SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the City of Saint Paul and the Saint Paul Public Schools announced the launch of the Families First Housing Pilot. The program will provide a $300 monthly rent supplement to families with children in Saint Paul Public Schools, in addition to ongoing housing support services for up to three years.
“Safe, stable housing for every child in our community is vital,” said Mayor Melvin Carter. “Our Families First Housing Pilot provides critical resources to realize this vision, so families and their children can thrive.”
“Keeping students in their homes and their schools is vital for their future success,” said Dr. Joe Gothard, Saint Paul Public Schools Superintendent. “I am pleased the City of Saint Paul heard the needs in our schools and was a willing and able partner to respond to those needs.”
Participating schools include these Achievement Plus and Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood sites:
- Benjamin E. Mays IB World School
- Jackson Elementary School
- Maxfield Elementary School
- Dayton’s Bluff Achievement Plus Elementary
- John A. Johnson Achievement Plus Elementary
- Saint Paul City School
- Saint Paul Music Academy
Families are eligible if they:
- Have at least one Pre-K to 3rd-grade student enrolled in a participating Saint Paul Public School;
- Have income at or below 30% Area Median Income (AMI) which is a household income of $30,000 for a family of four;
- Are not receiving another housing subsidy; and
- Pay 40% or more of their income for rent
Applications will be accepted on a referral-only basis by designated staff members at each participating school.
The rent subsidy will be administered by the Saint Paul Public Housing Agency, and supportive services will be provided by the Community Stabilization Project, Saint Paul City School in partnership with Model Cities, Neighborhood House, Wilder Foundation and YWCA Saint Paul.
The program is funded with $3 million from the Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority’s Housing Trust Fund and will support up to 250 families for up to three years. Additional funding is provided by the Family Housing Fund, McKnight Foundation, Pohlad Foundation, and Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation.
To learn more, visit stpaul.gov/FamiliesFirst.