DATE: April 17, 2017
TO: Members of the Housing & Redevelopment Authority
FROM: Janine Atchison, Housing Coordinator
Title
Bridges Rental Assistance
Body
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED:
Executive Director of the Rice County Housing & Redevelopment Authority (Rice County HRA) will speak about the new Bridges Rental Assistance Program.
BACKGROUND:
The Rice County HRA has been awarded a Bridges grant through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for $136,000.00 for the period of January 1, 2017, through June 30, 2019. The grant provides income-based rental assistance to people with serious mental illness, with preferences for people who are experiencing homelessness, at risk of experiencing homelessness, or who are residing in an institutional setting who will be homeless upon discharge. The program is similar to the Section 8 program, but has the added benefit of mental health case management, which will be provided by Rice County Social Services. Participants of the Bridges program are required to apply for Section 8 when the waiting list opens and to accept Section 8 when their name reaches the top of the list, allowing their spot on the Bridges program to go to another family. The grant funding will allow the HRA to provide rental assistance to approximately 10 families per month.