Applying for help

Families with children under 18 must come in person to apply for emergency help.

Single adults should call 612-596-1300. We can see if we can help you apply over the phone.

It can take up to 30 days to find out if you’re eligible for emergency assistance through Hennepin County.

Calling for questions

Families: 612-596-1900

Singles and adults without children: 612-596-1300

Apply for help at these locations

Central-Northeast Minneapolis

Health Services Building, 525 Portland Avenue, Minneapolis | Map

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

North Minneapolis

Human Services and Public Health Department — North Minneapolis, 1001 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis | Map

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

South Minneapolis

Human Services and Public health – South Minneapolis, 2215 East Lake Street, Minneapolis | Map

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Northwest suburban

Northwest Family Service Center, 7051 Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Center | Map

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

South suburban

VEAP Community Service Center, 9600 Aldrich Avenue, Bloomington | Map

Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

West suburban

Wells Fargo building, 1011 - 1st Street South, Hopkins. | Map

Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

You may be able to get similar help from another homeless prevention program if you’ve used emergency short-term help from the county in the last 12 months or you applied for emergency short-term help from the county but were denied

To get help from these programs, you must meet all three of these conditions:

1. Live in Hennepin County in a home you rent or own, or in someone else’s home for at least three months, or in permanent supportive housing
2. Will lose your home and have no other housing options within 30 days
3. Have extremely low income (for example, less than $1,653 per month for a single person, or less than $2,358 per month for a family of four)

Eligibility for these programs is determined by your residential address. Before you visit one of these organizations in person, call ahead to get information on when you can apply and whether funds are still available for the month. 

Single adults

• Catholic Charities Opportunity Center
  740 E 17th St., Minneapolis, MN 55404
  612-204-8273

Families

• St. Stephen's Human Services
  2309 Nicollet Ave., S. Minneapolis, MN 55404
  612-870-2298

Youth (under 24) and young families 

• YMCA Youth Intervention Services
  2304 NE Jackson St., Minneapolis, MN 55418
  763-493-3052

American Indian families

• Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center
  612-728-2026

Shelter is meant as a temporary, safe place to stay while you are figuring out your next step.

Youth

There are several youth shelters available throughout Hennepin County. Each have their own eligibility and intake process. For information, visit the Youth Services Network.

Adults without children

There’s now a single point of entry for assessment and placement at a shelter. Visit Adult Shelter Connect

Families

If you’re a Hennepin County resident and have tried all other options, shelter may be available. To be placed in a shelter, you must provide your children’s birth certificates and a photo ID for the adult(s). Any income you have will be used to pay for your shelter stay.

For questions, call 612-348-9410. On holidays, weekends, and evenings until 11 p.m., call 211 (mobile: 651-291-0211) and ask for the after-hours shelter team.

Connect with a shelter team member

Face-to-face

The shelter team is located at the Central-Northeast Minneapolis Human Services Center

Health Services Building
525 Portland Avenue, Minneapolis
Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Map

Video conference

To talk via video conference with a shelter team member, families can also visit these locations to ask for shelter.

North Minneapolis

• Human Services and Public Health Department – North Minneapolis, 1001 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis
• Map
• Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

South Minneapolis

• Human Services and Public health – South Minneapolis, 2215 East Lake Street, Minneapolis
• Map
• Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Northwest suburban

• Northwest Family Service Center, 7051 Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Center
• Map
• Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

South suburban

• VEAP Community Service Center, 9600 Aldrich Avenue, Bloomington
• Map
• Hours: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

West suburban

• Wells Fargo building, 1011 - 1st Street South, Hopkins
• Map
• >Hours: Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

If you’re fleeing domestic violence

Call Day One at 1-866-223-1111.

Day One connects you to the closest available domestic violence shelter near you, and all available domestic violence shelters in the state.