U.S. Bank helps build 30 Habitat for Humanity homes in St. Paul

150 U.S. Bank employees don hard hats and tool belts to make homeownership a reality for Minnesota families

On a stretch of land on the east side of St. Paul, Minnesota, where people used to swing golf clubs, thousands of volunteers recently swung hammers instead. And among them were 150 U.S. Bank employees who participated in Habitat for Humanity’s 2024 Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project, which aimed to build 30 homes over the course of five days and bring the dream of homeownership to local residents.

The homes are part of a new affordable housing development called The Heights, located on a former golf course, that eventually will include 1,000 housing units, community greenspaces and amenities and create 1,000 jobs. The homes in this all-electric community will feature solar panels or shingles, heat pumps, water conservation measures and more. The Carter Work Project launched Habitat’s construction efforts, and U.S. Bank served as a diamond sponsor for the event, with support provided by U.S. Bank and U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance.

“Supporting homeownership is both a business and philanthropic focus at U.S. Bank. Safe and affordable housing helps support thriving communities,” said Reba Dominski, chief social responsibility officer at U.S. Bank and president of the U.S. Bank Foundation.

When the first group of U.S. Bank volunteers arrived at the build site, they were greeted with piles of lumber, tools and construction professionals ready to help them begin work. Over the course of the five days, volunteers built and framed walls, put in windows, installed sheeting and drywall and helped raise roofs. Some were newcomers to the event, and others, such as Impact Finance Senior Vice President Bill Carson, were repeat Carter Work Project participants and eager to put on their hard hats again.

“It really changes everyone’s perspective on what it takes to give back to the community. It’s a great way of team building, it’s a great way of getting your hands literally dirty, and not looking at a community in terms of a spreadsheet or dollars and cents, but really thinking about how this brand-new community is going to have an impact on the future of St. Paul and its residents,” Carson said.

This year’s Carter Work Project held special significance. 2024 marks the project’s 40^th anniversary, and President Carter celebrated his 100^th birthday on the event’s second day.

“Habitat’s vision is a world where everyone has a decent place to live, but we cannot reach that goal alone,” said Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity International. “The Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Work Project serves not only as a way to honor the Carters’ legacy, but also as a reminder of what is possible when people from all walks of come together to work toward one common goal.”

U.S. Bank has a longstanding relationship with Habitat for Humanity affiliates across the U.S. through investments, philanthropy and volunteering. Since 2013, Impact Finance has completed four investments with Twin Cities Habitat through the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program – a federal program that encourages job creation and economic development in distressed and underserved communities – investing more than $8.9 million in both housing and in TCH’s headquarters building. And since 2008, Impact Finance has provided more than $137.6 million through the federal NMTC Program to Habitat affiliates coast to coast for affordable homeownership projects and created over 3,901 units.

In 2023, U.S. Bank provided more than $1.9 million in corporate contributions, U.S. Bank Foundation giving and employee matching gifts nationally to Habitat. Many U.S. Bank employees have participated in Habitat projects in their communities over the years, with more than 6,000 hours volunteered last year. 

Among the volunteers were other Twin Cities residents who bought their homes with the help of Habitat for Humanity. LeAndra Estis, who moved into her home in another St. Paul neighborhood in 2019, knows firsthand how owning a home can help families set a strong foundation for future success, and she jumped at the chance to be part of the Carter Work Project.

“To be here and to have this groundbreaking opportunity here in St. Paul, Minnesota – this is what we dream of. I’m very proud and happy to be a part of this,” Estis said. “Homeownership builds you spiritually, it builds you financially. It teaches you about valuing yourself and valuing the things you have.”