HOMEHELPMN

UPDATE 7/7/2023

HomeHelpMN is offered through Minnesota Housing to help homeowners who have fallen behind in their mortgages or other housing-related expenses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will provide a grant that does not need to be paid back, that will assist eligible homeowners who are past due with mortgage or related housing costs or guide homeowners to trusted resources and navigate available options.

HomeHelpMN will stop accepting new applications on July 7, 2023 at 5 pm as assistance funds are running low.

You can still apply before the deadline if you are a homeowner who has past-due expenses for their mortgage, contract for deed, manufactured home loan, property taxes, homeowners’ insurance, homeowner association fees, lot rent or Tribal land lease.

When you submit your application, you will receive confirmation the application has been placed on the waitlist. When you log in to your application, your application status will say “Waitlisted.”

Waitlisted applications will be reviewed subject to available funding. Applicants will be notified if their application is processed. Submission of an application does not guarantee funding. Actual assistance will depend on the applicants eligibility and availability of funds once the application is fully complete.

Applicants who have applied before the waitlist will be reviewed. Applications will be processed subject to available funding.

Financial assistance can be used for past-due eligible housing expenses, including:

• Mortgage and/or Contract for Deed payments
• Property taxes
• Homeowner and Condominium Association payments, and Cooperative fees or common charges
• Manufactured and mobile home loans and/or lot rent payments
• Ground Rent/Lease and Tribal Trust Land Lease payments
• Homeowner’s insurance including hazard, flood, wind and/or mortgage insurance payments

Learn more about the program, including additional eligibility information.

Apply at HomeHelpMN.org or by calling (800)388-3226. HomeHelpMN Live Chat and Call Center are available 8 am – 5 pm Monday – Friday. Interpretation services are available.

The HomeHelpMN dashboard on the website shows current fund availability.

Minnesota Housing hosted a webinar on the HomeHelpMN program recently. It included information on eligibility requirements and how to apply. Watch the HomeHelpMN webinar.

There is also a downloadable toolkit available with additional materials including posters, social media images and messaging and flyers, with materials in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Somali.

ADDITIONAL PROGRAM INFORMATION

HOMEOWNERS AT RISK OF FORECLOSURE OR EVICTION

 Applications from homeowners who receive a notice of foreclosure, sheriff’s sale, or lot eviction are prioritized.

• Homeowners who have not applied for HomeHelpMN should submit an application immediately. They will need to include details about their situation in Section F of the application and upload supporting documentation.
• Homeowners who previously applied and have since received a foreclosure notice or sheriff’s sale date, should call the Call Center at (800)388-3226 to share this change in status. Supporting documentation of this change, such as foreclosure notice or notice of sheriff’s sale, must be uploaded to the application.

PROGRAM UPDATE REMINDER

Two changes to the program took effect on Friday, August 12, 2022:

• The cap on assistance was increased to $50,000 per household. The prior limit was $35,000.
• Past due expenses before January 21, 2020 can now be allowed as long as homeowners have experienced a pandemic-related financial hardship which occurred after January 21, 2020.

Applicants who were denied under the prior criteria but are still in need of assistance and believe they meet eligibility criteria may request their case be reopened by calling (800)388-3226.

APPEALING A DECISION

Homeowners whose application was denied can appeal the decision. Appeals must be made in writing and received within 14 calendar days of the denial decision. If your application was withdrawn (not denied), you may reapply in addition to appealing. Learn more about appealing a decision.

A Call Center is open to assist homeowners who have questions, need additional information, receive a paper application, or for more information about housing counseling or legal services. Assistance is available for homeowners who prefer a language other than English.

HomeHelpMN Call Center:  (800)388-3226 

Hours:  Live Chat and Call Center 8 am – 5 pm Monday – Friday

Utility expenses are not eligible. Utility assistance is available for eligible households through the Energy Assistance Program or by calling (800)657-3710, press 1, or dial 2-1-1 or (800)543-7709 to locate an Energy Assistance Provider.

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RENTHELPMN 

The RentHelpMN program has ended.

Hennepin County residents who have questions or need additional assistance can call the Hennepin County RentHelpMN hotline at 612-348-6442.

All other residents who have questions or who need additional assistance can contact the RentHelpMN website using their contact form.

The last day to resolve open issues about payments (such as a missing or incorrect payment check, or an adjustment to a payment) is November 15, 2022. Households with a payment question, questions about a 1099, a payment, or another concern, should contact RentHelpMN using this form. Households can also leave a voicemail at (651)205-4232.

More information is available at RentHelpMN.org.

211 will no longer have access to individual RentHelpMN applications, 211’s community resource specialists are available 24/7/365 to assist community members with information and connections to local services, including housing resources and utility assistance programs. As always, Minnesotans can call 211, text their zip code to 898-211, or visit our website at 211unitedway.org for social service resources.

THERE MAY BE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES THAT CAN ASSIST WITH RENT PAYMENT ASSISTANCE:

Visit United Way’s COVID-19 City/County/Organization Based Financial Assistance for Individuals and Families webpage for limited city, county, and organization program, across the state, that may have additional financial resources.

Find help with additional rent payment assistance by calling 2-1-1, texting your zip code to 898-211, or visiting the United Way 2-1-1 website – even if you are not being evicted. Pay what you can now and look for additional help to get caught up with your bills.

If you need to replace lost or stolen documents needed for applying for rent payment assistance, such as birth certificates, Social Security cards or state identification cards:

Click here if you need to obtain or replace a lost or stolen birth certificate

Click here if you need to obtain or replace a lost or stolen Social Security card. There is no charge for this.

