Aqua City, Metro Inn motels to reopen as low-income housing

You may recall our February visit to these southwest Minneapolis icons of the early motoring age. These turn out to be two of six aging motels purchased by Hennepin County for repurposing as low-income housing.

Now, the Metro Inn is about to re-open as 38-units of low-income housing aimed at people moving up from homelessness. The Star Tribune reports,

Last year the Hennepin County Board allocated $1.1 million to rehab Metro Inn, which was one of six motels the county purchased between 2020 and 2022. Initially used as emergency shelters, they are now in various stages of rehabilitation and conversion to deeply affordable housing.

From our visit last winter, before the refit,

In its report, WCCO adds,

The 38-rooms will be for single adults earning the lowest income with rent ranging from $400 to $550.

“We will be taking referrals directly from the shelter system, through street outreach teams and other shelters throughout the twin cities are,” Hanson said.

Finance and Commerce reports that the adjacent, 37-room Aqua City Motel, must be torn down and redeveloped, due to structural issues.