With families of 150 Minneapolis Public Schools elementary students already enrolled, the program is overperforming early estimates

NEWS RELEASE: May 23, 2019

MINNEAPOLIS — Today local leaders and partners marked the successful launch of the Stable Homes Stable Schools initiative—a pioneering program to provide stable housing to Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) families at risk of and currently experiencing homelessness.

During the 2017-18 school year, MPS identified 5,002 youth experiencing homelessness. Of those youth, 3,069 were enrolled in MPS—about 7% of all enrolled students in the district. Over the course of three years, the Stable Homes Stable Schools program will serve up to 320 families and 650 MPS students experiencing homelessness. Families of 150 elementary students are already enrolled in the program.

The nation-leading, three-year pilot program is a partnership led by the City of Minneapolis, Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA), MPS and Hennepin County.

Stable Homes Stable Schools will provide rental assistance and personalized wrap-around services to work toward eliminating each family’s barriers to long-term housing stability. A Housing Stability Fund will provide one-time emergency funds to additional families of students at risk of homelessness.

Beginning this year, the Stable Homes Stable Schools initiative will be funded with $3.35 million from the City of Minneapolis and $1.4 million from MPHA. The Pohlad Family Foundation is contributing $500,000 for the first two years of the Housing Stability Fund. The YMCA of the Greater Twin Cities will provide readiness services for each family in the program, along with ongoing life coaching and case management services.

Investing in stable housing for families and their young learners breaks the cycle of poverty, bringing long-term economic benefits to children, families and communities.

A research partner, the University of Minnesota, will measure how housing stability impacts educational outcomes for families involved in the program.

The 15 schools in Stable Homes Stable Schools pilot are:

  • Anishinabe Academy, 3100 E. 28th St.
  • Andersen United Community School, 1098 Andersen Lane
  • Jefferson Community School, 1200 W. 26th St.
  • Sheridan Arts Spanish Dual Immersion, 1201 University Ave. N.E.
  • Elizabeth Hall International, 1601 Aldrich Ave. N.
  • Ann Sullivan Community School, 3100 E. 28th St.
  • Cityview Community School of Innovation, 3350 N. 4th St.
  • Pillsbury Elementary School, 2250 Garfield St. N.E.
  • Bethune Community School, 919 Emerson Ave. N.
  • Green Central Park Community School, 3416 4th Ave. S.
  • Lucy Craft Laney Community School, 3333 Penn Ave. N.
  • Bryn Mawr Community School, 252 Upton Ave. S.
  • Jenny Lind Elementary School, 5025 Bryant Ave. N.
  • Hmong International Academy, 1501 30th Ave. N.
  • Nellie Stone Johnson, 807 27th Ave. N.

Families of children enrolled at one of the participating schools interested in Stable Homes Stable Schools should contact their school social worker for an application.

While public and philanthropic partners will provide necessary funding for the program, the program’s success depends on a strong alliance and critical support from the business community and additional partners to provide rental units, employment opportunities and other services for families. Property owners with available rental units interested in participating in the program should email StableHomes@mplspha.org.

For more information about Stable Homes Stable Schools, visit mphaonline.org/stablehomes.

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Contacts:

City of Minneapolis: Sarah McKenzie, 612-673-2786

Minneapolis Public Housing Authority: Lakresha Williams, 612-221-8684