To continue celebrating the major legislative accomplishments that will benefit Minnesotans and their housing circumstances, we are focusing today’s post on the Health and Human Services omnibus budget, which consists of the House Health and Children and Families Committees and the Senate Health and Human Services Committee.
The Health and Human Services budget invested game-changing, life-changing and historic funding in services for people experiencing homelessness and those who are experiencing housing instability! This will work to truly save lives across the state and provide additional, continuing support for these programs. In combination with the historic Minnesota Housing budget, the investments made this session will ensure Minnesotans experiencing homelessness have the support and services they need while also making it easier, safer, more stable, and more accessible to find and retain affordable housing. The work of Homes for All advocates helped several issues that were on the H4A agenda pass this session:
Financial Changes:
- Capital Requests for Production and Rehabilitation Funding
- $100 million for shelter capital
- Increased funding for the Homeless Youth Act (HYA)
- Increased funding for Emergency Services Program (ESP)
- Increased funding for Safe Harbor
Policy Changes:
- Housing Support Income Modifications in Community Settings
- Caps the amount someone with unearned income pays for their housing at 30% starting in October 2024. Unearned income includes income from Supplemental Security Income; Retirement, Survivors, and Disability Insurance; veterans benefits; and child support payments.
- Tribal per capita payments no longer counted as income starting in January 2024; lived-experience stipends no longer counted as income starting in August 2023.
