Stevens Square Community Organization: Life in the heart of Minneapolis

Stevens Square Community Organization, founded in 1976, is the officially recognized citizen participation organization for the Stevens Square-Loring Heights neighborhood of Minneapolis.

Mission Statement

SSCO provides a respectful forum for community involvement and leadership that builds on neighborhood strengths to promote and improve Stevens Square-Loring Heights as a fun place to live, work, and play.

SSCO works to strengthen Stevens Square-Loring Heights by initiating, integrating, and implementing key priorities.  2003 priorities:

• Economic development (housing and development)
• Community safety
• Clean green environment
• Building community through the arts
• Community involvement

SSCO serves SS-LH by addressing the issues that make the neighborhood livable: safety, convenience to services, cultural activities, neighborhood attachment, affordable and decent housing, and more. SSCO uses a community–organizing model to involve neighborhood residents in the decisions that impact their neighborhood, and is governed by an all-volunteer, community-elected Board of Directors.  SSCO staff includes a full-time executive director (responsible for housing and commercial development and arts programs, in addition to administrative/executive responsibilities), and a full-time safety coordinator (responsible for community safety and outreach activities).  SSCO brings on part-time organizers and interns during the spring/summer season to assist in the implementation of arts and gardening activities. 

SSCO accomplishes its work through three standing committees: Safety, Neighborhood Development, and Community Engagement.  The latter works closely with the Stevens Square Center for the Arts to bring community arts programming to the neighborhood.