MCH Wins State Funding to Support Southwest 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 Northwest 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 Bi-County CAP in Beltrami and Cass Counties from $300,000 in 2006-07 to $400,000 for 2008-09
- Mahube Community Council, serving Becker, Manoman, and Hubbard Counties received an increase from $220,000 to $440,000
- Tri-Valley Opportunity Council in Polk, Marshall, Norman, Pennington, Red Lake, Clearwater, Kittson, Roseau, and Lake of the Woods Counties received an increase from $140,000 to $390,000.
- Together these organizations make up 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The “$125 SSI Penalty” Repealed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, northwest 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 Bemidji will now serve seventeen, up from five families in 2006-07.
- The Tri-Valley Bridges program will now serve ten families, up from eight in 2006-07.
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 Northwest CoC:
- Northwest Community Action in Badger
- The Bi-County Community Action Program, Inc., Evergreen House, and Ours to Serve House of Hospitality in Bemidji
- Care and Share Center, Inc. and the Tri-Valley Opportunity Council in Crookston
- Inter-County Community Council, Inc. in Oklee
- Red Lake Homeless Shelter in Red Lake
- White Earth Reservation Tribal Council in Naytahwaush
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.
- Northwest Minnesota, including Beltrami, Becker, Mahnomen, Cass, Hubbard, and Polk Counties, as well as the Leech Lake, Red Lake, and White Earth Reservations, received $44,000 in DHS Supportive Services Grant Funds for support services to assist people experiencing long-term homelessness to find and maintain housing.