New funds help adults with disabilities find, keep housing

Grants totaling $2.97 million have been awarded to 46 counties and three American Indian tribes to help more people with disabilities have housing of their own through a new initiative from the state of Minnesota.

Community Living Infrastructure Grants will go toward a variety of initiatives aimed at helping people with disabilities with housing instability get housing, move out into the community or remain in their own homes.

“Too many people with disabilities are stuck in institutions or group homes, bouncing between friends’ couches and crisis beds, or sleeping in homeless shelters,” said Minnesota Human Services Commissioner Emily Piper.

“Minnesota needs to shift away from over-reliance on group homes and other facilities by supporting and helping people to live in their communities.”

The grants, which will be distributed over four years, support people with disabilities by providing: Outreach to people who are homeless, unstably housed, or who want to relocate from hospitals, treatment centers, corrections, or other facilities.

Local experts to provide information and resources for individuals who need housing.

Support for counties and tribes to administer and monitor effective Housing Support programs.

These grants aim to help people with disabilities know what housing resources are available to them in their area and how to get them. Moving people to more appropriate housing is expected to open beds in high level-of-care facilities for people with greater needs, reducing waiting lists.

Grantees

• Anoka County, $191,027
• Carver County, $118,820
• Clay, Becker, Douglas, Grant, Otter Tail, Pope, Stevens, Traverse, Wadena, Wilkin counties, $385,875
• Dakota County, $140,088
• Hennepin County, $212,842
• Marshall, Kittson, Mahnomen, Marshall, Norman, Polk, Red Lake counties, $191,908
• Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, $102,720
• Minnesota Prairie County Alliance (Dodge, Steele, Waseca counties), $102,580
• Olmsted County, $150,000 Ramsey County, $214,357
• Regional Metro Committee (Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, Washington counties), $181,904
• St. Louis County with the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa, $256,175
• Scott County, $79,750
• Southwestern Minnesota Adult Mental Health Consortium (Big Stone, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac qui Parle, Lincoln, Lyon, McLeod, Meeker, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rock, Swift, Yellow Medicine counties), $100,000
• Stearns County, $187,211
• Washington County, $185,447
• White Earth Band of Chippewa, $169,296
• Funding for the grants was appropriated by the 2017 Legislature within the Minnesota Housing Support Act.