In its sixth year, the City of Minneapolis, alongside school and community partners, announced that the Stable Homes Stable Schools initiative (SHSS) has provided housing stability as a pathway for school success for more than 6,700 Minneapolis students. With single-parent households representing 81 percent of families served by the program and BIPOC families representing more than 90 percent, this innovative initiative underscores the City’s commitment to investing in equitable housing solutions that provide the foundation kids need to thrive.
"We launched Stable Homes Stable Schools with a simple belief: that no child should have to worry about where they're sleeping at night to succeed during the day,” said Mayor Jacob Frey. “Years later, the results are clear—this program is working. Families are staying housed, kids are staying in school, and Minneapolis is stronger for it. This is what happens when city, school, and community partners come together and stay committed."
SHSS is a collaboration between the City of Minneapolis, the Pohlad Family Foundation, Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), the YMCA of the North, Hennepin County and Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. Since its inception, the program has helped more than 2,400 families since 2019.
“Stable Homes Stable Schools is a crown jewel among MPHA programs,” said Abdi Warsame, Executive Director/CEO of the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. “It epitomizes what is possible through the power of partnership, and I thank Mayor Frey for his continued leadership in supporting Stable Homes Stable Schools. We hope to continue the critical work of ending student homelessness in Minneapolis with this new funding.”
SHSS Funding
At a news conference in the library of Nellie Stone Johnson Elementary, where the program has helped 363 students, the City reaffirmed its ongoing commitment of $2.2 million to the SHSS program, with an additional $1.4 million in the mayor’s budget for 2026. Hennepin County also received a two-year Homework Starts at Home grant of $855,000 from Minnesota Housing to support the effort. MPS runs the SHSS program with six site-based staff members that work directly with the elementary schools with highest levels of homelessness.
“Last school year, our staff identified more than 3,000 students who experienced homelessness at some point during the school year, or about 9 percent of the student body,” said MPS Superintendent Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams. “The Stable Homes Stable Schools program provides access to an essential foundation for learning: a safe and stable place to call home each night.”
“Stable Homes Stable Schools is an incredible program that stabilizes students and their families who are experiencing or on the cusp of homelessness, giving folks a chance to get back on their feet,” said City Council Member Jeremiah Ellison, who represents ward 5 where Nellie Stone Johnson is located. “As we navigate an unpredictable federal government that continues to slash funding for housing and schools, we need to meet this moment as local elected officials and bolster this program. We owe it to families to continue this investment because housing stability can lead to better educational outcomes and have lifelong impacts on our students.”
Elements of SHSS
There are two types of rental assistance provided through the SHSS program:
- Housing placement and support helps place and sustain families of elementary students experiencing homelessness into safe, stable, and permanent affordable housing. With the expansion, the 24 eligible schools are: Anishinabe Academy, Bancroft Elementary, Bethune Arts, Bryn Mawr Elementary, Cityview Elementary, Ella Baker Global Studies and Humanities, Emerson Dual Language, Folwell Elementary, Green Central Dual Language, Hall STEM Academy, Hmong International Academy, Jenny Lind Elementary, Lake Nokomis (Keewaydin & Wenonah), Las Estrellas Dual Language, Loring Elementary, Lucy Craft Laney Elementary, Lyndale Elementary, Marcy Arts, Nellie Stone Johnson Elementary, Pillsbury Elementary, Seward Montessori, Sullivan STEAM, Webster Elementary, Whittier Elementary
- Housing Stabilization helps prevent homelessness by assisting families at risk of eviction or other loss of housing.
- All 43 MPS elementary schools are eligible.
- This is funded by Hennepin County’s investment in Local Homeless Prevention Aid, City of Minneapolis and Pohlad Family Foundation.
“The YMCA of the North looks forward to continuing our services with community partners to support the wellbeing of all students and families through the Stable Homes Stable Schools Program,” said Matt Smith, executive director of YMCA Youth and Family Services. “We are committed to providing services that uplift and enable families to make strong choices when it comes to housing stability.”
For families in immediate need of eviction prevention resources, please reach out to these resources:
- Legal Help: HomeLine - 612-728-5767
- Eviction Prevention Resources: Tenant Resource Connections, 612-767-9737
- SHSS Housing Stability Fund for those with a student currently enrolled at a current SHSS school site: shss@mpls.k12.mn.us