As part of the Pawlenty Administration's effort to end long-term homelessness in Minnesota, Governor Tim Pawlenty today announced $10 million in state grants to provide supportive housing services for 1,500 Minnesotans. The grants have been awarded to county and tribal groups throughout the state by the Minnesota Department of Human Services in conjunction with its partners, the Minnesota Department of Corrections and the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.
  
"People who experience chronic homelessness need both support services and affordable housing," Governor Pawlenty said. "In many cases, they cannot get or keep housing because they need support services or they cannot take advantage of services, such as mental health or chemical dependency treatment, because they lack stable housing.  The services funded by these grants will help us end long-term homelessness in our state."

Minnesota's business plan to end long-term homelessness by 2010 is a reform-based effort that includes all levels of government, private sector developers and businesses, nonprofit organizations and charities, and faith-based organizations. Governor Pawlenty presented the plan at the White House in April 2004 and it has been lauded as a national model reflecting multi-disciplinary, multi-sector, and multi-jurisdictional strategies for action. The effort is headed by the Commissioners of Human Services, Corrections and Housing Finance Agency.  

The grants announced today will help provide a spectrum of services for Minnesotans who face mental illness, chemical dependency, domestic abuse, brain injuries and criminal histories among other complex issues that contribute to long-term homelessness. The services, which complement more traditional "mainstream services," include:

- Independent living skills
- Chemical and mental health care
- Domestic abuse counseling
- Parenting classes
- Benefit assistance to guide clients through the application process for various financial  programs, such as Social Security and Medical Assistance
- Assistance to veterans in accessing veterans benefits and services
- Criminal justice resolution, diversion and re-entry services.

"At last count, approximately 3,300 Minnesotans, including 500 children, were experiencing long-term homelessness," Minnesota Housing Finance Agency commissioner Tim Marx said. "These grants will allow counties and tribes to provide the supportive services needed to help these people find and ultimately maintain supportive housing."

The two-year grants were awarded to 37 counties and six tribal reservations in these areas:

- South/Southeast: $1.75 million for services in Blue Earth, Brown, Dodge, Freeborn, LeSueur, Nicollet, Olmsted, Rice, Sibley, Steele, Waseca and Watonwan counties
- Northwest: $1.7 million for services in Becker, Beltrami, Cass, Hubbard, Mahnomen and Polk counties, and on the Red Lake, Leech Lake and White Earth reservations
- Northeast: $1.5 million for services in Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake and St. Louis counties, and on the Bois Forte, Fond du Lac and Grand Portage reservations
- Southwest: $44,000 for services in Cottonwood, Jackson, Nobles, Pipestone and Rock counties
- Twin Cities metro area: $5 million for services in Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott and Washington counties.

The supportive services grants are part of the Minnesota Business Plan to End Long-Term Homelessness, which calls for creating an additional 4,000 supportive housing opportunities throughout the state.