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Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Douglas County

Bridges Rental Assistance Program

1224 Nokomis St, Alexandria, MN 56308

Eligibility

Recipients must:
  • Be 18 years of age or over
  • Have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness as defined in the MN Comprehensive Mental Health Act
  • Have a household income at or below 50 percent of the area median income
Since the program will serve as a transition to a permanent subsidy, program recipients and organizations providing housing will need to follow rules for:
  • Provision of income verification
  • Leasing procedures
  • Federal housing quality standards
  • Payment standards limits to cap program rents
Highest priority is given to people residing in an institution (such as a hospital, treatment center, correctional facility, adult foster care or other segregated setting) who will be homeless upon discharge. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Bridges serves:
  • Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens and Traverse counties

Application process

Referral to the program must be made by a mental health professional. The program is administered to participants by the local housing agency in communities where eligible applicants live. This program may be full or may have a waiting list.

Site Service Area

Serving Douglas and Pope counties. Home Repair Financial Assistance available for Becker, Douglas, Otter Tail, Pope, Stearns and Todd counties. Bridges Rental Assistance serves Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens and Traverse counties.

Other Information

Specialization

  • People with low income
  • Mental health
Helps people with mental illness avoid homelessness by providing them with temporary rental assistance in their community. This allows people to have housing while they are on a waiting list for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers or other permanent housing subsidy programs. Housing support services are provided to participants through a local mental health authority. Subsidies are determined by a calculation using gross income. The resident's rent is based on the resident's income. Funding from the program may be used:
  • To pay rent directly to a landlord
  • For security and utility deposits
  • To pay for the full rent, for up to 90 days, during medical or psychiatric crisis

Last Update

04/17/2026

Providing organization

Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Douglas County