Minneapolis Council Member Seeks Audit and City Action Over Decay at Heritage Park Housing

Minneapolis City Council Member Pearll Warren is pressing for answers about deteriorating conditions at Heritage Park, a north Minneapolis housing development that was created as a model for public housing. She spoke about the issue with Minnesota Now host Nina Moini in an interview published on 2026-07-07.

Heritage Park opened in the early 2000s following a legal settlement over housing segregation, and it combines market-rate and subsidized units. Many of its units are now vacant, and residents and city leaders say neglected maintenance has led to roof leaks, mold and other problems.

Warren, who represents Ward 5, recently toured several empty units and led a council request for an audit of how public funds were used on the property. She described one unit with a large amount of mold that had been vacant for as long as three years. Another had been emptied within the previous 90 days and had also been squatted in, and a third had been vacated within the previous 30 days. All three, she said, had mold and significant damage.

Residents, Warren said, are frustrated and sad. They have complained for a long time and are grateful someone is now listening, but they worry about what comes next. Some are also embarrassed that the conditions have become public, since they consider themselves private people. "Our community deserves better," she said of her reason for drawing attention to the situation.

Warren attributed the decline to routine maintenance that was not done. She argued that public dollars can be misused when they go to owners who are not truly invested in a community, and said money was not reinvested in the buildings themselves.

The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority owns the land and provides funding for the public housing units. McCormack Baron Salazar previously owned and managed the property. A court-appointed receiver took over management in December, with Certus as the receiver and Property Solutions as the management company. Warren praised both for being transparent and resident-centered. She said McCormack Baron Salazar is no longer involved and that she hopes a new developer can be found.

Alongside the audit, Warren issued a legislative directive asking city departments to explain current conditions and how they will address them. She named the Community Planning and Economic Development department, Regulatory Services, the Public Health Department and the Bassett Creek Watershed. The audit is meant to show how much money moved from the city to the housing authority and what it was spent on. "Every dollar has a job," she said.

On residents' futures, Warren said eight residents are allegedly facing eviction. She has connected them with the NAACP and the Urban League Twin Cities for advocacy, and said some may have withheld rent because of the conditions or because of inaccurate ledgers during the transition to receivership and changes in management companies. About six or seven families need to be relocated because of the state of their units. The 1002 building, which had the least damage, should be fully rehabbed by the end of July, she said, and will be available for moves.

The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority and McCormack Baron Salazar each told MPR News they support the council's call for a financial audit and the goal of stabilizing the development.