Ways to Pay for Rent and Housing

Types of Programs:

  • Income Supplement → person gets extra money for housing and/or housing expenses may be paid on their behalf to a provider
  • Moving Costs → funding for housing related items that are not rent
  • Project-Based → entire building or part of a building is subsidized
  • Voucher → unit is anywhere as long as landlord accepts it
Program/Service Name
Type of Program
Who is it for
What does it do
How do you get it
Voucher
Persons with very low incomes and mental illness. Grant administrators prioritize applicants, and give top priority to persons living in an institution or other segregated setting who will be homeless when discharged.
Provides a temporary rent subsidy that is linked with community mental health services until the person gets a permanent rental subsidy.

Contact a Bridges or Bridges RTC Program Contact (follow the link and download the List of Current Grant Administrators). When you know which agency can help you in your area, get their complete contact info.

Must apply for permanent rental subsidy when available.

Income supplement
People with serious mental illness who cannot pay housing related costs because they are paying for treatment or lost their income while in treatment.
Covers rent, mortgage, and most utilities (heat, electric, water, sewer, garbage, and some limited phone costs) for three month periods.
Income supplement
A person with low income experiencing a financial emergency. This is usually a one-time help available.
Each county covers different services and could be eviction help, utility help, shelter fees, or other.
Emergency General Assistance
Income supplement
A person who meets General Assistance income level rules (200% of poverty level) with an emergency.
Each county covers different services and could be eviction help, utility help, or other.
Grant to a provider
Helps individuals and families who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness who are below 200% of poverty level.
Grants to pay rent, mortgage, utilities, or other housing costs that help people maintain or attain housing.

Contact an organization on the FHPAP Provider Contact List.

Temporary program, assistance goes directly to providers

Voucher
Families with school aged children, unaccompanied youth, or youth with children in school. People who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness who are below 200% of poverty level.
Provides temporary help to find and keep housing, including for security deposit, rent, utilities, and with applications.

Use the Homework Starts with Home Contacts List.

Temporary program, assistance goes directly to providers

Income Supplement
People with very low income with a disability or disabling condition
Pays room and board in a place where a provider is authorized to accept Housing Support. Payment goes to the provider not to the person. Sometimes pays for additional supports.
Income Supplement
People with very low income with a disability or disabling condition
Pays for rent, utilizes and other related expenses for a person with their own lease in the community. Payment goes to the provider. Sometimes pays for additional supports.
Voucher and Project-Based
Depends on the agency and could be for: long-term homeless, extremely low income, have HIV/AIDS, have chemical dependencies or mental illness
Pays for privately owned rental housing
Contact the Coordinated Entry (CE) system in each Continuum of Care (CoC) region.
MA-Waivers (CADI, CAC, BI, DD and EW) Transitional Services
Moving Costs
People on an MA-Waiver who want to move to a more independent setting
Pays for expenses (furniture, moving expenses, deposits, etc.) related to transition
Cash grant
People eligible for MFIP not receiving another housing subsidy
Provides $110 for housing
Income Supplement
People on SSI who are eligible for MSA and spend at least 40% of their income on housing
Provides up to half the SSI benefit rate a month to help pay for housing costs
Moving Costs
People on MA who want to move from an institutional setting into a community-based setting
Pays for expenses (furniture, moving expenses, deposits, etc.) related to transition
Project-Based
People who are low-income, families, seniors, and people with disabilities
Rental housing, managed by a public housing authority, where rent is based on a person's income
Voucher
  • Families at risk of being separated due to lack of housing
  • Former foster youth ages 18 – 21
Pays rent where a landlord will accept it as a form of payment
Referred to one of 6 public housing authorities that have the program by your local county or tribal human services office. Each housing authority has its own application.
Vouchers
People who are low-income, families, seniors, and people with disabilities
Pays part of the rent to a private landlord; person must find a landlord willing to accept it
Project-Based
People who are low-income, families, seniors, and people with disabilities
Same as the Section 8 Housing Voucher Program, except all the vouchers are in the same building or project
Contact a local housing authority. Properties are listed on the HUD Resource Locator site.
Project-Based

People who have a disability and extremely low incomes, and who are:

  • Experiencing Long Term Homelessness and Serious Mental Illness and are working with a Project to Assist with Transitions from Homelessness Outreach worker
  • Persons exiting institutions and enrolled in Moving Home Minnesota
Pays rent of the rent in select apartments in participating properties
Referrals are only accepted from select homeless outreach providers or MHM transition workers. These providers are notified when vacancies occur, or new applicants can be added to the waiting list.
Section 811 Capital Advance Funding
Project-Based
People who have a disability and low incomes
Pays rent in certain Accessible Space, Inc. buildings that were built using Section 811 HUD funding
Find affordable housing at Accessible Space

Bridges Rental Assistance

Type of Program
Voucher
Who is it for
Persons with very low incomes and mental illness. Grant administrators prioritize applicants, and give top priority to persons living in an institution or other segregated setting who will be homeless when discharged.
What does it do
Provides a temporary rent subsidy that is linked with community mental health services until the person gets a permanent rental subsidy.
How do you get it

Contact a Bridges or Bridges RTC Program Contact (follow the link and download the List of Current Grant Administrators). When you know which agency can help you in your area, get their complete contact info.

Must apply for permanent rental subsidy when available.

