What is Stable Homes Stable Schools?

Stable Homes Stable Schools is a pioneering partnership between MPHA, City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), and the YMCA of the North working to address student homelessness.

Program expansion for the 2023-2024 school year was announced July 25, 2023. With a new infusion of more than $4 million from the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County, SHSS emergency assistance will be offered to all 43 MPS elementary schools and multi-year rental assistance will be expanded from 19 to 24 schools. Additionally, in the coming years, SHSS will aim to double the number of families served per year and increase program staff across the partner organizations.

In 2017, when the idea for SHSS was first being formed by MPHA staff, MPS was challenged with 8.2 percent of students experiencing homelessness. That year, leaders from various social service organizations came together to create the framework for an innovative partnership to identify and serve students’ families facing housing insecurity. Leaders knew safe and stable housing is the most significant out-of-school factor for predicting student success. Starting in 2019, the City of Minneapolis, MPHA, Hennepin County, and MPS forged a new partnership to create a wholistic approach to addressing student homelessness. The YMCA of the North joined the partnership as the program’s service provider soon thereafter.

To participate in SHSS, MPS social workers identify eligible families across the district, as defined as:

• Lacking “a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence”;
• Have at least one minor child enrolled in one of the participating Minneapolis Public Schools;
• Have household income of 50 percent or below the Area Median Income (AMI);
• Commit to certain program conditions (such as regular school attendance and parental involvement with school activities); and,
• Meet certain conditions regarding criminal history.

Since 2019, SHSS has offered two tiers of support. The first tier is emergency one-time assistance to prevent homelessness, which could include back pay of rent, fixing a car needed to get to work, or other forms of assistance to keep families in their current housing. The second tier is multi-year rental assistance helping families escape or avoid homelessness and placing them into stable, long-term affordable housing.

However, with the new $2 million investment from Hennepin County’s Local Homeless Prevention fund, the program will now also provide multiple months of emergency assistance coupled with case management support for families that are housed but for whom one-time assistance is not adequate to address their instability.

I am a family in need of help, or a property owner who wants to help. How can I be involved?

We are excited to work with property owners whose rental units might accommodate families in Stable Homes Stable Schools. Families will pay 30 percent of their income toward rent, with MPHA paying the remainder directly to the property owner. If you would like to learn more–and especially if you expect to have a rental unit available starting in March 2019–please email OwnerOutreach@MplsPHA.org.

Minneapolis Public Schools will initially identify families who might benefit from the program, at participating elementary schools. Families cannot apply to MPHA or to the city directly. Interested families at participating schools should contact their school social worker about a referral.

School social workers refer eligible families and prioritize referrals based on the academic and housing stability needs of the family.

Families who are not currently experiencing homelessness may still qualify for one-time assistance under the Housing Stability Fund. Inquire with your school social worker to express interest and explore eligibility.

Media questions can be directed to media@mplspha.org.

If you or someone you know are in need of housing assistance, please contact:

• Hennepin County Emergency Assistance – (844) 803-8466
• Hennepin County Tenant Resource Center – (612) 767-9737
• United Way 211 – 211
• Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County – 952-930-3541