Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness

In our work, we will center the voice, experience, and expertise of people who have faced homelessness.

Be sure to join our webinar on March 5 as the 14 MICH Implementation Consultants share about the work they've been co-leading with state agencies on the Crossroads to Justice strategic plan! Register at mich.mn.gov/webinars This is going to be a great session - we can't wait to have you there!

In #Minnesota, we care about one another.

Meet MissCandi Martin, one of the 14 paid Implementation Consultants – all people with lived experience of homelessness – working on implementing MICH’s Crossroads to Justice plan!? ? MissCandi is a member of the North Minneapolis community. She is a mother, partner, advisor, research lead, and consultant for a Christian based non-profit based in South Dakota. She is a volunteer technology tutor for her community seniors. Her background is embedded with social service, inpatient healthcare, serving adolescent individuals, caregiving, library science, and behavioral health. She is passionate about providing resources, dignity, respect, and alternative solutions for individuals facing destabilizing events. MissCandi is not just a member of our community, but a beacon of hope. She is lending her expertise, skills, and lived experiences to MICH as we collectively strive to end homelessness in Minnesota.? ? One of the agencies MissCandi is working with is the Minnesota Department of Revenue (DOR). “DOR is working tirelessly to provide grants, programs, and taxpayer assistance services to Minnesotans, making a big difference for families. Their?Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA),?Statewide Affordable Housing Aid?(SAHA), and Greater Minnesota housing infrastructure programs have been instrumental in helping our counties and Tribes prevent homelessness.?This agency has also assigned a very dedicated lead to discuss the framework of these programs in-depth and make all the pieces fit together. His involvement has given myself and fellow Implementation Consultants an opportunity to relay all of the good work to the communities we serve. I would encourage all of our citizens to subscribe to the DOR?newsletter because they are doing amazing work and have so many programs that I could not cover in one article. "It has truly been a pleasure to serve as consultant for this agency.”?

The Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness is committed to repairing and transforming unjust systems that have caused and perpetuate housing instability and homelessness. #Minnesota #CrossroadsToJustice #homelessness

Government policies impact neighborhoods, communities, and individuals.

We know these are uncertain times. There are some things, though, of which we are certain. Our mission has not changed.? Our commitment to housing, racial and health justice has not changed.? Our focus on justice as our North Star has not changed.? Our awareness that structural racism, genocide, and economic inequities have and continue to define housing instability and homelessness has not changed.? Our pledge to repair and transform unjust systems and hold each other and those systems accountable in the work to achieve justice has not changed.? Our need to rely on one another has not changed.? ? The Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness affirms the necessity and benefits of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. Read our full letter to the community at https://lnkd.in/gZMM_FTx

#Minnesota bears ongoing injuries as a result of structural racism, genocide and economic inequities, which continue to define housing instability and #homelessness?today.

Meet Jessica Rose, one of the 14 paid Implementation Consultants – all people with lived experience of homelessness – working on implementing MICH’s Crossroads to Justice plan!?? ? Jessica works in community action and has a rich background in research and advocacy. Her comprehensive understanding of housing issues and her personal journey from homelessness to homeownership underscores her commitment to empowering others to achieve self-sufficiency and secure stable housing. She is well-versed in Minnesota landlord-tenant law and the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and has completed extensive training in fair housing, domestic violence, trauma-informed care, and the importance of resiliency. As a single mother of three, Jessica balances her professional life with her personal passions for self-education, local history, and civic engagement. Jessica grew up outside of the metro area and currently lives in a small town in rural Minnesota. Her home is a vibrant, multi-generational space where she lives with her children, mother, nephew, and three cats.? ? “I understand firsthand the struggles faced by survivors of domestic violence. Having experienced homelessness twice with my children due to fleeing domestic violence, I am proud to be working with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety - DPS' Office of Justice Programs (OJP), who understand that securing housing is critical in survivors’ safety and healing. DPS has invited me to Survivors and Housing Workgroup meetings to discuss two essential programs: Domestic Violence Housing First and Transitional Housing for survivors of sexual and/or domestic violence. Through these programs, OJP’s grantees are serving survivors through rental assistance and financial assistance in ways they haven’t been able to before.? The SA/DV Transitional Housing program is designed to meet survivors where they are, having fewer restrictions than many other programs and emphasizing survivor autonomy. DV Housing First has survivor-driven, trauma-informed mobile advocacy, flexible financial assistance, and advocate community engagement. This approach prioritizes survivor choice and recognizes that surviving trauma can be expensive in a variety of ways. The flexible funding can cover costs often excluded from traditional programs.? As a survivor and a service provider, I truly believe the work DPS is doing to ensure that those fleeing violence have safe housing will not only change lives, but save lives as well.”?

Nationally, homelessness increased 18% from January 2023 to January 2024. In #Minnesota, we saw a 9.6% increase in the same timeframe. Even one person being homeless is one too many.? ? In January 2024, MICH kicked off our “Crossroads to Justice” strategic plan to get more people out of homelessness and into the stability of home they deserve. This bold plan – shaped and driven by people with lived experience and staff from across 15 state agencies – aims to reduce the number of children, parents, elders, and neighbors facing homelessness by 15% by 2027.? ? We can end homelessness in Minnesota. This isn’t just possible: it’s necessary. It takes political will and resources. It will take all of us coming together to make this happen.? ? Through the “Crossroads to Justice” strategic plan, the State of Minnesota is prioritizing solutions that have been proven to work to prevent and end homelessness. Shelter saves lives, and housing paired with supports ends homelessness. We will continue to partner with anyone who shares this vision of dignified, data-driven, collaborative actions that bring our neighbors and relatives home.? ? Because we all do better when we all have a place to call home. #endhomelessness #CrossroadsToJustice ???