Help getting into housing — and help staying there
Stable housing is often the foundation everything else is built on. Depending on a client's situation, we help through several different paths into housing — coordinated entry, Section 8, waiver-funded customized living, public housing, or market-rate housing built on a new income — plus move-in assistance and eviction prevention along the way.
Coordinated Entry
Coordinated entry is the county-run system that prioritizes people experiencing homelessness for housing and shelter resources. Each county runs it a little differently, and we help clients navigate their specific county's process:
- Hennepin County — clients generally need to be engaged with a shelter first in order to access coordinated entry.
- Ramsey County — coordinated entry sessions are held weekly at a separate location, open to clients who meet the county's criteria, generally including having experienced homelessness for 12 months or more.
What we help with
- Confirming which county's process applies and what it currently requires
- Connecting clients with shelter when that's a prerequisite
- Getting clients to weekly sessions where those are held
- Following up so a client's place in the system isn't lost
County processes and requirements can change — we always confirm the current rules with the county directly before advising a client.
How it's different from a voucher
With Project-Based Section 8, the rental subsidy is tied to a specific apartment building rather than following the client from unit to unit. Clients apply directly to a property that has Project-Based Section 8 units and meet that property's requirements.
Project-Based Section 8
We help clients identify apartment communities with Project-Based Section 8 units, understand each property's specific requirements, and complete the application.
Integrated Community Supports (ICS)
Integrated Community Supports is housing-based support available to clients who have a qualifying Medicaid waiver. It's offered at certain apartment communities that participate in the ICS program, so eligibility depends both on the client's waiver and on finding a participating building with availability.
What we help with
- Confirming a client has, or helping them apply for, a qualifying waiver
- Identifying apartment communities that currently offer ICS
- Coordinating the application and move-in process
Customized Living
Customized living is a higher level of housing-based support, funded through a Medicaid waiver. We help clients work with their county of financial responsibility to apply for the right waiver and get connected to a customized living setting.
CADI Waiver
For eligible adults under 65 with a qualifying disability, we help identify eligibility for the CADI (Community Access for Disability Inclusion) waiver and support the application for customized living.
Elderly Waiver
For clients 65 and older — including those receiving Social Security — we help identify eligibility for the Elderly Waiver and support the application for customized living suited to their needs.
This support is available whether a client is finishing treatment, currently in treatment, or coming directly off the street after experiencing homelessness — wherever someone is starting from, we help figure out the right next step.
Public Housing
For clients who meet their county's eligibility requirements, we help apply for public housing — housing owned and operated by the local public housing agency, with eligibility and waitlists set by the county a client resides in.
What we help with
- Confirming eligibility requirements for the client's county
- Completing applications and gathering required documentation
- Following up with the housing authority on waitlist status
Employment comes first
ARMHS includes employment readiness support, which is often the first step toward this kind of housing — help building a resume, preparing for interviews, and staying employed once hired.
Regular market-rate apartments
For clients struggling with homelessness who don't fit one of the paths above, we help build toward a regular market-rate apartment — starting with getting an income from a job, since a steady paycheck is what makes a standard lease possible.
Who this can help
Clients who have a place lined up through any of the paths above, but don't have enough saved for the upfront cost of getting the keys.
Emergency assistance for application fees, deposits & first month's rent
Even when housing is available, the upfront cost of moving in — application fees, a security deposit, first month's rent — can be the thing standing in the way. We help eligible clients access county emergency assistance funds to cover these costs, and manage the paperwork and coordination with the county on the client's behalf.
Eviction prevention
For clients facing eviction, we help intervene before it happens. This support is available to clients who qualify with a mental health diagnosis that meets ARMHS requirements — we work with landlords, courts, and county resources to try to keep clients in their homes.
Eligibility
- A qualifying mental health diagnosis, consistent with ARMHS eligibility requirements
- An active or pending eviction situation
- Willingness to work with our team on a plan to stabilize housing