MINNESOTA AFFORDABLE RENTALS

PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU CONTACT US:

DISCLAIMER

Homeless To Independence Inc. is a 501©3 non-profit organization. We are self supporting and we do NOT receive any government grant funding what-so-ever to pay bills for anyone in any situation. We do not give away money. We do not give out loans against any money.

This ministry is supported with generous financial donations that are used to help keep us functioning. Our purpose is to help supply individuals and families with personal needs such as food, toiletries, clothing, household items and baby/adult diapers/wipes both locally and to areas affected by disasters . At this time, we do not offer any shelter or transitional housing services. Again, we DO NOT pay any bills. We DO NOT pay any rents or mortgages.

If you are actually homeless, or about to be homeless or need emergency assistance of any kind, DIAL “211” from a land-line telephone. This will not work from a cell telephone. Tell the receiver your situation and what you need. They will give you information specific for the location you are currently in plus any referrals you may need. They have the most up to the minute information for your specific area. Dialing “211” will get you help and much more info than this office can provide. Homeless to Independence wants you to have all the information you need to get through the situation you are in.

Don’t have a land-line telephone??? Go to your local police department, library, or house of worship and ask to use their land-line telephone. They may even make the call on your behalf.

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Homeless To Independence Inc. is not responsible for misprints or cancellations of events by the event holders, landlord and/or their agent, or ourselves. Homeless to Independence Inc. also reserves the right to “NOT” offer services to people and/or persons that are rude, unpleasant, and untruthful in any way shape or form, belligerent and the like.

OCCASIONALLY, THERE WILL BE ARTICLES BY OTHER WRITERS. HOMELESS TO INDEPENDENCE MAY NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THEIR VIEWPOINTS, BUT WE DO RESPECT THEM. THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!

OFFICE CONTACT INFO:

HOMELESS TO INDEPENDENCE INC., 201 STATION ROAD #258, QUAKERTOWN, PA 18951

THE VERY BEST WAY TO CONTACT ME IS TO SEND ME AN EMAIL: ANN@HOMELESSTOINDEPENDENCE.ORG

OFFICE NUMBER IS: 1-908-454-1500 LISTEN TO THE RECORDING

Please note that our office does have very limited volunteer staff and if we are one telephone line we cannot answer the other line. There is simply not enough time in the day to answer and/or return each and every telephone call.

THANK YOU!!!

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United Way of Central Minnesota 2-1-1

2-1-1 is a free and confidential way to find out about important health and human services programs in your community. Call 2-1-1 for information about health care, help paying rent and utility bills, transportation services, job training, mental health counseling and much more.

