House legislation takes multi-pronged approach to combatting homelessness

A statewide approach is being offered to help the homeless and work to find everybody a place to live.

“This bill will advance our collective goal of ensuring that no Minnesotan experiences unsheltered homelessness,” said Rep. Brion Curran (DFL-White Bear Lake).

Curran said a bill she sponsors, HF1914, would attack the problem in three different ways.

It would provide funds for the current emergency services program, fund county shelter and homelessness response innovation grants, and fund collaboratives between counties and providers to increase access to sustainable funding streams to expand capacity for Medical Assistance-eligible services. No specific dollar figures have been sought.

“The more work we can do to get money directly to organizations doing the work I think is our best bet,” she said. “The state has an obligation to make sure that the people who need funds are getting them.”

The House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee laid the amended bill over Wednesday for possible inclusion in a later bill.

Reed Olson, executive director of Nameless Coalition for the Homeless, said funds would allow counties to find solutions tailored to their constituents’ specific needs and for counties to share successes and caution each other against missteps.

“Minnesota needs to properly fund its shelter system statewide but, more importantly, we need to find and fund pathways to stability, and this bill does both,” he said.

[MORE: Written support for bill]

Matt Freeman, executive director of the Minnesota Association of County Social Service Administrators, wrote that the bill would provide counties essential, flexible resources while building capacity to explore and implement the most effective interventions in reducing homelessness.