One out of five children in Minneapolis have experienced homelessness or threats of eviction. Housing insecurity can have a profound and multifaceted impact on children, affecting their physical, emotional, cognitive, and social well-being. As a long-term impact, housing insecurity in childhood is often linked to ongoing financial instability in adulthood. Children who grow up in unstable housing situations face higher rates of poverty as adults, perpetuating a cycle of housing insecurity across generations. In sharp contrast, access to education provides the same children with the tools to improve their own lives and create better opportunities for future generations.

Community-Specific Solutions

Stable Homes Stable Schools (SHSS) is a pioneering partnership between MPHA, the City of Minneapolis, Hennepin County, and Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) working to reduce homelessness among families with elementary-aged kids in Minneapolis. The program is a holistic approach to addressing homelessness through prevention (emergency short- and medium-term assistance) and intervention (multi-year rental assistance and support services). Since 2019, more than 6,600 kids and 2,300 families have benefited from the program.

SHSS is a referral-based program. Please contact a social worker at your child’s school to determine if you qualify for assistance. To participate in SHSS, school social workers identify families enrolled in Minneapolis Public Schools who meet the following requirements:

• Have at least one minor child enrolled in one of the participating Minneapolis Public Schools;
• Have household income at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI);
• Commit to certain program conditions (such as regular school attendance and parental involvement with school activities);
• Additional criteria specific to the each tier of service.

While receiving Housing Placement and Support (multi-year rental assistance and wraparound services), participants must reside in an MPHA-approved unit, which means MPHA has determined the unit is affordable for the family. Participants can use this SHSS Affordability Calculator to help determine whether a prospective unit is affordable for them.

• SHSS families receiving Housing Placement and Support can use this SHSS Affordability Calculator to help determine if a unit meets affordability eligibility requirements.
• Important: This calculator can only provide an estimate of a participant’s rent portion and does not guarantee a unit will ultimately be approved for the participant by MPHA. SHSS families should confirm final eligibility with their SHSS Community Services Coordinator.

If you have questions on the SHSS program or want to know how you can support the program, please contact hcv@mplspha.org.

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