Housing
Housing programs and services
The Homelessness, Housing, and Support Services Administration, along with partners at other state agencies, works to ensure housing is available for everyone. We bring together housing, services and income supports in order to enable people to live as independently as possible in the community of their choice.
If you are looking for information about housing options around Minnesota, visit the Housing Benefits 101 webpage.
Grant programs
The Homelessness, Housing and Support Services Administration manages several grant programs to assure an effective homeless response system for Minnesotans.
Community Living Infrastructure (CLI)
These grants provide funding to counties and Tribal Nations to integrate housing into local health and human services systems. Grants strengthen quality assurance in Housing Support Program settings, embed Housing Resource Specialists in human service agencies, support case managers, and expand outreach and navigation services in the state, among other uses. Learn more on the Community Living Infrastructure grants webpage.
Crisis Housing Assistance Services
This program provides short-term housing assistance to people with a serious mental illness who are receiving inpatient or residential mental health care or substance use disorder treatment for 90 days or less. Learn more at ARC Minnesota website.
Emergency Services Program
The Emergency Services Program funds emergency homeless shelters and street outreach programs to support individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Funds can support staffing, operations, and service expenses associated with operating an overnight or daytime shelter, and/or street outreach program. Counties, Tribal Nations and nonprofits are eligible to receive funding. Learn more on the Emergency Services Program webpage.
Emergency Shelter Capital Grants
This grant program helps non-profit organizations, Tribal Nations, and local units of government so they can build emergency homeless shelters and renovate existing ones. Learn more on the Emergency Shelter Capital Grants webpage.Emergency solutions grant
This grant program funds rapid rehousing, and the operating and support service costs of shelter programs. The Department of Housing and Urban Development allocates these funds to states, which then award funds to local agencies through a competitive application process on a biennial basis. Learn more on the Emergency Solutions Grant webpage.
Housing Access Services
This grant program helps individuals with disabilities or disabling conditions move into their own homes in the least restrictive setting. It provides financial assistance for application fees, deposits, furnishings, and household items, along with personalized support to find and access housing of choice. Learn more on the Housing Access Services webpage.
Housing with Supports for Adults with Serious Mental Illness
This grant program provides supportive services for adults with serious mental illness and/or substance use disorder, who are homeless or exiting institutions, and who have complex needs and face high barriers to obtaining and maintaining housing. Services are focused on obtaining and maintaining permanent supportive housing. Eligible providers for this funding source include Tribal Nations, local units of government, nonprofit and for-profit organizations focused on providing behavioral health and housing related services. Learn more on the Housing with Supports for Adults with Serious Mental Illness webpage.
Housing with Supports for Adults with Serious Mental Illness
Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness
Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness supports outreach and case management services for people with serious mental illness and/or substance use disorder, and who are experiencing homelessness to meet their basic needs and obtain housing.
Long-Term Homelessness Services and Supports Fund
The Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services Fund provides supportive services to help adults, families and youth who are experiencing long-term homelessness find and maintain housing. Services are provided counties and tribes. To learn more, visit the Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services Fund webpage.
Homeless Youth Act
Through this program, funding is provided for outreach and drop-in programs, emergency shelter programs, and integrated supportive housing for homeless youth and youth at-risk of homelessness. Learn more on the Homeless Youth Act webpage.
Safe Harbor
This program delivers specialized services to youth victims of sexual exploitation through emergency shelter, supportive housing, specialized foster care and outreach. Learn more on the Safe Harbor Shelter and Housing webpage.
Shelter-Linked Mental Health
This program increases access to mental health services for youth residing in a Safe Harbor or Homeless Youth Act shelter or housing program. Providers must be current Safe Harbor and Homeless Youth Act grantees to be eligible for funds. To learn more, visit the Shelter-Linked Mental Health webpage.
Transitional Housing Program
This program provides time-limited rental assistance and supportive services to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness. Tribal Nations, nonprofits and local governments receive funding to provide services. Learn more on the Transitional Housing Program webpage.
Community living supports
The administration offers several programs that help people achieve housing stability in a community of their choice.Bridging Benefits
This helps people at risk of homelessness who are leaving Minnesota correctional facilities find and keep housing.
Section 811 Project-Based Rental Assistance Program
HHHSA, in partnership with Minnesota Housing, administers the 811 Housing Program.
Through this program, eligible individuals are able to access subsidized housing and supportive services. The purpose of the program is to expand the supply of supportive housing units that promotes and facilitates community integration for people with significant and long-term disabilities. This program also advances Minnesota's Olmstead Plan, a series of key activities to ensure people with disabilities live, learn, work, and enjoy life in the most integrated setting possible.
The 811 Housing program works with approximately 200 individuals each year.
Learn more at the Minnesota Housing HUD Section 811 webpage.
Income support programs
The administration has a range of programs to help eligible Minnesotans increase their income to pay for housing and other basic needs.
General Assistance
General Assistance helps people without children pay for basic needs. It provides money to people who can't work enough to support themselves, and whose income and resources are very low.
Emergency General Assistance
Emergency General Assistance helps adults with low incomes who are facing a household emergency, such as eviction or utility shutoff. This benefit can only be received once in a twelve-month period and funding is limited. Learn more on the Emergency General Assistance webpage.
Housing Support
The Housing Support Program is a state-funded income program pays for room and board for seniors and adults with disabilities who have low incomes. The program aims to reduce and prevent people from living in institutions or becoming homeless. The program pays up to $1,192 per month in group settings and $1,242 per month in community settings for housing and food costs as of July 1, 2025.
Housing SupportMinnesota Supplemental Aid
Minnesota Supplemental Aid provides cash assistance to help adults who get Supplemental Security Income pay for their basic needs. Some people who are blind, have a disability or are older than 65 but do not get Supplemental Security Income because their other income is too high may also be eligible for Minnesota Supplemental Aid if they meet the income limit.
Social Security Advocacy Services
Applying for SSI/SSDI benefits can be a challenge. Through partnerships with agencies across the state, the Social Security Advocacy Program connects people to advocates who can help you file an application, appeal a denied application, and make sure you are applying for all benefits for which you are eligible. You can find these contracted agencies in this Social Security Advocacy partner directory.
Social Security Advocacy Program Social Security Advocacy partner directory