June Heading Home Hennepin Newsletter

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June 2021

Heading Home Hennepin Monthly Newsletter

The Heading Home Hennepin monthly newsletter aims to be a resource for the community of individuals that work to increase housing stability for residents of Hennepin County.

 

This month in the HHH Newsletter:

Hennepin CoC News:

  • Date set for next Heading Home Hennepin Executive Committee meeting

  • Emergency Housing Voucher Update
  • 30 bed women's shelter needs new temporary home

Hennepin County News:

  • Emergency Rent Assistance

State and Federal News:

  • June and July Webinars for Housing Stabilization Services

  • Training Opportunity: Mental Health and De-escalation for Property Management Staff 
  • New IRS Tool Can Be Used to Access Stimulus Checks

  • Federal Budget Proposal Prioritizes Homelessness and Housing Investments

Community Announcements

  • Rainbow Rapid Rehousing: Short-term rental assistance for LGBTQ+ families experiencing homelessness.
  • Job opportunities
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Hennepin CoC News


 

Date set for next Heading Home Hennepin Executive Committee meeting

The Heading Home Hennepin Executive Committee is the lead decision making body for the Continuum of Care. The meeting information can be found at www.hennepin.us/headinghomehennepin. A link to view the meeting live is below:

Meeting Date: August 4th, 9:00 am - 10:30 am

Location: Virtual via Microsoft Teams: Use this link to view

Past meetings:

April 7th, 2021

December 7th, 2020

 

 


 

Emergency Housing Voucher update 

On May 5thHUD issued a notice that designated Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV) to a select group of Public Housing Authorities (PHAs). In Hennepin County, we are collaborating with local Public Housing Authorities to add over 300 Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) to our community. We anticipate being able to begin administering the EHVs in July 2021.

What we know about the Emergency Housing Vouchers

The Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHVs) must be administered through the Hennepin CoC Coordinated Entry System (CES). The addition of the Emergency Housing Vouchers will add much needed housing stock to offer housing opportunities to people that are experiencing homelessness and further the work to end chronic homelessness in our community. The EHV’s will use the established prioritization policy (disability, chronic homelessness, and number of months HUD homeless) of the Hennepin CoC Coordinated Entry System. However, because there are no continuing support services provided with the Emergency Housing Vouchers, an additional eligibility criteria for the EHVs will be that, in order to receive a EHV referral, the person receiving the referral needs to be connected to a Housing Case Manager.

Seeking to identify Housing Case Managers

Hennepin CoC is seeking to identify Housing Case Managers who will provide case management services for the emergency housing voucher recipients. Agencies employing the Housing Case Managers and the Housing Case Managers themselves will need to choose to opt into this program and sign an agreement stating that they agree to meet the expectations that are detailed here: Definition of Required Case Management Services for a Hennepin County issued Emergency Housing Voucher.docx

If you or your agency is interested in providing this critical service, please contact Amy.Donohue@Hennepin.us.

30 bed women’s shelter needs new temporary home

Hennepin County and the Salvation Army Harbor Light Center are looking for a temporary site for an already operating emergency 30 bed women’s shelter that would be able to be fully operational by or before September, 2021. Ideally, the property owner would provide property management services and Salvation Army will provide on-site services. The cost of rent and a small amount for facility upgrades will be covered by Hennepin County and the Salvation Army. The space will serve as a temporary location, until a permanent site is established – could be at least a year until the permanent location is ready. If you have property that would meet this need, contact Danielle.Werder@Hennepin.us

 

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Hennepin County News


 

Emergency rent assistance

There are now two ways for Hennepin County residents and rental property owners and managers to apply for emergency rent assistance:

  • RentHelpMN is a statewide emergency rent assistance program where the renter leads the application process.
  • The Zero Balance Project is a metro area emergency rent assistance program where rental property owners and managers lead the application process.

 

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State and Federal News


 

MN DHS

 

June and July Webinars for Housing Stabilization Services

The Minnesota Department of Human Services' Housing Stabilization Services Team is hosting two webinars on the following topics

Conflict of Interest Requirements and Forms

When: June 30th from 10:00am-11:30am via WebEx. Register for this webinar here.

Description: We will provide brief updates about Housing Stabilization Services, and then focus on the Conflict of Interest requirements for providers who may meet the geographic or cultural exception.   

Housing Stabilization Services 101

When: July 22nd 9:30am-11:00am via WebEx. Register for this webinar here.

Description: We will provide an introduction to Housing Stabilization Services for new or prospective providers and staff, as well as for anyone who needs a refresher on the basics of the program.

Each session will have CART or ASL available by request. Please email Laura Fox at laura.fox@state.mn.us to request CART or ASL at least three weeks prior to the session.

Email dhshousingstabilization@state.mn.us if you have questions about this message.

MN Housing

Training Opportunity: Mental Health and De-escalation for Property Management Staff 

Minnesota Housing and Minnesota Department of Human Services are pleased to sponsor this free training provided by the People Incorporated Training Institute

WHO

This training is for affordable housing property management staff, with particular emphasis on management staff at properties that have supportive housing units. Please forward to staff who may want to attend.

WHAT

Participants will learn how to respond to angry outbursts, accusations and threats from tenants instead of just reacting to them. Using a mental health and trauma focus we will look at the neurology of these intense and upsetting encounters and some common mistakes that people make while trying to diffuse them. Management staff and tenants both want these types of situations resolved as calmly and quickly as possible so attend this training to better understand de-escalation and grow your skills.

REGISTRATION AND QUESTIONS

The webinar has space for 100 individuals in each session. Registration is now open for:

June 30 12:00 - 4:00 p.m.

July 21 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Questions? Contact training@peopleincorporated.org or 651.288.3465.

Learn more about this training and register


 

NAEH

New IRS Tool Can Be Used to Access Stimulus Checks

A new IRS tool now makes it easier for people experiencing homelessness to access stimulus checks.  The Non-filer Sign Up Tool is designed to help eligible individuals and families who don’t normally file income tax returns:  

  • claim Child Tax Credits granted under the American Rescue Plan; 
  • register for the $1,400 third round of Economic Impact Payments; and  
  • claim the Recovery Rebate Credit for any amount of the first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments they may have missed. 

This tool addresses a major obstacle to accessing payments for people experiencing homelessness, as well as those in housing programs. Providers are encouraged to familiarize themselves with it as soon as possible. Learn more about using the Non-filer Sign Up Tool >>> 


 

NAEH

Federal Budget Proposal Prioritizes Homelessness and Housing Investments

Last week, President Biden unveiled a FY 2022 federal budget proposal that includes major increases to numerous critical homelessness and housing programs.  This includes funding Homeless Assistance Grants at $3.5 billion, and Tenant Based Rental Assistance at $30.4 billion – an increase that would expand voucher assistance to approximately 200,000 households in need of it. For both of these accounts, this would be, if enacted, the largest one-year increase since the programs were first scaled up. Ultimately, these investments will only come to fruition if Congress approves them in the final budget. Your advocacy will be fundamental to this success. Please take a moment to sign up for Alliance Advocacy Alerts so that you can be a part of this effort.


 

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Community Announcements


 

Rainbow RRH

For more information: Rainbow Rapid ReHousing: St. Stephen’s Human Services (ststephensmpls.org)

 


Job opportunities

  • Avenues is hiring two assistant program directors and a site manager. Learn more here.
  • The YMCA is hiring Youth Support Program Manager and Specialist positions. Learn more here
  • 180 Degrees is hiring for several positions. Learn more here.

 

Contact us

Heading Home Hennepin

endhomelessness@hennepin.us

www.hennepin.us/headinghomehennepin

 

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