A PERIS Hill success story
A three-year external case study of PERIS Hill just found that over 90% of our residents are in school or employed and creating housing stability. That’s an amazing achievement. Something we can truly be proud of. Yet, when it comes to being proud, there’s little that can compare to a real, heartfelt success story. And Jayden’s is no exception. So we thought we’d share it with you here.
Jayden recently spoke with the Hill and Lake Press about his experience at PERIS Hill and plans for the future. Here’s what Rose wrote after their discussion:
”PERIS Hill, Lowry Hill’s first intentionally designed affordable housing community, has come a long way since opening its doors in 2021. Built on the site of former neighborhood favorites—Brenda’s Café, Auriga, and Bradstreet—PERIS Hill is home to 45 thoughtfully designed apartments, 15 of which are reserved for young adults transitioning out of foster care. From the very beginning, PERIS Hill was envisioned as something new—a model of supportive housing where young people could practice autonomy within a community of care.
Developed with guidance from a youth advisory council and people who have experienced foster care, PERIS Hill combines deeply affordable apartments with a whole-person, youth-centered approach. Onsite staff offer daily support ranging from education and employment navigation to financial guidance and mental health resources. The staff-to-resident ratio is approximately 1:5—a level of individualized attention that’s rare in supportive housing. This intentional design ensures that young people have consistent, trusted relationships and the stability they need to move confidently into independence.
The PERIS Hill team has also made a point to be an active and engaged neighbor. Staff and residents regularly participate in Lowry Hill Association meetings, attend neighborhood events, and support nearby businesses. As the area has evolved—with the loss of several long-standing local establishments and the need for renewed safety measures—PERIS Hill has invested in lighting, security, and partnerships with the Minneapolis Police Department and neighborhood association to ensure a safe, welcoming space for residents and the broader community alike.
The impact of PERIS Hill comes to life through Jayden’s story, who has built a strong foundation of his own.
Jayden moved into PERIS about two years ago, looking for a place to settle and start figuring out what was next. Barbering had been on his mind for years. He cut his own hair, then friends’, and his uncle let him practice on him. “I knew that I wanted to start school for it, I had a passion early on for it,” he said.
Staff at PERIS helped him sort out transportation when he didn’t have a car, helped him access funding he could put toward getting started in the barbering field, and connected him with a coach who met with him an hour a day, a rhythm that took real commitment on both sides. He describes the staff as people who could “help with anything, really.”
Eventually, Jayden would like to have a shop of his own and spend time as a traveling barber, flying to different states to cut hair for people with big names. For now, he is staying consistent and learning from the ground up. At his previous shop he learned what running a business means, how money works when you are doing this for yourself. He made mistakes, learned budgeting the hard way with his own money, and now feels like that skill is solid.
He recently started at a new shop, PRVDR on Hennepin, just a block from PERIS. He noticed they were adding a barber space, reached out to the owner, and got hired. His favorite part is talking with clients, never knowing who will sit in the chair. Jayden said that for his clients, it is important to “treat them like family and give the best experience possible.” One older client, who had gone to the same high school years earlier, ended up talking with him about how much had changed, getting to know each other, and then helped him build his customer base through connections he had in the city. PERIS has shaped his personal life too. His sister lives in the building, something he did not expect, and it has made them closer. They hang out, take her dog on walks, and look out for each other.
For Jayden, PERIS has made the hard parts easier: transportation, staying focused, having someone to talk things through with. And while he is still building toward what is next, he is already doing what he came here wanting to do, cutting hair and gaining momentum.”
Jayden’s story is an endearing one. As he said himself, he made mistakes and learned budgeting the hard way. Jayden, like so many of our residents, left foster care without the skills to budget, save, and plan for the future. With teens in foster care on average being forced to move 8 times, and having little-to-no money of their own, it’s no surprise they struggle to plan for the future. Living in the present is hard enough.
That’s why, in 2026, we’re introducing a unique savings program and wealth-building practice designed to help residents build the habits, knowledge, and funds to imagine and attain a future beyond PERIS Hill.
We call it LAUNCH PAD.
During the course of the LAUNCH PAD savings program, residents will receive financial guidance and education, and have greater agency over their accommodation costs, savings, security, and financial future. Better yet, by the conclusion of the program, they’re projected to save around $5000 - funds they can then access, use, and add-to at their discretion.
If you’d like to learn more about LAUNCH PAD, or offer your support, please follow this link to our LAUNCH PAD program page.
Written by Rose Carr Schwartz - PERIS Foundation Board Member