The Washington County CDA provides help with housing costs to monthly average of over 725 families through a variety of state and federal programs. The programs we operate are listed below. At this time, many of these programs are not accepting new applications due to a lack of program funding.
The new Bring It Home rental assistance program is described below. Please scroll down this page.
The Housing Choice Voucher program is the federal government’s major program for assisting very low-income families, individuals, the elderly, and the disabled to access affordable housing in the private market. The CDA administers this federal program for all of Washington County with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
If determined eligible, participants are able to find their own housing, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments. The participant’s rent is based on their household income and the amount of subsidy allowed by the program. The program provides rental assistance — the difference between the participant’s rent portion and the contract rent. The rental assistance is paid by the CDA directly to the property owner. The assistance is transferable to other rental units and moves with the participant so long as the participant remains eligible and has not violated any program rules.
Bring It Home is a new Minnesota initiative with funding that was approved in 2023 the Minnesota State Legislature. The program provides rent vouchers to low-income, cost-burdened households. To qualify for assistance, participants must be Minnesota residents, be paying more than 30% of gross income toward rent, have gross income under 50% of Area Median Income (AMI), with priority going to families making 30% or less of AMI. Preference will be for families with children 18 and younger.
The CDA will be partnering with the following agencies to provide referrals to the program in Washington County:
We currently own and operate 40 apartment units in Forest Lake. Qualifying individuals pay up to 30% of their adjusted monthly income for rent. Because assistance is tied to the unit and not to the renter, this type of assistance can’t be transferred. If a participant moves, they lose their assistance.
The Earning Power Program, also known as the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program, is a voluntary initiative offered to families and individuals who are currently receiving rental assistance through Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Public Housing, Family Unification Program (FUP), Mainstream, and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH). The program is designed to support participants in enhancing their financial circumstances by promoting financial stability and independence.
This program provides housing for individuals and families of individuals who have a serious and persistent mental illness. Participants pay up to 40% of their gross monthly income for rent. Participants must be diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness.
