During the pandemic, a significant number of MPHA residents began falling behind on their rent – well above pre-pandemic levels. And because federal law and regulations require MPHA to collect rent and prevent the agency from waiving or forgiving unpaid rent balances for residents, the growing amount of back-owed rent threatened the housing stability for hundreds of MPHA residents whose finances had been impacted during the pandemic.

In response to seeing this trend emerge early in the pandemic, MPHA established an internal housing stabilization team dedicated to connecting residents that had back-owed rents to various financial and service supports. The team was intended to help residents solve both their immediate financial needs to remain housed and foster long-term financial stability. During the pandemic, this team assisted nearly 750 MPHA families receive more than $2.5 million in rent relief through RentHelpMN.

But as the pandemic subsided and state rental assistance went away, the economic hardships of MPHA residents did not. As a result, the housing stabilization team shifted to Hennepin County’s rental and emergency assistance programs.

“With inflation driving up the cost of living and the lingering economic effects of the pandemic, many individuals and families are struggling to make ends meet,” said A Vue, Housing Stability Coordinator at MPHA. “Rent assistance not only keeps a roof over [residents’] heads but also offers a sense of stability in uncertain times.”

In 2023, the team assisted MPHA residents complete over 450 applications to receive more than $800,000 in rent relief payments from Hennepin County’s programs. And this past year, MPHA’s housing stabilization team helped residents complete over 600 applications to receive more than $1,000,000 in rent relief payments through Hennepin County’s programs. All told, since 2020, MPHA’s housing stability team has helped MPHA residents secure over $4 million in rent relief payments through Hennepin County’s rental and emergency assistance programs.

For MPHA residents like Issac, the work of MPHA’s housing stability team was integral to making sure he remained housed through hardship.

“I was embarrassed to tell anyone I was doing so bad,” said Issac Bell, MPHA resident. “But A was a godsend. She helped me get right with my rent.”

Prior to getting his MPHA unit, Isaac had been homeless for so long that paying rent wasn’t a routine task he was used to having to deal with. When he fell behind on rent, he was overwhelmed and did not know how to seek or feel worthy of help. But A helped Issac realize that asking for help can be a catalyst for positive change. And that’s exactly what happened for him.

“I felt like I didn’t deserve help, but A and MPHA helped me anyways,” said Issac. “And now I am back on track.”

Helping MPHA residents remain housed through hardship is key to the agency’s mission. As such, the agency works hard to help residents who have trouble paying their rent. And for the hundreds of MPHA families who received rent relief payments, this help made all the difference.