Rental Help Available In Washington Co. After State Program Ends

WASHINGTON COUNTY, MN — A state-run emergency rental assistance program abruptly ended last week, but help is still available for Washington County residents.

Minnesota housing officials announced Jan. 25 that RentHelpMN would stop accepting applications for assistance three days later with federal funds quickly running out.

State officials ended the program Friday while acknowledging the need for assistance was at its highest point since the program launched in 2021.

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Funding for emergency rental assistance is still available to Washington County residents. The county will continue to offer assistance through the RentHelpMN system despite the state-run program’s recent closure, officials said.

Residents seeking assistance must live in Washington County, have overdue rent and have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic to qualify.

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Applicants must provide their landlord’s contact information, a copy of their lease or rental agreement, a statement showing past-due rent, and income documentation.

Washington County has given out more than $12.2 million in rental assistance to residents since the program was launched in April 2021, according to the program’s data dashboard.

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The county has approved about 61 percent of the 3,763 applications it received, as of Jan. 24.