Minnesota offers various rental assistance programs—at the state, county, and local levels—designed to help individuals and families maintain stable housing, catch up on past-due rent, or handle financial emergencies. Eligibility generally depends on income limits, household composition, and geographic location.
Key rental assistance programs operating in Minnesota include:
Short-term and emergency rental assistance
Emergency Assistance (EA) and Emergency General Assistance (EGA)
Emergency Assistance (EA) and Emergency General Assistance (EGA) are state-mandated crisis programs in Minnesota, administered directly by counties and tribal nations. They are designed to act as a financial safety net for low-income residents facing sudden emergencies related to housing, utilities, or medical expenses.
Although both serve a similar purpose—providing one-time cash grants to resolve immediate health or safety crises—they target different types of households and operate under strict, specific guidelines.
How to apply
State rules require counties to provide you with an application on the same day you request it. If your housing emergency is imminent (for example, you have an eviction court hearing scheduled this week), you have a legal right to a same-day interview if you submit the application in person.
Online (the fastest option): You can submit your documents and complete the unified application electronically via the official MNbenefits platform.
In person: Visit your county or tribal nation’s human services department to pick up and submit a paper copy of the Combined Application Form.
By phone: You can call your county’s financial assistance line to request that the form be sent to you by mail or fax.
Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP)
The Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) is a state-funded initiative designed to prevent homelessness, reduce the duration of stays in emergency shelters, and avoid recurring episodes of housing instability.
Unlike county-run emergency cash assistance programs, FHPAP funds come from Minnesota Housing and are distributed through a local network of non-profit organizations, community action agencies, and tribal nations across all 87 counties. Because each regional agency designs its own program to meet the specific needs of its community, the exact types of assistance vary, but the basic requirements are consistent statewide.
How to Access Your Local FHPAP Provider
Since funds are limited and distributed by various local non-profit organizations based on your place of residence, you cannot apply for assistance directly from the state. Administrators often face high demand and evaluate applications on a first-come, first-served basis or according to high-priority criteria.
You can find the specific non-profit organization managing the FHPAP program in your zip code by using the service area map and FHPAP contact list provided by Minnesota Housing. Key regional providers include:
Ramsey and Washington Counties: Managed by Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties (Main contact: 651-645-6445).
Hennepin County: Largely coordinated through youth-focused providers, such as The Link, or regional family support networks.
St. Louis County / Northern Minnesota: Managed by the St. Louis County Department of Public Health and Human Services.
Tribal Nations: Independently administered by participating communities, including the White Earth Nation, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Red Lake Nation, and the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe.
RentHelpMN
RentHelpMN has permanently closed and is no longer accepting new applications for rent or utility assistance.
Created as a federally funded emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program officially stopped accepting new applications on January 28, 2022, after distributing $428 million to more than 58,000 Minnesota households. The official RentHelpMN portal remains online solely to answer inquiries regarding program history, manage pending payments, or process 1099 tax forms for past participants.
Long-term, state-subsidized vouchers
“Bring It Home” Rental Assistance Program
The “Bring It Home” Rental Assistance Program is a state initiative enacted by the legislature to provide ongoing rental support to low-income families who spend an excessive portion of their resources on housing costs.
How it works: Program participants seek rental housing on the private market. The tenant pays between 30% and 40% of their adjusted monthly income toward rent, and the program pays the remaining balance directly to the landlord.
Income limit: Households must earn 50% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI) and spend more than 30% of their income on rent.
Priority group: Top priority is given to households with children aged 18 or younger whose income is 30% or less of the AMI.
Key restriction: Vouchers are non-transferable; this means they must be used within the specific service area of the local housing authority that issued them.
Bridges Rental Assistance
The Bridges Rental Assistance program is a specialized, temporary subsidy administered by Minnesota Housing in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS). It serves as a transitional “bridge” while applicants wait to obtain a permanent federal Section 8 voucher.
How it works: Once approved, participants look for an apartment that meets program requirements. They contribute between 30% and 40% of their monthly income toward rent, and Bridges covers the remainder.
Income limit: Household income must be 50% or less of the AMI.
Strict eligibility requirements: The head of household must be at least 18 years old and experiencing housing instability; additionally, at least one adult member must have a verified serious mental illness. Applications are directly linked to community mental health case management.
Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Rental Assistance
The Housing Trust Fund (HTF) rental assistance program offers temporary rental aid combined with intensive support services to help highly vulnerable individuals achieve permanent housing stability.
How it works: Participants contribute approximately 30% of their income toward housing. HTF funds cover the remainder, as well as application fees and security deposits. The program is designed to be short-term, supporting households for up to five years while they work with a case manager on a transition plan to permanent, affordable housing.
Eligibility: Restricted to high-priority homeless (HPH) individuals or families.
How to access: You cannot apply for the HTF directly through a local housing authority (HRA) or the state. Access must be facilitated through your county’s local Coordinated Entry (CE) system, which assesses and refers homeless individuals based on their structural vulnerability.
Local & County-Specific Providers
Major metropolitan areas and individual counties manage local emergency funds to prevent eviction:
Hennepin County Emergency Rental Assistance: Strongly prioritizes households facing an active eviction filing with incomes at or below 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI), with a particular focus on families with minor children, seniors, and people with disabilities. Local applications are typically processed through the Community Action Partnership of Hennepin County (CAP-HC), which offers one-time emergency assistance payments.
St. Paul Emergency Rental Assistance: Offers eligible tenants with incomes below 80% of the AMI a one-time payment of up to $3,500, paid directly to the landlord. Due to high demand, the application window usually opens during specific monthly periods, and applications are processed via a lottery system. Applicants must have an active eviction notice or a housing court summons.
Ramsey and Washington Counties: Managed through the Community Action Partnership of Ramsey & Washington Counties, which offers rapid re-housing services and local emergency funds.
Scott, Carver, and Dakota Counties: Served by the local CAP agency, which provides eviction prevention services and crisis assistance for utility payments.
How to find and access available resources
Since many local funds open and close dynamically based on resource availability, it is recommended to use these centralized search tools to find currently available options:
Housing Benefits 101 (HB101): Minnesota residents can use the HB101 Minnesota platform to create a personalized housing plan and filter programs based on specific health, income, or disability needs.
HousingLink: An excellent resource for searching for affordable rental listings, checking open waiting lists for public housing, and verifying Section 8 voucher criteria across the state. Check current availability at HousingLink.
United Way 211: Calling 2-1-1 or visiting the United Way 211 tenant resource tool instantly connects you with a community resource specialist who can identify active funding sources (municipal, religious, or non-profit) available in your specific zip code.
HOME Line: If your rental-related emergency involves a legal dispute, an eviction notice, or an issue with your landlord, the tenant advocacy organization HOME Line offers free or low-cost legal advice to help you protect your housing situation.
