Briefing

Background
Three years ago on any given night, there were about 10,000 Minnesotans without a home. These numbers have worsened dramatically in the last two years. Shelter use in Hennepin County alone is up 60% over 2006. Continuing job loss and home foreclosures are increasing the need for state resources to prevent homelessness and provide housing stability.

Without an adequate supply of stable housing, homeless adults, youth, and children draw on multiple private and public services.  Spending occurs in areas where there is little choice but to respond: policing, jails and prisons, courts, probation, child welfare, foster care, emergency rooms, hospitals, and detox facilities.  Supportive housing has a proven track record of cutting costs in these expensive services and setting formerly homeless adults and youth on a path of stability, responsibility and productivity.

Ending homelessness is necessary in order to achieve Minnesota’s goals of a strong and educated workforce and lower health care costs that are necessary for a dynamic future economy. In the current serious recession, homelessness is increasing.  Completing the reform from expensive, short-lived services to supportive housing will take longer.  In the meantime, we cannot afford to dismantle the supportive housing in place to date. 

The Joint Religious legislative Coalition has teamed up with Heading Home Minnesota to ask the 2009 Legislature to preserve investments that have a track record of reducing costs and improving results for homeless adults, youth, and children.

2009 Legislative Issue
Will the Legislature address increasing homelessness and rising instability of housing?

JRLC Position
Every person in our state needs safe, secure, affordable housing. JRLC supports greater state investment in affordable housing and homeless prevention programs. Specifically:
•    Preserve current investments for homeless prevention, outreach, emergency shelters, and transitional housing;
•    Increase funding for existing permanent supportive housing;
•    Increase the Housing Trust Fund for rent assistance for homeless adults, youth, and families.

Bottom-line
• Preserve current investments in Runaway and Homeless Youth, Emergency Services grants, and Transitional Housing. Restore one-time funding.

• Increase funding for Long Term Homeless Supportive Services Fund. An additional $42 million is needed to fully fund services for long-term homeless individuals, youth and families in existing supportive housing, including developments in process that have received a capital commitment. 

• The Governor increases the base in the Housing Trust Fund by $4 million.  Ask Legislators for an additional $2 million in base funding to help newly homeless people find permanent housing.