Click here if you need to obtain or replace a lost or stolen state identification card

Find help with birth certificate and identification card fee payment assistance by calling 2-1-1, texting your zip code to 898-211, or visiting the United Way 2-1-1 website.

ADDITIONAL EVICTION PREVENTION SERVICES MAY BE AVAILABLE IN YOUR AREA

If you are facing eviction, it is best to seek legal services right away. This will give you time to apply, arrange an appointment, and gather any documents you may need.

Find help with eviction prevention through legal assistance by calling 2-1-1, texting your zip code to 898-211, or searching the United Way 2-1-1 website.

RESOURCES FOR HENNEPIN COUNTY RESIDENTS:

Hennepin County residents can visit the Renters’ Help website for additional resources.

Hennepin County Adult Representation Services

The Hennepin County Housing Court Team provides legal advice and representation for Hennepin County residents who are facing eviction with the goal of protecting tenants’ rights and achieving positive outcomes. The Housing Court Team can advocate on behalf of tenants with landlords and the courts to ensure tenant rights are protected, provide legal advice before and during housing court proceedings and represent tenants in court, negotiate with landlords to try and resolve issues out of court, or to help tenants achieve a better outcome, help prevent evictions and get evictions removed from a tenant’s record, and connect tenants with financial assistance and other services to help achieve stable housing. There are income eligibility requirements for legal advice services and legal representation services. Call (612)348-7012, 8 am – 4 pm Monday – Friday, or email contactars@hennepin.us. Appointments can be arranged outside of intake hours.

LISTED BELOW ARE SERVICES THAT SERVE ALL OF MINNESOTA:

MNBenefits

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 MNBenefits.

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 for more information.

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. Visit HOME Line’s website for more information.

LawHelpMN

In some cases, direct financial support may not be available. Visit LawHelpMN to get information about evictions.

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 Complaintwebsite
• 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 Formor Fraud Report Form.
• (651)296-3353 or (800)657-3787 8 am – 4:30 pm Monday – Friday

Reach Justice Minnesota

A project of the Minnesota Legal Services Coalition, Reach Justice Minnesota is a series of initiatives that leverage technology and emergency staffing to help protect Minnesotans’ basic civil and human rights in the face of an unprecedented emergency and disaster. The Reach Justice Minnesota initiatives include:

Legal Kiosk Project: A statewide network of over 250 legal kiosks that are stationed in a variety of court, agency, non-profit, and other community locations. The legal kiosks will help Minnesotans who face technology access and transportation barriers to have a healthy and safe experience interacting with civil legal aid experts, as well as the administrative and court systems in which their cases will be proceeding. There are two types of legal kiosks:

• Model A Kiosks: The Model A Legal Kiosk is a public-facing kiosk that serves as a community access point to civil legal justice. These kiosks connect users to civil legal information, self-help services, and statewide civil legal aid intake. Model A kiosks can be found in a variety of locations and are an excellent option for Legal Aid Programs collaborating on access points.
• Model B Kiosks: The Model B Legal Kiosk is a Legal Aid Program-focused kiosk that serves as a virtual portal to the individual Legal Aid program managing the kiosk. Applicants and/or clients can be directed to Model B kiosks for tasks such as intake, meetings with their attorney, and appearing virtually as needed while represented by the Legal Aid Program. Model B kiosks are placed in locations with the ability to create a confidential space while the kiosk is in use.

Visit LegalKiosk.org for kiosk locations and to make a reservation.

Justice Buses: Mobile legal aid offices that will travel to rural areas and bring the ability to meet in person or obtain legal information so clients can stay close to home. Visit website to find out when the Justice Buses will be in a particular neighborhood.

LawHelpMN: A dynamic online portal containing fact sheets, booklets, videos, and other legal information to help Minnesotans solve legal problems, with translations in Spanish, Hmong, and Somali. Reach Justice has supported new content to LawHelpMN.org.

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.

MAKE A PLAN

You might need to find a new place to live. Find help with shelter if you have no other place to stay by calling 2-1-1 or texting your zip code to 898-211. Begin thinking of moving expenses and finding places to keep any items you may need to store until you can find a place of your own.

FIND STABLE HOUSING

Visit HousingLink to search for affordable rental housing vacancies and waiting list openings in Minnesota.

DIRECTIONS FOR SEARCHING FOR EVICTION RESOURCES ON THE UNITED WAY 211 PUBLIC WEBSITE:

Find eviction resources by visiting the United Way 2-1-1 website and searching the database of agencies and programs available to residents of Minnesota. Be sure to read all the program details, especially eligibility, to find where to go, what to bring, and how to apply even if you can’t get in touch with the agency right away. Directions:

1. Go to https://www.211unitedway.org/
2. Scroll down to the Guided Searcharea:
3. Click on Eviction Resources, then click on Homelessness Prevention Programs or any of the sub-categories listed
4. Scroll to the top of the page in the Locationsearch field, click on the down arrow next to Near and select Serving
5. Enter your zip code residence
6. Click on Search
7. Search results will include programs that provide assistance to residents of the zip code you entered as your location

Call 2-1-1 for additional assistance or help and speak with a trained, certified Community Resource Specialist to help you sort through additional assistance that may be available. 2-1-1 is available 24 hours/7 days a week, is confidential, and supports all languages.

Dial: 2-1-1 or 800-543-7709 or 651-291-0211

Text: Your zip code to 898-211