spanish and ensuring materials are accessible. “We’re leaning on that relationship as well,” Voight added. “We’re really glad to have somebody on our team who is really engaged and can be a resource in that way as well.”

Building Trust and Belonging

 The city also sees these workshops as an opportunity to make City Hall a more welcoming place. “We recognize that not everyone would feel comfortable coming to city hall for an event,” Voight said. “We would really like to reduce the stigma of coming to a place of government, and we would really like to promote the idea that people can come and feel safe and welcome at city hall.”

The Columbia Heights City Council echoed this commitment when it accepted the grant. The resolution stated:

“The Columbia Heights City Council recognizes and affirms the value of partnering with local organizations to promote economic development, housing opportunities, and an equitable, diverse, inclusive, and friendly community.”

Future Reliant on Community Feedback

For now, the city is focused on the first September workshop and gathering community feedback. “The first workshop is really the big milestone… and then of course the analysis afterward of gathering feedback from participants and from presenters and getting a feel for how it went,” Voight said.

If successful, the city hopes to expand the program to other languages and formats in the future. “I am hopeful that it will be a learning experience for the community and our staff,” said Voight. “Hopefully it’s a two-way effort in that sense.”