Heading Home Hennepin Newsletter
In this issue:
Thank you for your help with the PIT Count!
We wanted to send a big THANK YOU to everyone that volunteered, worked, contributed or in anyway helped with year’s Point in Time Count! We couldn’t have done this without your compassion and commitment to serving people experiencing homeless. We are truly grateful to each one of you!
Unsheltered Count Survey
If you volunteered for the count of people experiencing unsheltered homelessness you should have received a feedback survey. If you did not receive that survey, please email endhomeless@hennepin.us to request the link.
Results and Reports:
Hennepin County’s Housing Stability team has been busy analyzing the data. A report will be sent out to this subscriber list and posted to our website. You can expect to see initial results to be released in the early spring. Please reach out if you have any questions on that process.
Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project updates
In 2021, Hennepin County was selected as a Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP). The program is a federal initiative to support selected communities as they develop and implement a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness.
Recent YHDP updates:
- Molly Dubois has been hired into the Youth Action Board Coordinator position at Youthprise to support the established Youth Action Board. Welcome Molly!
- The YHDP website has been made public – please check it out!
- The YHDP Core Team has voted to approve the mission and vision:
Our vision in Hennepin County is a community where all youth and young adults have access to safe and stable housing, ensuring youth homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring.
We will address the racial inequities that exist and the inequitable distribution of power, especially for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth and young adults experiencing housing instability. We commit to disrupting oppressive systems. This includes youth leadership and decision-making in advocacy, planning and action.
We will enhance an innovative and accessible system that is centered in youth choice and youth voice. The system will focus on preventing homelessness whenever possible and supporting youth in moving towards stable housing. Services and housing opportunities will be provided through a holistic approach, supporting youth connections to chosen family and community and incorporating youth-developed strategies on improving education and employment connections, prioritizing social and emotional well-being, and enhancing permanent connections.
Stay connected to YHDP:
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View our website: Learn about the background, how to get involved , and view a list of stakeholders including descriptions of the Youth Action Board and the Core Team
- Subscribe to this newsletter for future updates
Hennepin County seeking proposals for youth supportive housing projects
Updated timeline: RFP posted March 10, proposals due April 14
Now in the fourth year, Hennepin County's Supportive Housing Strategy offers capital funding and technical assistance to develop long-term affordable supportive housing. This type of housing serves some of our most vulnerable residents, including those with a combination of extremely low-incomes and other conditions or challenges to stable housing.
Up to $5 million is available for supportive housing projects in 2022. Hennepin County will be seeking proposals that serve the following priority populations:
- Young adults with neuro-diverse conditions
- Young adults experiencing sexual exploitation
- Young adults with experiences in foster care
- Unaccompanied minors
Proposals will also be accepted for projects serving the priority population groups targeted in 2019 through 2021.
This extended timeline is intended to give more time to tailor proposals to the priority population groups.
Details about this RFP, including characteristics of the population groups and preferred housing types will be posted to the Supportive Housing Strategy webpage.
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Apply for the Community Engagement Roster Program |
Join the roster for potential contract opportunities
Your organization is invited to apply for a new Community Engagement Roster Program. Join the roster for possible community engagement contract opportunities. Examples of services include community storytelling, engagement planning, event planning, facilitation and much more.
Benefits of participating
The roster program resolves some barriers to our contracting process that were identified by organizations. Getting on the roster will:
- Make your organization, and the services you provide, known to us for potential contract opportunities (not a guarantee of work)
- If selected for an opportunity:
- Go through an easier, faster contracting process
- Spend less time negotiating legal terms
- Have reduced contract requirements, like lower insurance limits
Learn about training opportunities and how to sign up for roster
Apply anytime – visit the program page. On the application, you can self-identify areas of expertise, populations served, languages spoken, and county districts served.
Job opportunity highlights:
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. Share feedback here.
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