In this edition:
- Orientation to the 2026 Minnesota Legislative Session on MICH's February 4 webinar
- HUD CoC Program and Supportive Housing Funding Engagement Session
- Overview of State Substance Use Plan Report on January 28 OAR webinar
- Applications open for HOME American Rescue Plan housing stability funding
- Minnesota Housing Partnership Virtual Webinar on proposed HUD Rule Impacting Disparate Impact
- Bridging housing and employment systems through Crossroads to Justice
Join us for the next MICH webinar on Wednesday, February 4 from 1 - 2 p.m. If you have any questions about your webinar registration, please email dan.gregory@state.mn.us
On the February 4 webinar, we'll share a nuts-and-bolts orientation to the 2026 Minnesota Legislative Session, covering topics such as timelines, the committee structure, how to track bills, and more.
Though MICH webinars are not the ideal place to address individual circumstances, MICH is committed to following up if people do raise specific questions or concerns.
The beginning 10 minutes of each monthly webinar will be held to hear from the Speakers Bureau. Anyone who has lived experience of homelessness is welcome to sign-up to share through the Speakers Bureau. This is open time each month for lived experience experts to share ideas and feedback with the webinar audience.
The next webinar Speakers Bureau will be on Wednesday, February 4 at 1 p.m. There is a monthly prep session held the Tuesday before the webinar. The prep session will be Tuesday, February 3 from 11-11:30 a.m. Follow this link to join the prep session. This is an ongoing opportunity that happens each month. Sign up is required. Please email dan.gregory@state.mn.us or call/text Dan at 651-983-9985 to sign up to speak or with any questions.
The recent FY2025 Continuum of Care (CoC) Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) included a shift in funding and priorities away from supportive housing. Last month, Minnesota Housing staff met with supportive housing providers that have received both U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) CoC Program grants in FY2024 and Minnesota Housing financing. Since then, Minnesota Housing staff have reviewed potential impacts and what is needed to keep people stably housed through our current programs.
Minnesota Housing is hosting an engagement session on January 29 to share information and collect your input on a potential request for proposals (RFP). The potential RFP will be for up to $6 million to be issued by Minnesota Housing through the Strengthen Supportive Housing program. This session is specifically for supportive housing providers with HUD CoC Program grants in FY2024.
Supportive Housing Funding Engagement Session Thursday, January 29, 2026 1:00-2:00 p.m. Central Time
The next Office of Addiction and Recovery (OAR) monthly webinar will be held on Wednesday, January 28 from 11 a.m. to 12 noon.
The January session will include an overview of the upcoming Interagency State Substance Use Plan Report.
These monthly updates share addiction and recovery initiatives with partners, highlighting important work happening inside and outside state government.
If you have ideas for future presentations, please email them to: OfficeofAddictionandRecovery.MMB@state.mn.us
Please register to join the session on January 28. Once you register you will receive an immediate invite which you can add to your calendar.
The HOME American Rescue Plan (HOME ARP) Request for Proposals (RFP) is open. There is approximately $31 million in funding available to increase housing stability by addressing the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness. Information on how to apply and application materials are available on the HOME American Rescue Plan (HOME ARP) Funding webpage.
Applications are due to Minnesota Housing by Tuesday, May 5, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. Central time. Upload application materials and required documents to Minnesota Housing’s online Secure Upload Tool. The Secure Upload Tool will direct the applicant to send items to the following email: MHFA.HOME-ARP@state.mn.us. Review the Secure Upload Tool Instructions for more information.
Program Overview
The HOME ARP Program provides financing to help preserve or increase the supply of decent, safe, and sanitary affordable housing and supportive services. HOME ARP Program funds are intended to benefit specific qualifying populations and low-income households. Minnesota Housing will use its one-time allocation of HOME ARP Program funds to provide financing to selected applicants for any of the following activities:
- New construction (with or without acquisition)
- Acquisition with rehabilitation
- Rehabilitation (without acquisition)
- Operating cost assistance with one of the above activity types
HOME ARP Program regulations require that funds primarily benefit the four qualifying populations:
- Homeless (as defined in Code of Federal Regulations, title 24, section 91.5)
- At risk of homelessness (as defined in 24 C.F.R. 91.5)
- Fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking
- Other populations who do not qualify under any of the populations above but if activities were implemented, they would prevent family homelessness or serve those with the greatest risk of housing instability
These qualifying populations are defined in Minnesota Housing’s HOME ARP Program Guide. Veterans and families that include a veteran family member that meet the criteria for one of the qualifying populations are eligible to receive HOME ARP Program assistance.
More program information can be found on the HOME American Rescue Plan (HOME ARP) Funding webpage.
Virtual Information Session
Minnesota Housing staff will host a virtual information session on Thursday, January 29 from 10:00 - 11:00 am. Potential HOME ARP Program RFP applicants are encouraged to attend. This information session will provide an overview of the HOME ARP Program RFP, including program requirements and submission instructions.
Register for the information session at: https://register.gotowebinar.com/#register/7201631190077806687
For accessibility accommodations, call 651.707.4040 or email Ben Eggersdorfer at ben.eggersdorfer@state.mn.us by Thursday, January 22, 2026.
Questions?
Contact at MHFA.HOME-ARP@state.mn.us.
HUD’s latest proposed rule change has been widely described as weakening fair housing discrimination protections by significantly scaling back the use of disparate impact as a tool of enforcement. Disparate impact allows courts and enforcement agencies to address discrimination that operates through policies or practices that appear neutral on their face but disproportionately harm protected groups. In its proposal, HUD proposes removing the Discriminatory Effects Rule, a regulation that provides guidance on how to identify and address policies that have discriminatory outcomes even when discrimination is not explicit.
Join the Minnesota Housing Partnership for a virtual webinar to learn more on Thursday, January 29 from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm. You can register here.
As a Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness agency, the Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) is committed to housing, racial, and health justice for people facing homelessness. Working alongside MICH Implementation Consultants, all people with lived experience of homelessness, DEED is bridging gaps between employment and housing systems to strengthen stability for our neighbors.
Learn more about their collaboration in the Crossroads to Justice strategic plan on our Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn pages!
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