Housing

Minnesota Housing is the state’s housing finance agency. For more than 40 years the agency has worked to provide access to safe, decent and affordable housing and to build stronger communities across the state.

HUD Housing Choice Vouchers is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low income families, the elderly, the disabled and some autistic adults to afford decent, safe and sanitary housing in the private market. You can call or write to the HUD office in Minnesota for Minnesota programs.

Based in Minneapolis, HousingLink’s mission is “to improve people’s lives through information expanding their affordable rental choices.

Disability Benefits 101 is a website that gives people tools and information on health coverage, benefits and employment. The site has a helpful overview of federal and state housing programs that help people who are disabled, young, elderly, pregnant or have low incomes.

The Minnesota Commerce Department’s Energy Assistance Program helps pay for home heating costs and furnace repairs for income-qualified households. 

Also, many internet providers offer discounts based on income. Call your local internet provider to ask about reduce internet cost.

To modify your home can be an expensive endeavor. Finding the right resources can be hard. There are some programs that may help you. 

Some people with disabilities may qualify for Environmental Accessibility Adaptations. More information about these publicly funded programs is available at the Disability Hub. 

If you are currently on a waiver, you may qualify by asking your local county agency or tribal offices. When working with the county, it is important to ask about access specialists who understands accessibility, building codes, and can help guide you through the process. 

The Adoption Assistance Program may reimburse costs incurred for home modification. Home modification is limited to modifications to meet a child's special needs upon which eligibility for adoption assistance was approved. Reimbursement is limited to once every five years, per child. 

Minnesota Housing can also help you afford home improvements through the Fix Up Home Improvement Loan Program.

Housing Benefits 101 (HB101) helps people who need affordable housing, and supports to maintain that housing, understand the range of housing options and support services available. HB101 can help you make choices about where you want to live. It can also help you figure out a long-term housing plan that works for you, and the steps to move toward your housing goals.

HB101 features:

• Information: Content covers a wide range of topics, including information on specific types of housing, services, and life situations like yours. You can learn about your housing options, how to pay for housing, and how to get the services you need, wherever you live.
• Tools: Tools to help you plan and organize are coming soon!
• Experts: Find answers to your questions. Connect to community resources. Get help understanding your next steps. HB101’s Chat with a Hub expert connects you to a real person who can help with your situation. HB101 content has MinnesotaHelp.info search links that help you find specific resources in your own community.

Housing settings that include services where seniors or people with disabilities live in the same building are sometimes called group homes. This term does not refer to a specific state license or registered setting.

The following types of regulated housing settings are sometimes called group homes:

• Adult Foster Care (AFC): Housing for one to five individuals with disabilities and seniors who each live in their own bedroom and get some services from an on-site caregiver. AFC is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). Learn more about Adult Foster Care.
• Board and Lodge facilities: Housing for five or more people who may have individual or shared bedrooms, depending on the facility. Other spaces, such as living rooms, dining rooms, or cafeterias, are shared. Board and Lodge is licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Learn more about Board and Lodge.
• Assisted living: Housing for five or more people that provides services on site. Assisted living can look like individual apartments, or it can look like a house. Any place that calls itself assisted living must be licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). Some assisted living specializes in services for people living with memory loss such as Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias. These facilities have a special assisted living with dementia care license. Learn more about assisted living.
• Intermediate Care Facilities for Persons with Developmental Disabilities (ICF/DDs): Residential long-term care facilities that provide services to people with developmental disabilities or related conditions. Long-term care facilities are licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and most are certified to accept Medical Assistance (MA) as payment. Learn more about ICF/DDs.

Learn more about Housing options on Housing Benefits 101.

Restitution in the event of property damage

• DHS program regulations do not require a person receiving services to make any form of restitution for damage to property.
• Minnesota guardianship statutes and the guardianship manual published by the Minnesota Conference of Chief Judges (PDF) reiterates that legal guardians also have no duty to pay out of personal funds for the expenses of persons subject to guardianship, nor are they liable to a third party for the acts of a person subject to guardianship.
• Reach out to the MN Disability Law Center and/or the Office of the Ombudsman for Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities for additional assistance or questions.

Centers for Independent Living (CIL) are community-based nonprofit organizations that are designed to provide peer support, information, referrals, advocacy, and independent living skills training and can help be a bridge to independent living. There are eight CILs across the state.