Nokomis East partners with the PPNA Renter Support Fund
The Nokomis East Neighborhood Association joins forces with PPNA’s Renter Support Fund to offer direct assistance to renters living in the Keewaydin, Minnehaha, Morris Park, or Wenonah neighborhoods
Resources are scarce
Thousands of renters across Minnesota are struggling to pay back $93 million in rent debt. The number of eviction filings has risen drastically since March 2022, reaching two times the standard average rate in March 2023. HOME Line’s tenant hotline is reporting record-breaking numbers of calls about eviction and displacement. And without additional funding at the state level, which has yet to be passed as of March 2023, resources for renters are scarce. If we had any doubt that the housing crisis was in full swing, this is the proof.
Luckily, we can take action to support renters and prevent evictions in our community!
NENA is raising funds to support renters in our community
NENA is excited to be partnering with the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association (PPNA) Renter Support Fund to provide direct assistance to Nokomis East renters.
Starting with our Spring Food Truck Festival on April 22nd, all funds raised at NENA sponsored events in 2023 will be dedicated to this program. Our goal is to provide funding to 20 NENA renters, although with your help, we can reach many more in our community!
Once we have raised funds to support 20 or more renters, PPNA will administer NENA funds through the Renter Support Fund. PPNA has the existing program infrastructure and capacity, and we have the desire to support renters in our community. It’s a winning combination!
If you own a business and would like to sponsor this program please contact our Executive Director, Brandon at brandon.long@nokomiseast.org.
How does the Renter Support Fund work?
The Renter Support Fund seeks to improve housing stability by providing direct assistance to cost-burdened Minneapolis renters.
Renters are eligible for the program if they live in Minneapolis and spend more than 30% of their income on housing costs. The funds that NENA contributes to the program will go exclusively to renters who live in the Keewaydin, Minnehaha, Morris Park, or Wenonah neighborhoods.
Renters apply online during a monthly application period, and PPNA staff select applicants through a randomized lottery. The application and paperwork process are notably low-barrier, and on average, renters receive their payments 18 days after they apply. All renters receive $900, either in three monthly payments of $300 or a one-time payment of $900. Renters do not need to report how they spend the funds, and they do not need to repay the funds.
Since 2019, the Renter Support Fund has funded 490 renters and impacted 1220 individuals. Over 70% of selected renters are BIPOC, and a majority are Black women. You can learn more in the 2022 Renter Support Fund Annual Report.
** NOTE: The Renter Support Fund is closed for the first half of 2023, while PPNA staff work to raise additional funds. The program is anticipated to reopen in July 2023.
PPNA has partnered with other neighborhood organizations in the past. In 2021, the Lyndale Neighborhood supported 12 Lyndale renters, and the Phillips West Neighborhood Association funded 20 renters in their neighborhood. Last year, the Longfellow Community Council contributed over $28,000 to support 32 cost-burdened renters in Longfellow.
I’m a renter. How can I apply?
The Renter Support Fund application is currently closed. PPNA staff anticipate the program will open in July 2023, at which point renters from across Minneapolis, including NENA renters, can apply. Funds that are set aside for NENA renters will likely be available beginning in 2024.
Sign up here to receive emails when the application re-opens.
Click here for the Program Guidelines and how you can apply.