Our teams work in collaboration to create system-wide change.
Since 2020, the Housing and Economic Development team has financed 267 units for people experiencing chronic homelessness through our Supportive Housing Strategy. People access these units via referrals through the Hennepin County Coordinated Entry system.
Our local Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) administrator, Institute for Community Alliances (ICA) has worked to refine and focus our reporting capability. This ensures we are able to pull accurate data from HMIS, which leads to more nimble decision making and enables us assess our community’s needs.
Housing-focused case management staff in Hennepin County reach out to people across the community, wherever they are, and work as partners to support people experiencing homelessness in meeting their housing goals. People who are chronically homeless face significant barriers and setbacks, which can make navigating the system more difficult. We know that part of supporting people into housing requires earning their trust, and identifying when they’re ready to move forward.
Staff have resources to address many types of barriers to housing, and to ensure housing will be sustainable, such as:
- Connecting the person to resources, such as vital documents, legal system navigation, health care and benefits
- Supporting the person in creating and achieving their housing goal plan, which includes pursuing all available and appropriate options
- Finding the right kind of housing to meet the person’s financial, physical and other needs, including group housing, single room occupancy options or market rate apartments, using Coordinated Entry resources as needed
- Accessing community-based flexible fund resources