'Historic' Funding Hikes Kick in to Reduce Youth Homelessness in Minnesota

By Kelly Smith Star Tribune

Youth homelessness programs in Minnesota are receiving unprecedented increases in state funding starting this month following a session in which the Legislature nearly tripled spending over the next two years.

Lawmakers approved $41.5 million for the Homeless Youth Act state fund — $30 million more than the last biennium and the largest increase since funding began more than 15 years ago.

"It's historic," said Beth Holger, CEO of the Link, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit that provides housing, shelter and programs for sexually exploited teens and young adults.

Nonprofits had urged the DFL-controlled Legislature and Gov. Tim Walz to increase state funding for a growing number of Minnesotans in need of housing assistance. The boost in funding for youth homelessness was part of a broader increase in state aid for homeless services for adults and families, which Matt Traynor of the Minnesota Coalition for the Homeless attributed to the diverse Legislature and the state's $17.5 billion surplus.

"The state really stepped up," he said. "This is by far the most the state has ever invested in homelessness."

For instance, the state Office of Economic Opportunity is receiving $245.6 million to address homelessness, which includes the added funding for the Homeless Youth Act. That's nearly $200 million more than the previous biennium and will increase youth housing, shelter beds and prevention efforts, said Tikki Brown, assistant commissioner of Children and Family Services at the Department of Human Services (DHS).

"With these investments, we're really building on an infrastructure that can really help provide the supports that people need," Brown said. "It's been many years of slow growth and just barely keeping up — and most often, not keeping up — with the needs of our homeless population, so this is really giving us a good leg up."