Home » Legislative Advocacy » 2007 State Legislative Outcomes » Impact on Central Minnesota

Impact on Central Minnesota

Updated August 31st, 2007

MCH Wins State Funding to Support Central Minnesota in its Efforts to End Homelessness

MCH advocates for policies that promote a comprehensive, flexible, and appropriate community response to homelessness, and advocates for all populations (e.g. unaccompanied youth, single adults, families) and communities statewide (e.g. rural, urban, and suburban). We made considerable progress in our work to improve conditions for persons experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness in the Central Continuum of Care (CoC). (The CoC system is a community-based plan to organize and deliver housing and services to reduce the incidence of homelessness in an area). The successes of the 2007 Legislative Session include:

Homelessness Prevention Funding Doubled

Governor Pawlenty, House and Senate leaders, and MCH all proposed doubling the Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program’s (FHPAP) permanent resources from $7.43 million to $14.93 million. That’s exactly what we got. This nationally-recognized approach for preventing homelessness will now help even more families.

  • Funding increased for Lutheran Social Services in Todd, Crow Wing, and Morrison Counties from $270,000 in 2006-07 to $750,000 for 2008-09
  • Lakes and Pines C.A.C. in Aitkin, Carlton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, and Pine Counties received an increase from $490,000 to $700,000.
  • Tri-CAP Action Programs in Benton, Sherburne, Stearns, and Wright Counties also received an increase.
  • Together, these organizations are the area’s grantees for Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance. As a result of the increased funding, service providers in the area will be able to provide assistance to more single adults and families to receive assistance for rent, utility payment, and transportation expenses.

The “$125 SSI Penalty” Repealed

Full MFIP grants will be restored on 2/1/08 for families with disabled family members receiving Social Security Disability (SSI) benefits. This changes the current practice of cutting a family’s Minnesota Family Investment Program (MFIP) grant by $125 per month for each disabled family member who receives SSI benefits.

  • Approximately 7,000 families in Minnesota who were affected by the $125 SSI penalty will be receiving their full MFIP grant. In three quarters of the families affected by the penalty, a parent was receiving SSI money for disabilities who may not reasonably have been expected to earn that extra $125 per month to make up for the penalty.

The Runaway & Homeless Youth Act Received $1 Million

Last year, the Legislature passed language reasserting the State has a responsibility to serve unaccompanied youth – youth often left homeless due to abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation. This year, the Legislature appropriated $1 million to pay for services these youth need to become stable.

  • While unaccompanied youth funding is not yet dispersed, central Minnesota providers have funding targeted toward youth in the region that could benefit from this increase.

Rental Assistance for Mentally Ill Received $2 Million Increase

Federal rental assistance is in high demand and short supply. The Governor recommended and the Legislature agreed that “Bridges” funding should increase to help those at risk of homelessness who have a severe and persistent mental illness as they await a federal subsidy.

  • The Bridges program in Cambridge will now serve twenty-five, up from thirteen families in 2006-07. Bridges in St. Cloud will serve thirty, up from twenty-two, and a new Bridges program in Morrison County will serve fifteen.

The Police / Provider Homeless Outreach Project Received Funding

Once a pilot project, now a proven state program, the Homeless Outreach Project received $300,000.

  • The Coalition is working on an initiative to expand the outreach project into a state-wide program.

Shelter, Transitional Housing Get One-time Increases

Emergency Shelter received a $600,000 one-time bump. Transitional Housing received an added $750,000. The Long-term Homeless Pilot was consolidated into the Long-term Homeless Services Fund. Advocates will return next year to make the one-time funds permanent and to secure full, 2nd-year funding for the Long-term Homeless Services Fund. Continued funding was awarded to the following programs in the Central CoC:

  • Lutheran Social Services and the Salvation Army, in Brainerd
  • Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of St. Cloud, Central Minnesota Taskforce on Battered Women, Housing Coalition and Salvation Army in St. Cloud
  • Lakes and Pines Community Action Council, Inc. in Mora
  • Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Onamia
  • New Pathways, Inc. in Cambridge
  • Wright County Community Action, Inc. in Maple Lake
  • Otter Tail-Wadena Community Action Council in New York Mills

Long-term Homeless Services Gets One-Time Increase

$12 million was granted for Long-term Homeless Services. Advocates won full funding for the first year of the biennium and will return next year to fill any gap in 2nd-year funding.

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