GO TO: http://unitedwayhelps.org/pages/UnitedWay2-1-1/

UPDATED 12-28-16
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03-25-26

Housing Connection – Affordable Housing Resources, News & Events

Legal Resources for Renters Are you a renter with legal questions? Here are some resources: HOMELine HOMELine is a nonprofit statewide tenant advocacy organization. It provides free legal, organizing, education, and advocacy services so that tenants throughout Minnesota can solve their own rental housing problems. LawHelpMN.org This website has answers to legal questions on a variety of rental housing issues in Minnesota. Legal Aid Legal aid specializes in providing professional civil (not criminal) legal help to Minnesotans who cannot afford the services of a private civil attorney. MN Legal Advice If you are a low income renter, their lawyers can help you with your legal questions. Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services (SMRLS) Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services provides free legal representation and advice to low income people in 33 counties of southern Minnesota. Volunteer Lawyers Network For low income people in Minnesota that need help preventing unlawful evictions, getting workers money they are owed, helping parents obtain custody of their children, and more. Don’t Get Scammed We are seeing increased scam attempts on HousingLink. To avoid scams, always do the following when searching for a new home:1. Meet the owner or property manager in person. 2. Tour both the inside and outside of the home to make sure it is a good fit for you. 3. Review the lease terms before agreeing to rent a place or paying any money. 4. Don’t Venmo, Cash App, wire or mail money to anyone until you have met the owner/manager, toured the property inside and out, applied for the apartment, and agreed to lease terms. Learn More About Scam Prevention Here Housing Tip: What to Do When You Don’t Meet a Property’s Income Requirements It is a challenge to find rental housing for someone with a lower-income. Sometimes the rent amount is workable, but the requirement to earn 2 to 3 times the amount of rent means you won’t qualify. Check out this 1 minute video to see how to approach the housing search when you don’t meet the property’s income requirements. Overcome Criminal, Credit, and Rental History Barriers in Your Housing Search with Beyond Backgrounds    Beyond Backgrounds encourages owners/managers of rental property to make an exception to their screening criteria and rent to people with barriers in their background. When an owner/manager rents to someone that purchases Beyond Backgrounds Financial Assurance they get up to $2,000 after the lease ends, beyond what the security deposit covers, if something goes wrong like damage to the unit, unpaid rent, or legal fees. Learn About Beyond Backgrounds Financial Assurance Learn How to Use Beyond Backgrounds Financial Assurance to Overcome Housing Search Barriers Housing News Rental Housing Data shows rise in investors buying Twin Cities rental homes in last 20 years Nearly one in 20. That’s the number of single-family rental homes in the Twin Cities metro now owned by a private investor. (MPR News) Duluth welcomes 90 more affordable housing units Center City celebrated the opening of Wadena West and Welch Place Apartments in Spirit Valley. (Duluth News Tribune) Maplewood: ‘The Waldo’ apartments — with 56 affordable units — opens Residents have begun moving into a new 56-unit affordable apartment project in Maplewood. (Yahoo) Low to moderate income renters in Minneapolis bearing brunt of rising rent prices HousingLink research manager Dan Hylton provides context around Channel 5’s investigation into high Twin Cities rent prices. (KSTP) The Smart Landlord’s Secret to Happier Tenants Turn spring maintenance into a system that reduces costs, prevents emergencies, and keeps tenants satisfied year-round. (Inc. Magazine) Curbing Fees: How States and Cities are Addressing Up-Front Rental Costs In response to these challenges, a growing number of state and municipal governments have passed legislation. (Joint Center for Housing Studies) Homelessness Minnesota Veterans Affairs reports historic low numbers for homeless veterans  According to the department, only 150 veterans remain homeless in Minnesota, a 25% decrease from last year and a 41% decrease from two years ago. The MDVA started monitoring veterans experiencing homelessness in 2015. (KSTP) Motel owners keep guests off the streets with affordable housing: 80% of tenants ‘would be homeless’ otherwise In the 7 years since the Bestuls took over the King Motel, they reported a growing number of guests have taken out extended stays because they didn’t have access to permanent housing. (MSN) What I Am Building For Homeless and At-Risk Teens, and Why This work is rooted in a simple belief: every young person deserves a safe place to land and a real chance to thrive. For homeless and at-risk teens, the challenges go far beyond the lack of stable housing—they often face gaps in support, guidance, and opportunity. (Minnesota Women’s Press) Community Accidental landlords surge as housing stalls A growing number of U.S. homeowners are turning into ‘accidental landlords’ as slowing sales and rising inventory push them to rent rather than sell at lower prices. (MSN) Walz wants counties to oversee social services to better detect fraud. Some counties have concerns. A proposal to phase out contracted case management by 2031 stands to saddle counties with additional expenses. (Star Tribune) See Places that Accept Vouchers! Open Public Housing Waiting Lists!

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ADDITIONAL PLACES TO FIND AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES

IN MINNESOTA…

https://housinglink.org/advancedsearch?id=8243037

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• HUD Resource Locator
• USDA Rural Development Multi-Housing Rentals
• LowIncomeHousing.us
• RentCafe.com

1. SELECT “BROWSING”;
2. SELECT “HOUSING”;
3. CLICK THE “FILTERS” IN THE TOP RIGHT HAND CORNER;
4. SELECT “FOR RENT”, “NO. OF BEDROOMS”, “NO. OF BATHROOMS”,

1. AND SEE WHAT IS AVAILABLE.

UPDATED 05-31-25
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As I search for rentals throughout our state, I look for certain criteria:

1. I have decided to not list so many houses for rent, as apartments, in most cases do include heat. Please keep in mind that winter is at our door-step and the cost of heating is on the rise. The monthly rental may seem a bit higher priced, however, it will be worth it in the long-run.

2. I will not list housing that requires a fee for their service, nor a fee per call. I do agree with a fee, however for the back-ground and/or credit check, THE FEE IS APPROPRIATE, since those companies providing the background check and credit check do charge a fee for their services.

3. I will do my best to keep the maximum rental amount within the cost of living to your area, however, if Section 8 or TRA is accepted the rental amount may be more because there are times when the utilities are included.

4. I will not list without the rental amount included

5. I try not to list rental opportunities that offer “Option to Buy” – I have found that in most of these situations it does not work out properly for either party involved. I am working on a “First Time Home Purchaser” list of programs from throughout the State, that operates in an official capacity to help those that are working so diligently to raise their families and deserve to show something for their hard, hard work.

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WE LEAVE NO STONE UNTURNED WHEN IT COMES TO HELPING OTHERS!!