Rental Assistance Program

The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) was established in 1973 to ensure the availability of decent, safe and affordable housing for low and moderate-income households. To achieve these goals, MHFA is active in housing, establishing state housing policies, and providing technical assistance to housing sponsors.

Minnesota Housing Finance Agency is committed to meeting Minnesotan’s needs for decent, safe, affordable homes and stronger communities.

In 2002, the Minnesota Legislature appropriated funds for the Rental Assistance Program (RAP). RAP is administered by an agency of local government responsible for administering the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program, by self-sufficiency program administrators, for-profit, and not-for-profit owners and developers of multifamily housing who have designated units specifically for qualifying RAP participants.

RAP is a shallow rental subsidy program. Eligibility is based on the income of households or individuals, at the time of initial occupancy does not exceed the maximum household income set forth in the service area of the South Central MN Multi-County HRA (SCMMCHRA). Households or individuals must choose a rental unit that meets Federal Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Housing Quality Standards (HQS).

A Service Provider shall develop and implement a transition plan for each household or individual to assist the household or individual in moving from RAP to self-sufficiency or to a rental assistance program that is not time-limited. RAP is renewable annually for those in compliance with a transition plan.

Funds are appropriated biennially by the Minnesota Legislature and are awarded to qualifying program administrators through the Request for Proposal process.