The Minneapolis Public Housing Authority will soon open up a waitlist for a new state-funded housing voucher program that will provide millions of dollars in rental assistance.
The Minnesota Legislature established the program, called Bring It Home, in 2023, which is funded by state appropriations and a metro sales tax. A total of $123 million in funding will be distributed by 50 local and regional agencies across the state over two years. The MPHA will award $21 million of that funding to Minneapolis residents as part of the program. Residents can apply to be on the MPHA’s waitlist between Oct. 13-15.
Bring It Home is modeled after the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program, also known as Section 8. Participants receive a voucher that they provide to their landlord. The tenant pays 30% of their income toward rent, and the voucher pays the remaining monthly costs.
“We’re excited that the state is stepping up and is going to help take families that are struggling with their housing and put a roof over their heads,” said Abdi Warsame, executive director of the MPHA.
The MPHA has been working through its Section 8 waitlist since 2019. The agency currently administers about 7,500 Section 8 vouchers that support more than 18,500 people. Warsame said the state program will help shrink the agency’s waitlist for the federal program. In August, there were more than 500 households waiting for a federal tenant-based voucher across two waitlists. The MPHA offered state-funded vouchers to those already on the federal waitlist, and some have vouchers in hand and are looking for housing.
The agency estimates that it will be able to fund 600 to 700 vouchers under the state program. After offering vouchers to households already on the federal waitlist, MPHA estimates that they will have 300 to 350 remaining vouchers to distribute.
Warsame said opportunities to apply for programs like these don’t happen often. This opening marks the first time the public can apply for any tenant-based housing voucher through the MPHA since 2019.
The Section 8 voucher program is highly sought after, Warsame said, as it gives tenants more choice into where they want to live.
“It’s a product that works,” he said. “It does give you choice. You can move about, shop around.”
There are some eligibility differences between the federal and state programs. Those participating in the state program via the MPHA must live in Minneapolis. The federal program has more flexibility in geographic location after the first year.
Warsame said the country is facing a housing and affordability crisis, and programs like these are especially needed now. While the Bring It Home program is expected to help hundreds of families in Minneapolis, it won’t address the whole need, he said.
“It is a step in the right direction, but we do need a lot more funding and a lot more support to make sure that we address the housing crisis in our city, in our region,” he said.
Who is elligible?
To qualify for the state program, applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Currently living in Minnesota
- Be rent burdened, or paying more than 30% of household income toward rent.
- Have a household income of 50% or below the Area Median Income
- Not currently participating in a Section 8-funded program
- Willing to live in Minneapolis
How to apply
The waitlist will be open from Tuesday, Oct. 13, at midnight until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 15. The MPHA says it does not matter what time applicants submit their application in that window. Eligible applicants will be placed on the waitlist through a lottery system. Families with children will be prioritized. The agency anticipates it will add as many as 1,500 households on the list. Applicants will be notified of their waitlist status by Nov. 1.
Residents can apply on the MPHA portal. The agency recommends applicants set up an account before the waitlist opening. More information on the waitlist opening can be found here.
