Pastor urges Willmar leaders to back tiny-home settlements for single-person homelessness

Pastor Tony Freeberg addressed the council during public comment, urging city leaders to take action to address single-person homelessness in Willmar.

Freeberg, who described himself as a pastor and community chaplain, said churches and community groups have supported family-focused shelter programs but that a gap remains for single adults who are employed yet unable to afford local rents. "The issue before us is homelessness, and that is a communitywide issue," Freeberg said, describing encounters with people sleeping in cars or on friends’ couches.

Why it matters: Freeberg framed the need for solutions aimed at single adults — including models that enable churches or other local sites to host tiny-home settlements under state-authorized guidelines — and asked the city to consider a concrete local commitment to housing initiatives administered by the HRA.

Council response and context: Councilors noted previous conversations about tiny-home settlements and the HRA’s role; several members referenced prior commitments to housing study work and signaled support for directing funds to the housing trust. Staff later summarized available housing funds (statewide affordable housing aid and ARPA) and described mechanisms by which the city can restrict donations to projects inside Willmar.

Next steps: Freeberg’s appeal informed the council’s later budget prioritization discussion; staff and council asked HRA and city staff to further coordinate and bring options back to the council for funding and program design.