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Residents in front of their home in Saint Paul, Minnesota
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Direct Housing Assistance Program

Financial help to pay home rent or mortgage for Wilder clients, participants and their families

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Wilder's Direct Housing Assistance Program provides financial relief for you and your family, allowing you to focus on your self-identified goals and prevent your household from entering a crisis. Upon approval of the application and supporting documents, Wilder sends direct payments to your landlord or mortgage company on your behalf for up to 12 months, paying a maximum of $3,000 in financial assistance ($350 for the first 6 months, $200 for 3 months, and $100 for 3 months).

Applications for Direct Housing Assistance are temporarily paused. Please check back for updates about when the applications reopen. 

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About the Direct Housing Assistance Program

How the Direct Housing Assistance Program works:

  1. You're eligible to apply as a Wilder client/participant OR if your family member (parent, grandparent, child or sibling) is also enrolled in Direct Housing Assistance Program 
  2. Contact your Wilder provider for more information on this program OR send an email to our Direct Housing Assistance Team at dha@wilder.org. Translation services are available.
  3. We'll provide and navigate the program details with you and answer any questions you may have about the program, process, or types of supporting documentation you'll need to apply.
  4. You can then apply online or in-person with our team. Just let us know what you prefer.
  5. Once approved, we will set up and start sending direct payments to your landlord or mortgage company.

We are temporarily unable to accept applications for Direct Housing Assistance.

Please stay tuned for updates about when the application reopens. Contact dha@wilder.org for more information.

When COVID affected finances, Direct Housing Assistance helped Pam’s family avoid crisis

Pam and her husband are homeowners with a large family. They were greatly affected when the COVID-19 pandemic arrived and their work hours were reduced. Wilder staff worked with Pam through a challenging process to ensure she could obtain housing assistance, paid directly to her mortgage company, giving the family some breathing room in their budget during a tough time.

“The relief Pam showed gave us a greater appreciation for Direct Housing Assistance, and the big picture of how families’ lives can transform with this 12-month program,” says Antonia, who manages special initiatives in Wilder’s supportive housing services.

The initiative is just one way that Wilder provides responsive services with and for clients even when many funding streams have specific requirements for how services are delivered. I’m excited about the commitment of Wilder and the community to continue finding ways to serve the needs of whole families.

Nona Ferguson, Vice President, Economic Stability and Aging Services

Meet the Direct Housing Assistance Program Team

Antonia Coleman

Senior Program Manager - Special Initiatives, Supportive Housing Services

Joela Davis

Housing Case Manager - Special Initiatives, Supportive Housing Services

Family Stability through Wilder's Supportive Housing Programs & Services

Tonya B. outside the townhouse she found while a participant in Wilder's housing services

Tonya’s family creates a stable life with Wilder's housing services

Tonya B. and her teenage son stayed wherever they could before they were accepted into a Wilder supportive housing service for working families who were experiencing homelessness. Tonya, who also has two adult children and a grandchild, ...More about this story »

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