Hennepin County residents, please check out the new Renters’ Help site to find information and resources to help prevent an eviction

rent.211unitedway.org

The COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program is now closed and no longer accepting new applications.

If you have applied to the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program, this means:

• Applications must have been in a ‘submitted’ status by 11:59 pm on December 7, 2020 for administrators to review the application. Applicants can check the status of their request by logging into their account.
• Paper application must have been postmarked by December 7, 2020 to be considered for review.
• Any assistance request in an ‘in progress’ status will be withdrawn after the December 7, 2020 deadline and cannot be considered for review.
• Administrators will continue to take appeals for denials after the December 7, 2020 deadline. Applicants have ten days to appeal a decision after the date of their denial letter. For more information and policy guidelines on the appeals process click here.
• Administrators will continue to review and process applications that are in a ‘verification’ or ‘submitted’ status following the deadline.
• For technical issues, help can be found here. Applicants can also contact the HousingLink Technical support helpline at (877)314-1401 or (651)233-2691 for information or questions related to the status of an application, finding your program administrator, and more.

If you did not have a COVID-19 related loss of income, or if you did not qualify for the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program:

Visit United Way’s Coronavirus resource page for additional programs that provide financial assistance for individuals and families impacted by COVID-19.

ApplyMN

Minnesota Emergency Assistance for Families/Emergency General Assistance is a short-term assistance program for people experiencing a financial hardship. You can access the program application through your local county human services office or at ApplyMN.

Bridge to Benefits
This web-based screening tool can help an individual identify if they’re eligible for public works programs, including SNAP, WIC, School Meal Program, Minnesota Health Care Programs, Energy Assistance and Child Care Assistance. Visit the website here.

Community Action Partnership
Minnesota Community Action Partnership members provide assistance to individuals and families in times of crisis. Find Your Local Community Action Agency

HOME Line

A non-profit Minnesota tenant advocacy organization providing free and low-cost legal, organizing, education, and advocacy services so that tenants throughout Minnesota can solve their own rental housing problems. HOME Line’s hotline is confidential:

• For English, call 612-728-5767 or email your question to one of our housing attorneys.
  Toll-free from Greater Minnesota: 866-866-3546
• HOME Line ofrece servicios en español. Para Español, llame al 612-255-8870.
• HOME Line waxay bixisaa adeeg ku baxa Afka-Soomaaliga. Af- Soomaali wac 612-255-8860.
• Peb lub koom haum HOME Line muaj neeg txhais lus Hmoob. Hais lus Hmoob, Hu 612-255-7104.

HOME Line’s tenant hotline remains open during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, HOME Line’s physical office is closed. Call or email for legal advice about your tenancy. General rental housing information regarding COVID-19 is available here, and recordings of all of our COVID-19 rental issue webinars are here.

Visit HOME Line’s website for more information. Click here.

LawHelpMN
In some cases, direct financial support may not be available. Visit LawHelpMN to understand your rights and options.

Minnesota Attorney General Consumer Protection Division

If the matter is related to a utility, contact the Minnesota Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division:

• Minnesota Attorney General’s Customer Complaint website
• Help with a consumer problem, such as unsatisfactory service, bill disputes, mortgage servicing or foreclosure issues, utility shutoffs or other concerns that an individual would like the Attorney General’s Office to contact on their behalf should be filed at Online Consumer Assistance Request Form.
• To submit complaints by mail or anonymously, download the printable Consumer Assistance Request Form or Fraud Report Form.
• (651)296-3353 or (800)657-3787 8 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

HUD has provided a Tenant Guidance Rent Repayment Plan which includes a sample letter to a landlord and other helpful Key Resource Links.

For other questions or topics, you can search resources using 211’s Guided Search tool, or call 211 (651-291-0211) to speak with a Community Resource Specialist.