Keep formerly homeless Minnesotans housed.
Alert Summary
Alert Details
Since 2000, the Legislature has appropriated $10 million for the Supportive Housing and Managed Care Pilot in Ramsey and Blue Earth Counties, which has served 720 participants, including 152 families with 348 children and 137 single adults, all with long and complex histories of homelessness.
Under state law, the Pilot sunset on June 30, 2007. During the 2007 Session, the Legislature appropriated $1 million less than was needed to maintain the infrastructure to continue to support 150 households that have broken the cycle of homelessness through the Long-Term Homeless Supportive Service Fund.
The House has appropriated $618,000 of the $1 million needed to preserve the capacity of the Pilot through the Long-Term Homeless Supportive Service Fund.
The Senate bill did not restore any funding, and additionally, it cuts 1.7% from the rest of the base funding for Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services.
At a time when the State is investing in creating more supportive housing units, it cannot move backwards in providing the necessary supportive service funding. A $618,000 investment in ending long-term homelessness will keep us from moving backwards on this issue and help bring more Minnesotans off the streets into safe and supportive housing.
For more information, call Jennifer Ho, Executive Director, Hearth Connection
at 651-645-0676 x103.
Action You Can Take
Urge Conference Committee members to adopt the House position and add $618,000 to the Long-Term Homeless Supportive Service Fund.
• These dollars support single adults and families with children who have very long histories of homelessness, high rates of mental illness, co-occurring chemical dependency and chronic health conditions.
• People with long histories of homelessness need supportive services and housing to achieve housing stability and start along a path of recovery.
• If we take the supportive services away, people’s housing is at risk.
• The State ends up paying for increased use of shelter, emergency rooms, jails and detox when people don’t have a safe place to live.
