Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Douglas County
Bridges Rental Assistance Program
1224 Nokomis St, Alexandria, MN, 56308
(320) 762-3074
propertymgr@douglascountyhra.org
https://www.mnhousing.gov/rental-housing/grant-programs/active-funding/bridges.html
Service Details
Description
Helps people with mental illness avoid homelessness by providing them with temporary rental assistance in their community. This allows people to have housing while they are on a waiting list for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers or other permanent housing subsidy programs. Housing support services are provided to participants through a local mental health authority.
Subsidies are determined by a calculation using gross income. The resident's rent is based on the resident's income.
Funding from the program may be used:
* To pay rent directly to a landlord
* For security and utility deposits
* To pay for the full rent, for up to 90 days, during medical or psychiatric crisis
Features
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Area Served by County
- Douglas County
- Grant County
- Pope County
- Stevens County
- Traverse County
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Specialization
- Mental health
- People with low income
Eligibility
Recipients must:
* Be 18 years of age or over
* Have been diagnosed with a serious mental illness as defined in the MN Comprehensive Mental Health Act
* Have a household income at or below 50 percent of the area median income
Since the program will serve as a transition to a permanent subsidy, program recipients and organizations providing housing will need to follow rules for:
* Provision of income verification
* Leasing procedures
* Federal housing quality standards
* Payment standards limits to cap program rents
Highest priority is given to people residing in an institution (such as a hospital, treatment center, correctional facility, adult foster care or other segregated setting) who will be homeless upon discharge.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Bridges serves:
* Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens and Traverse counties
Application Instructions
Referral to the program must be made by a mental health professional. The program is administered to participants by the local housing agency in communities where eligible applicants live. This program may be full or may have a waiting list.
Area Served
Serving Douglas and Pope counties.
Home Repair Financial Assistance available for Becker, Douglas, Otter Tail, Pope, and Todd counties.
Bridges Rental Assistance serves Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stevens and Traverse counties.
Websites
Phone Numbers
| Type | Number | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Main | (320) 762-3849 |
Last Update
8/6/2024
Other Locations
This provider does not offer this service at other locations.
Other Services or resources
Taxonomy Terms Used: Clicking a taxonomy term from the list below launches a new search.
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BH-0500.3140Homelessness Prevention Programs Definition
Programs that provide financial assistance and supportive services that stabilize households in their current housing or help them to move into new housing without first entering the shelter system or experiencing homelessness. Services may include financial assistance (short or medium-term rental assistance, security or utility deposits, utility payments, moving cost assistance), housing relocation and stabilization services, legal assistance (generally mediation), credit counseling and case management. The goal is to help households resolve their crisis, secure short-term financial or rental assistance as needed, and access ongoing sources of support in the community in order to remain housed. If the individual or family is unable to stay in their existing housing, the prevention program helps the household to find an alternative housing arrangement that is safe, reasonably affordable and adequate.
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BH-3800.7000Rent Payment Assistance Definition
Programs that make rental payments for people who are at risk of eviction without assistance. Also included are rent supplement programs that provide assistance with ongoing monthly rental costs. Rent payment assistance programs may have age, income, disability, need or other eligibility requirements.
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BH-3800.7250Rental Deposit Assistance Definition
Programs that provide cash grants or loans for people who are in the process of acquiring rental housing and who can handle the monthly rental payments, but who do not have the assets to pay the first month's rent, in some cases, the last month's rent, and any security deposits required to move in.
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YF-5000.1100Chronic/Severe Mental Illness Definition
A number of mental or emotional conditions of a seriously debilitating nature which progress or do not respond positively to treatment over a period of time and which require adjustments on the part of the individual and his or her significant others, or long-term medication, to make daily functioning possible.
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YL-3300.4500Low Income Definition
Individuals or families whose annual income is between 150 and 200% of poverty level for their family size.