The Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) is seeking Letters of Interest (LOIs) from qualified nonprofit organizations interested in administering Emergency Rental Assistance using Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA) funds from the State of Minnesota.
Purpose
The purpose of this funding is to provide short-term emergency rental assistance to income-eligible households experiencing housing instability.
Eligible Applicants
- Nonprofit organizations in good standing with the Minnesota Secretary of State that have managed emergency rental assistance funding in the last 3 years.
- Must have the capacity to manage public funds, comply with State requirements, and report on program outcomes.
- Priority will go to organizations that have been awarded previous Federal, State, or Local funding, and/or that are able to deploy funds quickly into the community.
Guidelines
State funds are restricted to households making 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) with a priority for households at or below 50% AMI. Households must be located within Bloomington.
2025 income limits by household size
| Number of people in household |
|---|
| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|
| 50% of AMI | $46,350 | $53,000 | $59,600 | $66,200 | $71,500 | $76,800 | $82,100 | $87,400 |
|---|
| 80% of AMI | $72,950 | $83,400 | $93,800 | $104,200 | $112,550 | $120,900 | $129,250 | $137,550 |
|---|
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Funds for up to 3 months of late rent can be distributed per family, and up to 6 in certain extenuating circumstances. Up to 15% of awarded funds can be used for navigation and service delivery. Administrative costs are not eligible.
Final program design and funding amounts will be determined in coordination with the selected organization(s). Payments will be issued on a reimbursement basis. All backup documentation must be submitted with each payment request. Funding will be subject to oversight and monitoring.
Letter of Interest Requirements
Letters should be no more than 2 pages and include:
- Primary contact information.
- A brief description of the organization’s experience administering emergency rental assistance in the past 3 years.
- A bulleted list of Federal, State, Local, or other public funds awarded to the organization in the last 3 years and their use.
- Approximate timeline from contract execution to being able to distribute funds.
- An estimated number of households the organization would be able to serve in a 30-day period if funds were available.
Program guidelines should be attached to the Letter of Interest (e.g. required documentation, screening process, etc.).
Timeline
- LOIs Due: Sunday, February 8, 2026
- Anticipated Selection Notification: February 11, 2026
- Program Start: Upon contracting
Submission Instructions
Letters should be emailed to Sarah Abe, HRA Administrator, at seabe@bloomingtonmn.gov with the subject line: LOI – Emergency Rental Assistance ORGANIZATION NAME.
Questions
Questions regarding this call may be directed to: Sarah Abe, HRA Administrator seabe@bloomingtonmn.gov; 612-523-5662
The HRA reserves the right to request additional information, negotiate program details, and select one or more organizations based on community need and organizational capacity. Submission of a Letter of Interest does not guarantee funding.
We appreciate your interest in supporting housing stability for residents in our community.
