It has been two incredible years since Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity officially broke ground at The Heights during the historic 2024 Carter Work Project. Today, we are filled with immense optimism as we look at the transforming landscape and celebrate the extraordinary progress made by our community.
Our construction efforts are moving forward at an impressive pace. We are on track to complete the first 74 homes in 2027, which is over 50% of our total commitment to the neighborhood. Planning for the next phase is currently underway.
We’re proud to share that the homes we’re building at The Heights are highly energy efficient. Each home is equipped with solar panels, high-efficiency air source heat pumps, ENERGY STAR® certified appliances, and EV-ready charging stations. These eco-friendly features have proudly earned The Heights development a "Platinum LEED for Communities" certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. By prioritizing greener energy, we are not only lowering expenses for our homeowners but also building a cleaner, more resilient community for future generations.
While homebuilding continues to make great progress, the surrounding community is also beginning to take shape. Xcel Energy employees officially moved into their new office building in July, and the City of Saint Paul is preparing to kick off construction for the City Park in October 2026. The Park will feature a play area, a picnic area with a shelter, a sledding hill, a half-court basketball court, shade trees, and more. Construction is expected to be completed in 2027.
This rapid progress wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our volunteers, Regular Crews, and corporate partners. As of September 30, we have hosted over 7,200 volunteers who have collectively completed more than 14,200 days building at The Heights.
As our CEO Chris Coleman shared, "This is the largest development in Habitat’s history by far—and one of the largest affordable homeownership projects in Minnesota history. We’re acting boldly because the housing challenges facing our region are complex and systemic—and it takes all of us, working together, to make change.”
Check out The Heights project photo gallery
The Heights is quickly turning into a place to live and thrive. The end of September 2026 marks almost one year of sales at The Heights, and during that time nearly 50% of the first 74 homes are either sold or reserved, and over 28 families are already moved into their homes. Our Sales Team at Sandy Green Realty continues to see steady interest and is working closely with potential homeowners to find a home that is the right fit for their needs.
As new residents settle in, we are focusing on helping everyone feel established in their new neighborhood. It has been a joyfully busy summer season of community building at The Heights.
In June, homeowners at the Heights hosted a meet-and-greet community potluck for their growing community so neighbors could visit and get to know each other. We followed that up in July with an info session on homeowner associations (HOAs) to answer questions and help residents feel more secure in their new community. The season wrapped up in August with a highly successful block party and ribbon cutting ceremony.
“One thing that has really stood out to me at The Heights is the sense of community that seems to be growing as more homeowners move in,” said Arash Yousufi, Twin Cities Habitat Homeowner Engagement Manager. He mentioned that Twin Cities Habitat’s community events are creating relationship building opportunities, and that he has witnessed connections formed naturally. At the community potluck, for example, Arash explained that “homeowners brought food to share, introduced themselves to their neighbors, exchanged phone numbers, and talked about everything from where their kids go to school to recommendations for other schools in the area. They also connected with a teacher who lives in the community. It felt less like an organized event and more like neighbors genuinely getting to know one another.”