Crisis Housing Assistance Program

Type of Program
Income supplement
Who is it for
People with serious mental illness who cannot pay housing related costs because they are paying for treatment or lost their income while in treatment.
What does it do
Covers rent, mortgage, and most utilities (heat, electric, water, sewer, garbage, and some limited phone costs) for three month periods.
How do you get it

Emergency Assistance

Type of Program
Income supplement
Who is it for
A person with low income experiencing a financial emergency. This is usually a one-time help available.
What does it do
Each county covers different services and could be eviction help, utility help, shelter fees, or other.
How do you get it

Emergency General Assistance

Type of Program
Income supplement
Who is it for
A person who meets General Assistance income level rules (200% of poverty level) with an emergency.
What does it do
Each county covers different services and could be eviction help, utility help, or other.
How do you get it

Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP)

Type of Program
Grant to a provider
Who is it for
Helps individuals and families who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness who are below 200% of poverty level.
What does it do
Grants to pay rent, mortgage, utilities, or other housing costs that help people maintain or attain housing.
How do you get it

Contact an organization on the FHPAP Provider Contact List.

Temporary program, assistance goes directly to providers

Homework Starts with Home

Type of Program
Voucher
Who is it for
Families with school aged children, unaccompanied youth, or youth with children in school. People who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness who are below 200% of poverty level.
What does it do
Provides temporary help to find and keep housing, including for security deposit, rent, utilities, and with applications.
How do you get it

Use the Homework Starts with Home Contacts List.

Temporary program, assistance goes directly to providers

Housing Support – Group Settings

Type of Program
Income Supplement
Who is it for
People with very low income with a disability or disabling condition
What does it do
Pays room and board in a place where a provider is authorized to accept Housing Support. Payment goes to the provider not to the person. Sometimes pays for additional supports.
How do you get it

Housing Support – Community Based

Type of Program
Income Supplement
Who is it for
People with very low income with a disability or disabling condition
What does it do
Pays for rent, utilizes and other related expenses for a person with their own lease in the community. Payment goes to the provider. Sometimes pays for additional supports.
How do you get it

Housing Trust Fund Rental Assistance

Type of Program
Voucher and Project-Based
Who is it for
Depends on the agency and could be for: long-term homeless, extremely low income, have HIV/AIDS, have chemical dependencies or mental illness
What does it do
Pays for privately owned rental housing
How do you get it
Contact the Coordinated Entry (CE) system in each Continuum of Care (CoC) region.

MA-Waivers (CADI, CAC, BI, DD and EW) Transitional Services

Type of Program
Moving Costs
Who is it for
People on an MA-Waiver who want to move to a more independent setting
What does it do
Pays for expenses (furniture, moving expenses, deposits, etc.) related to transition
How do you get it

MFIP Housing Assistance

Type of Program
Cash grant
Who is it for
People eligible for MFIP not receiving another housing subsidy
What does it do
Provides $110 for housing
How do you get it

Minnesota Supplemental Aid (MSA) Housing Assistance

Type of Program
Income Supplement
Who is it for
People on SSI who are eligible for MSA and spend at least 40% of their income on housing
What does it do
Provides up to half the SSI benefit rate a month to help pay for housing costs
How do you get it

Moving Home Minnesota Transitional Services

Type of Program
Moving Costs
Who is it for
People on MA who want to move from an institutional setting into a community-based setting
What does it do
Pays for expenses (furniture, moving expenses, deposits, etc.) related to transition
How do you get it

Public Housing

Type of Program
Project-Based
Who is it for
People who are low-income, families, seniors, and people with disabilities
What does it do
Rental housing, managed by a public housing authority, where rent is based on a person's income
How do you get it

Section 8 Family Unification Program

Type of Program
Voucher
Who is it for
  • Families at risk of being separated due to lack of housing
  • Former foster youth ages 18 – 21
What does it do
Pays rent where a landlord will accept it as a form of payment
How do you get it
Referred to one of 6 public housing authorities that have the program by your local county or tribal human services office. Each housing authority has its own application.

Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program (including Section 811 Voucher and Non-Elderly Disabled [NED] Voucher)

Type of Program
Vouchers
Who is it for
People who are low-income, families, seniors, and people with disabilities
What does it do
Pays part of the rent to a private landlord; person must find a landlord willing to accept it
How do you get it

Section 8 Project-Based Voucher Program

Type of Program
Project-Based
Who is it for
People who are low-income, families, seniors, and people with disabilities
What does it do
Same as the Section 8 Housing Voucher Program, except all the vouchers are in the same building or project
How do you get it
Contact a local housing authority. Properties are listed on the HUD Resource Locator site.

Section 811 (managed by the Department of Human Services)

Type of Program
Project-Based
Who is it for

People who have a disability and extremely low incomes, and who are:

  • Experiencing Long Term Homelessness and Serious Mental Illness and are working with a Project to Assist with Transitions from Homelessness Outreach worker
  • Persons exiting institutions and enrolled in Moving Home Minnesota
What does it do
Pays rent of the rent in select apartments in participating properties
How do you get it
Referrals are only accepted from select homeless outreach providers or MHM transition workers. These providers are notified when vacancies occur, or new applicants can be added to the waiting list.

Section 811 Capital Advance Funding

Type of Program
Project-Based
Who is it for
People who have a disability and low incomes
What does it do
Pays rent in certain Accessible Space, Inc. buildings that were built using Section 811 HUD funding
How do you get it
Find affordable housing at Accessible Space