HousingLink strategically partners with other agencies that serve and reach marginalized communities. In partnership, the projects we work on like Beyond Backgrounds and Housing Hub strive to combat the impacts of inequity and racism. Read our Racial Justice statement.
Build Wealth MN
CAMHI Community Adult Mental Health Initiative (Benton, Stearns, Sherburne, and Wright Counties)
City of Minneapolis
City of St. Paul
Dakota County
Dunbar
Strandness
Family Housing Fund
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Greater MN Housing Fund
Hennepin County
Itasca Consulting Group
JP Morgan Chase
Marshall School of Business, USC
Metropolitan Council
Minnesota Housing
Minnesota Management
and Budget
Orbach Affordable Housing
Ramsey County
Returning Home St. Paul
Sail Property Management and Consulting
Southern MN Regional
and Legal Services
Suburban Area
Continuum of Care
University of Minnesota
Urban Land Institute
Vail
Place
| 1,784,088 | Searches for Affordable Housing | |
| 22,607 | Affordable Vacancies & Waiting List Openings Listed | |
| 3,206,514 | Page Views of Housing Resources | |
| 127,220 | Views of housing authority waiting list status | |
| 153,199 | Visits for subsidized housing information | |
| 6,648 | Views of Voucher Assistance Program information for owners and managers | |
| 6,834 | Listings that would consider a section 8 voucher | |
| 2,973 | Visits for Fair Housing Information | |
| 1,970 | Visits for landlord education on Fair Housing, Preventive Maintenance, Regulations and more! | |
| 28,097,528 | Notifications of housing openings sent via text and email since 2017 |
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Housing access is especially difficult for people with criminal, credit and rental history barriers. Our Beyond Backgrounds program helps provide relief to people with these challenges. For the past 5 years people could only use Beyond Backgrounds by referral.
In 2022 we opened the doors to anyone who needs it! When an owner/manager rents to someone who buys Beyond Backgrounds Financial Assurance, they can draw up to $2,000 above the security deposit to cover damage to the unit, unpaid rent, legal fees, and more.
Over 300 renters have found housing under this new Beyond Backgrounds program model!
Success Stories
"I was having trouble getting accepted to an apartment because I have a low credit score, and even lost my Housing Choice Voucher. However, with Beyond Backgrounds I was able to find a place close to my kid's school and their friends.
My kids and I now have a safe place to live." - I.J.
"I really couldn't have found a place without Beyond Backgrounds." - D.M.
"This is a game changer and it's so important for small landlords like me. I have been hurt by a few tenants doing a lot of damage, and I don't have the extra funds to cover that type of cost. Now, I can rent to people and not have to worry as much about what might happen. I like giving renters a second chance, so this is immensely important for me as a landlord.” - Michelle
Development of Housing Hub continued in 2022. Housing Hub is a service that will transform how low-income renters access housing waiting lists, and how properties manage their waiting lists and fill openings. Housing Hub is now available for properties to add their waitlists!
SIMPLIFYING HOUSING INFORMATIONWe help community leaders, human services professionals, renters, and owners/managers stay informed. Here is the information on which they rely:
These monthly reports are among our most popular published products. In a snapshot, readers get an update on rents, affordability, subsidized housing & more. They help community leaders and citizens understand the state of rental housing in their cities.
View Minneapolis Rental Housing Brief
View St Paul Rental Housing Brief
This monthly e-newsletter is sent to over 2,000 property owners and managers. It features property management tips, upcoming education and networking events, rental housing news, and programs owners and managers can access to improve their properties
and have better renting experiences!
HousingLink is the gold standard for affordable rental housing data in Minnesota. Here are our offerings:
| Allina Health | Metropolitan Council |
| Andersen Corporate Foundation | Minnesota Housing |
| American Heart Association | Minnesota & St. Paul Foundation |
| Bloomington HRA | Minneapolis Public Housing Authority |
| CH Robinson | Otto Bremer Foundation |
| Dakota County | Plymouth HRA |
| Family Housing Fund | Radias Health & Mental Health Resources |
| F.R. Bigelow Foundation | Ramsey County CDBG |
| Google, Inc. (in-kind) | Redmon Law Chartered (in-kind) |
| Hennepin County | Scott County |
| Hugh J. Andersen Foundation | Scott County CDA |
| Initiative Foundation | St. Paul - Returning Home St. Paul |
| Many individual donors | St. Paul Foundation |
| Mardag Foundation | St. Paul Public Housing Agency |
| Margaret A. Cargill Fund of the Minneapolis Foundation | Stearns County |
| McKnight Foundation | Suburban Metro Area Continuum of Care |
| Medica Foundation | Washington CDA |
Katie Topinka
Housing Development Policy Coordinator, City of Minneapolis CPED
Dorine Onyancha
Property Manager/Compliance Specialist, Orbach Affordable Housing Solutions
Michael Grover
Community Development, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (partial year)
Wes Johnson
Loan Portfolio & Servicing Manager, Greater Minnesota Housing Fund
Ellen Sahli
President, Family Housing Fund
Dave Baker
Senior Technical Recruiter, J.P. Morgan Chase
Todd Eatmon
President, Core Living
Summer Jefferson
Housing Tax Credit Supervisor, Minnesota Housing
Tyler Keyes
Housing Program Director, Vail Place
Laura Jelinek
Senior Leadership Attorney: Housing, Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services
Cara Melvin
LISW, Manager, Programs & Ancillary Services, State Court Administrator’s Office, Park Apartment
Terri Smith
Director, Metropolitan Council Housing and Redevelopment Authority
Libby Starling
Director of Community Development and Engagement, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
Sue Speakman-Gomez
President
Josh Dye
Marketing & Innovation Director
Dan Hylton
Research Manager
Boo Segersin
Executive Assistant
FINANCES
HousingLink
1400 Van Buren St NE, Ste 215
Minneapolis, MN 55413
612.522.2500
