South Uptown + LHENA Q&A with Lakeshore Care

The Proposed Recuperative Care Facility at 918 W Lake Street
Summarized and presented by LHENA Neighborhood Coordinator Valerie Blomberg

Lakeshore Care has proposed opening a new recuperative care facility at 918 W Lake Street, with the goal to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals recovering from medical conditions, reducing the likelihood of re-hospitalization. 

What is a medical respite facility?
This is a pilot program for the state of Minnesota. For examples of this type of facility, we look to other cities like Las Vegas, Seattle, Los Angeles, some of the bigger cities. It's been very successful, drawing the attention of Minnesota legislators. For further reading, visit the Minnesota Medical Association website. This article published in MinnPost also includes some helpful information. 

Unlike traditional homeless shelters, the proposed 24-bed facility focuses expressly on medical recuperation. It aims to serve adults aged 21 and older who are unstably housed and need a place to recover from acute medical conditions, illnesses, or surgeries. This comprehensive model relies on a team of licensed medical professionals, including nurses, mental health counselors, and substance abuse specialists, to address the multi-faceted needs of individuals eligible for recuperative care under this model. Minnesota will have their own reporting on the success of the program. By 2027, the commissioner is expected to draft up a report on how this has reduced the strain on hospitals. Ultimately, the goal is to direct state resources more effectively, reducing recurring hospitalizations by individuals who do not have a stable environment in which to recover and heal. 

"Our primary goal is to provide a safe and supportive environment where individuals can recover from illnesses or surgeries, reducing the likelihood of re-hospitalization and homelessness," emphasized Zakaria Suleman, Operations Manager at Lakeshore Care. The facility will offer services such as basic nursing care, wound care, patient education, and discharge planning to ensure clients transition smoothly back into the community. 

​For more information, we invite you to review the meeting video/audio recording, below. 

Thank you to the following people who made this Q&A informational session possible: 

• Zakaria Suleman, Operations Manager at Lakeshore Care
• Ali Warsame, Lakeshore Care
• Council Vice President Aisha Chughtai and Brad Sigal from the Ward 10 Office
• Alexander Johnson, Board Member at Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association
• Brian Dvorak, Board Member at South Uptown Neighborhood Association
• Valerie Blomberg, Neighborhood Coordinator at Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association
• Scott Engel, Neighborhood Executive Coordinator at South Uptown Neighborhood Association

Video recording of the meeting: 

Audio recording of the meeting: 

View the PowerPoint Presentation (PDF) presented by Lakeshore Care. 

Public Hearing on September 10, 2024
Interim use permits are heard at the City Council’s Business, Housing, and Zoning (BHZ) Committee rather than at the City Planning Commission. The application for this facility will be heard at the September 10th meeting of the BHZ Committee. That meeting will be held at 1:30pm in City Council Chambers, 250 S 4th Street, Room 350 (Google maps). Public hearing notices will be sent to property owners within 350 feet of the site 10 days prior to the meeting.

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