The 2023-24 Minnesota legislature produced historic investments in housing and homelessness. We are so grateful for you, our advocates, and the work you have put in for years leading up to this moment. We also want to applaud the work and passion of our legislative champions who brought these investments across the line. We have so much to celebrate; we would not have been here without the determination of advocates and partners like yourselves. If you would like to read about the journey we took during the 2023 legislative session, you can read our blog, The Path Towards a Pathway Home. If you would like to read a full summary of the investment towards housing and homelessness, you can go to the MN Interagency Council on Homelessness website. You can also read a summary specific to MN Housing on their website.
Our 2023-24 Pathway Home Act outcomes:
A breakdown of our 2023-24 outcomes:
Emergency Services Program (ESP)
The Emergency Services Program (ESP) is the state’s most flexible source of funding that allows organizations and local communities to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness. ESP provides funding that supports shelter operations, outreach, motel vouchers, and other key resources and services to support families, individuals, and seniors experiencing homelessness.
- OUTCOME: Prior to 2022/23 the base funding availability was $1.68M. Starting in 2022/23 the base funding availability increased to $14.68M/. Moving forward due to the 2023 legislative victories:
- 2024/25 the base funding availability is $43.68M;
- 2026/27 the base funding availability is $68.68M;
- 2028/29 and on the base funding availability is $73.68M.
Shelter Capital
Shelter Capital funds are available to improve current shelters and generate new models to meet the need, for example, culturally responsive, gender-affirming, accessible, and low-barrier shelters; shelter is the first step to finding permanent housing for families, individuals, and seniors experiencing homelessness.
- OUTCOME: $100M one-time funding. While our original request was $200M, the goal became $150M once the Pathway Home Act was written. The House had $150M and the Senate had ZERO. This is as close to a best-case scenario as there was. The fact it was all included in Health & Human Services (rather than Capital Investment) also means there will be much less bureaucracy for DHS and for everyone that is going to apply for it.
Transitional Housing
Transitional housing provides short-term, affordable housing for families who are striving to overcome a variety of barriers to help them transition into stable housing in the community.
- OUTCOME: $6M increase in 24/25 and $6M increase in 26/27. This is doubling the current funding for the program! THP was on our 2022 legislative agenda in which we were also able to extend the timeline of how long a person or family could stay from 24 to 36 months.
Homeless Youth Act
The Homeless Youth Act (HYA) serves unaccompanied youth statewide through: street outreach, emergency shelter, drop-in centers, transitional, and supportive housing services. The HYA leverages other critical federal, local, and private philanthropic funds serving young people.
- OUTCOME: $30M in 2024/25 and $30M in 2026/27. The current budget is $11.2M so this is almost TRIPLING the budget! The new base budget moving forward would be $41.2M. Major props to the Youth Services Network for leading the advocacy around this.
Safe Harbor:
The Department of Human Services funds several organizations to provide emergency, transitional, and permanent housing for young people who have been sexually exploited or trafficked. Shelter and housing are designed with on-site supportive services. This was a partner-led priority by: Youth Services Network; Contact: bholger@thelinkmn.org | www.ysnmn.org
- OUTCOME: $4.25M increase in 2024/25 and $2.5M in 2026/27 but may be as much as $8.55M in 2024/25 and $7.1M in 2025/26. There are multiple line items for Safe Harbor and this is where the bill language will help clarify. If you want to look into it, here are all the lines that Safe Harbor is included: 199 ($4.25M/$2.5M), 1793 ($2M increase), 1797 ($300K/$600K for regional navigators).
- The current budget is $5.6M so this is a drastic increase.
Homeless Management Information System:
Minnesota’s Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) is a database utilized by agencies serving those experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless. More information here.
- OUTCOME: $850K in 2024/25 and $1.55M in 2026/27. Typically the funding needed for this system falls on local communities so it is outstanding the State is finally stepping up.