Nonprofit 360 Communities has launched a $14.1 million campaign to replace and expand the Lewis House domestic and sexual violence shelter in Eagan, a project that would roughly double on‑site capacity and layer in a Survivor Support Center, pet‑friendly accommodations and a small market for essentials. The plan would boost bed space from 23 to about 50 and convert dorm‑style rooms into private living units designed to restore privacy and dignity. Organizers say the overhaul is meant to make it easier for families, including the many children who stay there, to tap into long‑term services as they leave abusive situations.
According to 360 Communities, the $14.1 million budget covers design, construction, furnishings and equipment for the new shelter and Survivor Support Center. The campaign also includes a $2 million dollar‑for‑dollar match that organizers say is already more than halfway met. The nonprofit describes the project as trauma‑informed, gender‑inclusive and accessible to people of all abilities.
Design, services and capacity
The updated concept calls for a roughly 27,000‑square‑foot building on the same Eagan campus and is structured so staff can keep services running while sections are rebuilt, as reported by the Pioneer Press. Jeff Mortensen, 360 Communities’ president and CEO, told the paper the new layout “provides a whole different level of dignity, and it gives them back some control.” Director of Development Hannah Laniado added that “everybody knows somebody who has experienced domestic and/or sexual violence,” a reminder organizers say underscores the urgency behind the campaign.
Local numbers behind the push
360 Communities’ 2024 Impact Report shows Lewis House provided emergency shelter for 277 people in 2024, with more than half of those sheltered being children. The same report lists roughly 20,700 unduplicated individuals served across the nonprofit’s programs last year, a snapshot organizers point to as evidence of the broader demand for housing, food and violence‑prevention services in Dakota County.
Timeline and next steps
The Pioneer Press reports that organizers expect a groundbreaking in fall 2026, with construction running through 2027 and a goal of having survivors move into the new spaces by the end of 2027. That reporting also notes the shelter’s average stay is about 50 days, with some residents remaining as long as 75 days, figures that campaign leaders say shaped the shift to private units and a more robust set of on‑site supports…