Available Resources
- The emergency staffing pool is available to support residential programs experiencing COVID-19 related staffing shortages. Eligible facilities for emergency staffing include: homeless shelters, shelters for domestic violence survivors, site-based supportive housing programs, boarding care, and board and lodge programs. Applicants must certify that they have at least one suspected or confirmed COVID-19 case among staff or guests and that they have already implemented their program’s contingency or crisis staffing plan. This staffing pool cannot help with a staffing crisis that is not caused by COVID. Once approved, the staffing firm will work with you place temporary employees at your setting as quickly as possible, staff can be assigned for up to 14 days. Find information on the program on the FAQ page on the Department of Human Services website. You can apply online for the staffing pool.
- Philanthropic Resources
Rental Assistance Programs
- COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program – This is a federally funded rental assistance program run by Minnesota Housing. Now accepting applications! Visit https://www.renthelpmn.org/ to learn more about the program.
- Learn more about the end to MinnesotaEviction Moratorium in Minnesota
- COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program – This program was open from August -December 2020 and is no longer accepting applications.
- Local rental assistance programs
Eviction Moratorium
Visit Minnesota Housing’s website to read frequently asked questions and answers about the evictions off-ramp timeline and download the diagram below about the eviction moratorium timeline and important dates. Materials are available in English, Hmong, Spanish and Somali.
On August 3, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) established a new Federal moratorium on evictions in counties that now or later on have substantial or high levels of community transmission as defined by the CDC. These CDC projections are in addition and on top of the protections included in Minnesota’s off-ramp.
- This moratorium will remain in effect for these counties until October 3, 2021 or until a county falls below the substantial community transmission threshold for 14 consecutive days.
- The CDC moratorium applies to eligible renters and tenancy situations, detailed in the full order which you can read here.
- Community transmission statistics are updated daily on the CDC COVID Data Tracker
- You can find more information on the National Eviction Moratorium on the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s (NLIHC) website.
- To be protected by the Federal Eviction Moratorium, qualified renters facing eviction should immediately provide a signed declaration to their landlords. NLIHC has translated the declaration form into multiple languages found here.
Economic Impact Payment Information
People experiencing homelessness are entitled to receive Economic Impact Payment (EIP) benefits, also known as stimulus checks. Resources to help get more information and help clients receive their checks:
- The Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have announced a new tool to make it easier for people experiencing homelessness to access stimulus checks. The Non-Filer Sign Up Tool is designed to help eligible individuals and families who don’t normally file income tax returns to:
- claim Child Tax Credits granted under the American Rescue Plan;
- register for the $1,400 third round of Economic Impact Payments; and
- claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for any amount of the first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments they may have missed.
- IRS information sheet on third round Economic Impact Payments in English and Spanish. They also have a flyer in English and Spanish.
- The Internal Revenue Services (IRS) page provides more detailed information on accessing EIP for people experiencing homelessness.
- U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Frequently Asked Questions on Economic Impact Payments.
- On June 20, 2021, USICH and the IRS had webinar on “How to Help Stimulus Checks Reach People Experiencing Homelessness.” Watch a recording of the webinar here.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Step by Step Guide to accessing EIP
- List of Minnesota SPEC (Stakeholder Partnerships, Education, & Communications) partners with the IRS that assist with tax filing. Treasury shared EIP information with these contacts. This is not a list of people are helping people access EIP but could be a resource. Outreach would be needed to ask each individual organization.
- The National Alliance to End Homelessness has developed a series of flyers to help providers, advocates, and other system leaders assist people in accessing their payments.
- A Guide to 2021 Economic Impact Payments for People Experiencing Homelessness put together by Tucson Pima Collaboration to End Homelessness provides responses to common questions about the Economic Impact Payments.
Currently Funded Entities
If you are currently being funded by DHS’ Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO), there are reporting requirements that you need to complete. Click here for the reporting requirements page to access the reporting documents and budget revision forms.
Fiscal Recovery Funds
Download a spreadsheet detailing the local allocation of American Rescue Plan funds including local Fiscal Recovery Funds.
- U.S. Department of Treasury Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds: Main website that links to fact sheets, FAQs, funding objectives, and allocation information.
- Interim Final Rule released on May 10, 2021 by the U.S. Department of Treasury. The Interim Final Rule details the requirements for and eligible uses of the Fiscal Recovery Funds.
- League of Minnesota Cities ‘What Cities Need to Know About Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Guidance’
- Summary of Local Fiscal Recovery Funds and potential uses related to housing and homelessness.
- USICH Guide to American Rescue Plan Funding that Impacts People Experiencing Homelessness
- National Alliance to End Homelessness Resource Series: Using COVID-19 Federal Funding to End Homelessness
Summary of Funding
We have seen the largest increase in homeless-specific funding in state history, with over $84 million in new State and Federal funds dedicated to supporting people experiencing homelessness and $480 million allocated to preventing homelessness and evictions allocated since March. These resources in combination with the incredible work providers and local communities are doing are critical to protect people experiencing homelessness and prevent people from becoming homeless. The investments include:
- $26.5 million to the Emergency Services Program (ESP) for shelter space, outreach, staffing, and PPE (March 2020)
- $5.5 million for a 15% increase in payments for settings supported by the Housing Support program for March, April, and May (March 2020)
- $6.2 million for Veteran homelessness prevention and rental assistance (March 2020)
- $19.5 million in Coronavirus Relief Funds (CRF) dedicated to sustain efforts funded by ESP (August 2020)
- $100 million in CRF dedicated for housing stability and eviction prevention through the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program (July 2020)
- $375 million from the federal COVID releif package for the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance program. (December 2020)
- $4.4 million in COVID-19 Minnesota Funds approved for 200 additional shelter spaces in Hennepin and Ramsey counties. (October and November 2020)
- $8.9 million in COVID-19 Minnesota Funds to sustain critical ESP activities in early 2021.(December 2020)
Additional detail:
- The Federal CARES Act and state actions have allocated various funding to support the COVID-19 response for people experiencing homelessness. Funding Summary Chart to highlight the various state and federal funding sources to support COVID-19 response.
- The COVID-19 relief bill was passed by Congress on December 2020. View a summary of both the COVID-19 relief funding and the fiscal year 2021 funding.
- Governor Walz COVID-19 Recovery Budget Summary for Interagency Council on Homelessness – updated March 19, 2021
- Congress passed the “America Rescue Plan” a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that includes over $40 billion in housing and homelessness resources, in March 2021. The National Low Income Housing Coalition has developed a detailed summary of the housing provisions currently included in the bill. The full bill language can be found here and the housing provisions begin on page 218.
- Minnesota Summary of Funding in America Rescue Plan by local jurisdiction.