The city of Minneapolis is getting ready to deploy millions of dollars in emergency funding to help those struggling to pay rent in the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge.
So far, Minneapolis has allocated $3.8 million in rental assistance funds, and a match of up to $3 million has been announced by the Wilson Foundation, meaning more than $6 million will be available. The first $1 million is expected to be available for applications in mid-April. Hennepin County officials say an official launch date is still pending.
Another $1 million is expected to be available as soon as May 1, and the remainder is in the process of being finalized. City Council members say the money is vitally needed for those who fell behind on rent and now face eviction because they were fearful of leaving their homes to work during the federal immigration crackdown.
The funding will be distributed through Hennepin County, which is contracting with local nonprofits that cater to specific communities. Residents can apply for the first $1 million in funds through: Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES), Isuroon and the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center (MIWRC).
“[They] are best positioned to meet the unprecedented need right now among populations who are disproportionately impacted by ICE presence, but also just broadly disproportionately impacted by evictions on an ongoing basis,” said Will Lehman, area manager of homelessness prevention with Hennepin County.
Despite their cultural affiliations, each organization will serve all eligible applicants regardless of their cultural background.
The organizations will pre-screen applicants for eligibility, and send them to the county for approval. The county then sends the funds directly to landlords.
To qualify, applicants need to meet income requirements and have a notice from their landlord that they intend to file an eviction case against them if rent isn’t paid within 30 days. The funding is exempt from a Hennepin County requirement that applicants have an eviction case already filed against them in court. The average payment of rental assistance administered through Hennepin County is $3,700 for each household.
If applicants do not meet criteria, the nonprofits can direct them to other services.
Leaders at the nonprofits say that they are deeply rooted in the communities they serve, and have gained their trust. They also connect those in need of rental assistance with related services like financial counseling and mental health resources.
“People feel comfortable going to somebody that looks like them, that speaks the language they speak,” said Ramla Elmi, the director of housing programs at Isuroon, which works with East African residents and other immigrant communities. “[Nonprofits] have systems in place where they are able to do more direct support to the communities that need the help the most.”
Liliana Letrán-García, the president and CEO of CLUES, which supports the Latino community in Minnesota, said the organization helped many families access rental assistance during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think we became a subject matter expert in how to work with the landlord, help the tenant to understand, not only … Here’s a check, go pay your rent, but how do we give you the tools to manage your budget under crisis, right?” she said.
The federal operation impacted many families, and caused many tenants to miss rent payments. While the number of federal immigration agents in Minnesota has fallen from its peak in January, some immigrants are still fearful of leaving their homes. Others are trying to catch up on missed income. According to data from the tenant advocacy group HOMELine, eviction filings in March were more than 60% higher in Minneapolis compared to March 2025.
Ruth Buffalo, who leads the MIWRC, said the need for rental assistance was already heightened before the federal operation began, which only exacerbated the issue.
“[There’s] a lot of fear, a lot of anxiety, a lot of uncertainty,” Buffalo said.
Some nonprofits already have a waitlist in place for the Minneapolis funding. Letrán-García said about 100 families are already waiting to access the funding through CLUES. The organization has been gathering paperwork so that when the application window opens up, the money can go out quickly.
St. Paul also allocated rental assistance funding in light of Operation Metro Surge, with more than $2.5 million available. The city is currently only opening its application the first two days of each month. The city also temporarily extended its pre-eviction notice period to 60 days, which will go into effect on May 14.
The Minneapolis City Council passed a similar measure, but it was vetoed by Mayor Jacob Frey, who argued that extending the timeline would push residents into further debt.
A bill that would have allocated $40 million in rental assistance statewide passed the Minnesota Senate last month, but it has stalled in the House of Representatives. The House is evenly split between Democrats and Republicans.
Nonprofit leaders say that makes the local city dollars even more essential, but that they can only stretch so far.
“It’s better than nothing,” Ramla said. “So we appreciate it, but there needs to be a lot more support to be able to reach all the families that Isuroon is connected to.”
Buffalo said she’d like to see more proactive approaches from the city to tackle housing insecurity, instead of relying on nonprofit organizations to connect with those directly impacted.
“It would be good to get to a place where we’re not always in crisis,” she said.
In addition to Minneapolis and St. Paul specific funding, rental assistance is also available from Hennepin, Ramsey, Dakota and Anoka counties.
Contact the following organizations to learn more about accessing Minneapolis rental assistance funding:
The city of Minneapolis is getting ready to deploy millions of dollars in emergency funding to help those struggling to pay rent in the aftermath of Operation Metro Surge. So far, Minneapolis has allocated $3.8 million in rental assistance funds, and a match of up to $3 million has been announced by the Wilson Foundation, [...]
