In This Issue
 
Video Picks
 Watch the presentation for an update on the first year of work on Minnesota's Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness


Hearth Connection
2446 University Ave West
St. Paul, Minnesota 55114


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Legislative Update: Bills Introduced!

 

H4A legislative agenda In this legislative session the Homes for All coalition, which represents over 100 diverse organizations including educators, faith organizations, and community agencies, is advocating for $39 million in strategic investments in housing and services.  Homes for All bills regarding DHS and MHFA programs have been introduced in the House and Senate.  

 

The Homes for All Senate bill regarding homeless service programs was heard in the Health and Human Services Budget Committee last Wednesday and was laid over for possible inclusion in the Senate HHS omnibus bill.  Sue Abderholden, Executive Director of NAMI Minnesota and Hearth Connection Board Member, provided compelling testimony on Housing with Supports for Adults with Serious Mental Illness and the Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services Fund.

 

Hearth Connection is proposing an increase to the base funding for the Long-Term Homeless Supportive Services Fund (LTHSSF). The increase would help address existing gaps in the capacity to serve those currently unserved or underserved in counties and Tribal nations throughout the state. Specifically, the increase in funding would return funding cut previously, cover some of the additional costs involved in providing services due to inflation, expand capacity in the Northeast region, and add to services focused on families as well as provide unique services for capital projects in parts of the Central and West Central regions which are currently not funded by the LTHSSF.  

 

We will continue to work with you, our amazing partners, legislative allies, and the Homes for All coalition throughout this important budget session to promote resources that end homelessness and promote stability for Minnesota's households.  Please support and follow the Homes for All services bills SF551/HF1054, housing bills SF456/HF886, and the LTHSSF bills SF869/HF977.  

 

Please remember that your support is critical to ending homelessness. Contact the legislators in your district and urge them to support the Homes for All agenda and investment in the LTHSSF to promote stability for Minnesota's most vulnerable households.

 

Also, if your organization is not a part of the Homes for All coalition please talk with your leadership about endorsing the campaign


 

Governor Dayton Releases Budget Proposal

At the end of January Governor Dayton released his proposed budget for FY2016-17, marking the first official step in the process to determine Minnesota's next biennial budget.

 

The Governor's budget proposal included an increase of $4.5 million for Housing with Supports for Adults with Serious Mental Illness (HSAMI) for the coming biennium, as well as a $2.5 million increase in BRIDGES (rental assistance for people with serious mental illness) and the reallocation of $350,000 to the Housing Trust Fund. This, along with other proposed increases for mental health programs, is welcome news and will help a great deal if passed.

 

The Governor's budget also included Group Residential Housing (GRH) restructuring/ expansion with the goal of making housing more affordable and allowing flexible services to follow a person with their own home.  The changes would support the Olmstead Plan's housing goal and a priority in the State's Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness.  Estimated costs for the next biennium are $3.1 million and $21.8 million in 2018-19. 

 

Minnesota currently has a projected budget surplus of $1 billion. A major area of investment in the Governor's budget was education; also broadband internet, programs that could provide property tax relief, and transportation were included in the budget at varying levels. Click here to see the full proposal.


New Interactive Data Tool on Our Website  

 

new interactive graphs Hearth Connection is committed to evaluation and continuously exploring new ways to analyze and present data on participant outcomes. We are moving into an exciting new phase where information visualization technology is enabling us to offer a new tool to communicate the data we have collected and provide an interactive format for publicly displaying our data.

 

Please check out the new page on Hearth Connection's website devoted to "visual data." The first interactive dashboards we produced contain general demographics for heads of households who have participated in our supportive housing projects. Results in these graphs are sorted by race or gender and can be filtered further by specific regions, age groups, program status, and whether the participant lives in site-based or scattered site housing.

 

Please take a moment to explore the new dashboards and let us know what you think!

            

Openings at Hearth Connection 

 

Communications Specialist

Hearth Connection announced an opening at the beginning of February for a part-time Communications Specialist. We are seeking a communications professional to join our team and work on an exciting variety of projects including communications planning, design, social media management, and other activities. Please check out the position description and forward this opportunity to friends and colleagues who may be interested.

 

Board of Directors

Hearth Connection is currently seeking individuals to join our Board of Directors as current board members' term limits expire. We are seeking diverse thought leaders who are dedicated to service and innovation to end long-term homelessness. Board appointments are for three-year terms. To learn more about this opportunity please click here and share with your networks.

 

Correction to Previous Newsletter

In our last newsletter we included information on the results of the 2014 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR), a point-in-time count of homelessness conducted in January across the country.  Our newsletter stated Minneapolis/ Hennepin County counted over 2,000 families experiencing homelessness, but it should have read over 2,000 individuals.  We sincerely apologize for this error. 

 

Upcoming Events

Homeless Day on the Hill

The Homeless Day on the Hill is a great opportunity to meet with your legislators and other advocates to talk about housing and homelessness. Hosted by the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless, this year's event will be held on Thursday, March 12.  

 

Registration is free but required by March 1-please click here to learn more and register.

 

Habitat OFF the Hill

Joint the Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to learn more about what is happening at the State Capitol this year and what you can do to help secure funding for housing across Minnesota. This family-friendly event will be held on the evening of March 3 at Habitat offices in St. Paul.  

 

Registration is free but required; please click here to register.

 

Thank you for all that you do.
 
Sincerely,
 
Charlie Cook
Hearth Connection