Housing & Eviction Resources

Due to rising evictions and housing insecurity across the country, this page will display housing information and resources available to Minnesotans. My office is dedicated to updating this page as more resources become available.

*The eviction moratorium in Minnesota continues, but housing providers can still evict a tenant if the tenant violates a lease by endangering others' safety, engaging in certain illegal activities or damaging property. Evictions can also proceed if a writ of recovery was issued prior to 5 p.m. on March 24. The executive order by Governor Walz will take effect on Aug. 4 and remain until the peacetime emergency ends.

Federal Update

In March, the CARES Act became law and implemented a temporary eviction and foreclosure moratorium until July 25th for those living in federally-assisted housing or holding federally-backed mortgages. It also provided $12.4 billion in emergency funds for housing vouchers, homelessness assistance grants, and CDBG, among other housing programs.

In June, the House passed a number of additional emergency housing provisions in the HEROES Act, and then again by passing the Emergency Housing Protections and Relief Act. Both bills would provide $100 billion in rental assistance, $75 billion for mortgage assistance, $1 billion for housing vouchers, and $100 billion for homelessness assistance. They both extend the foreclosure moratorium for all homeowners and renters for 6 months and the eviction moratorium until 2021.

The last week of July, the Senate announced its proposal for the next COVID relief package. It did not include rent or mortgage assistance, but instead provided $2.2 billion for Section 8 and vouchers and an additional $1 billion for Public Housing agencies. We will continue to advocate strongly for the $175 billion in rent and mortgage assistance that was passed by the House in the HEROES Act in May. Housing needs to remain a priority in this next federal package.

MN Housing and Eviction Resources

Emergency Assistance

HousingLink has gathered a variety of general resources to help resolve issues that both renters and landlords may face during the COVID-19 pandemic through their website. Their phone lines are available 24/7 at (612) 522-2500.

Legal Assistance

Legal Rights - If you are a renter, learn more about your legal rights during the pandemic here. If you are a homeowner, learn more about your legal rights during the pandemic here.

The Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid offers a range of free legal services and support for people with low incomes or at least 60 years of age in central Minnesota. These services include eviction representation, legal advice, help with housing subsidies, and more. Their experienced lawyers are committed to keeping families safe, preventing homelessness, and protecting consumers. Legal Aid also provides legal services for immigration, family, public benefits, and other legal issues.

• Intake line: (612) 334-5970

• With a mission to improve access to justice for all Minnesotans, LawHelpMN is an online guide to help Minnesotans solve legal problems. They offer quick legal advice, as well as access to a wide range of information that may prove to be helpful for legal matters. For some guidance and self-help methods on the legal process, click here.

HOME Line is a tenant advocacy organization, and you can call them if you are seeking free and low-cost legal advice about your tenancy. Communicating issues effectively is one of the many ways you can do to help resolve problems with landlords. HOME Line also assists in letter writing, and should help communicate and document rental housing issues. To access their services, please click here. All of their calls are completely confidential and offer services in English, Español, Somali and Hmoob.

• For English: 612-728-5767 or email your question to HOME Line Housing Attorneys

• Para Español, llame al 612-255-8870

• Af- Soomaali wac 612-255-8860

• Hais lus Hmoob, Hu 612-255-7104

MN State Housing Assistance Program

On Tuesday, July 14, 2020, Governor Walz announced that up to $100 million of funding will be allocated from the state's Covid-19 Relief Fund to create a new housing assistance program to help prevent evictions, prevent homelessness, and maintain housing stability of individuals and households impacted by COVID-19. The $100 million is anticipated to be funded with federal dollars through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, which was authorized by the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

Who will be eligible to apply for assistance? In order to qualify for housing assistance, individuals and households must meet all the criteria listed below:

• Be a Minnesota resident.

• Renters with incomes at or below 300% of federal poverty guidelines, with a preference for those at or below 200% of federal poverty guidelines; and homeowners with incomes at or below 300% of federal poverty guidelines. To see if your income qualifies, please see the FY 2020 Federal Poverty Guidelines.

• Have an eligible expense that was incurred after March 1, 2020 that is past due. Housing assistance funds can only be used for eligible expenses incurred between March 1, 2020 and December 30, 2020.

• Be unable to make the payment(s) owed because of the public health emergency due to unemployment, illness, or another COVID-19 related issue

To maintain housing security, avoid displacement, and are past their due date, eligible expenses can include:

• Rent payments

• Mortgage payments (including insurance)

• Contract for deed payments

• Manufactured home park lot rents

• Manufactured home payments

• Utility payments

• Association fees

• Homeowner's insurance

• Additional housing related costs approved by Minnesota Housing

Currently, the governor's office anticipates that individuals and households will be able to apply for assistance from local grant administrators in their local region in mid-August. The local grant administrators will be listed on this webpage once selected. To receive the latest news and updates, you can sign up for their newsletter here.

City of Minneapolis Resources

The City of Minneapolis has dispersed more than $3 million in funding specifically for housing assistance. During the pandemic, many rules and requirements for housing program assistance have changed. More recently, the city has placed hygiene stations including portable toilets, handwashing stations, sharps containers, and trash receptacles. For regular updates on the City of Minneapolis, please visit here.

Healthcare for the Homeless can also be accessible by calling: (612) 348-5553

Hennepin County Resources

Hennepin County residents may qualify for emergency assistance who have been financially harmed by COVID-19 to help with rent and housing costs. Both renters and landlords can access rent help, including county emergency assistance, and CARES Act rent assistance. Click here for the application form and to check eligibility requirements.

For Hennepin County residents that are facing a devastating or financial crisis that poses a direct threat to their physical and mental health, you may be provided temporary aid including:

• Emergency Temporary Shelter (Youth, Adults, and Families)

• Housing Costs (rent payments, damage deposits, home repairs and utility bills)

• Foreclosure Prevention

• Extra Food Support for People on Special Diets

The Tenant Resource Center provides services for Hennepin County residents who are at risk of homelessness and evictions. To help support and stabilize housing situations include:

• Eviction and homelessness prevention

• Emergency assistance

• Mediation

• Workforce

• Legal Assistance

The Tenant Resource Center is currently not doing any in-person appointments due to the pandemic, however access to these services are still available. There is a Virtual Tenant Resource Center prototype currently being developed to be available by January 2021.