News 9/23/20:
COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program opens to help with housing expenses
Minnesota’s COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program has opened to cover housing expenses such as rent, mortgage, utilities or other housing-related costs. This program will help keep folks in their homes and maintain housing stability for eligible renters and homeowners in communities across the state.
People in Minnesota interested in applying for assistance can call the Greater Twin Cities United Way’s 211 Resource Helpline at 651-291-0211, visiting 211unitedway.org or texting “MNRENT” or “MNHOME” to 898-211. The 211 Helpline has dedicated multilingual staff to answer questions about the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
For questions regarding the application process, check the COVID-19 Housing Assistance Program frequently asked questions.
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Learn more about federal paid sick leave for COVID-19
In addition to the City’s Sick and Safe Time ordinance, the U.S. Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ensures that workers are not forced to choose between their paychecks and the public health measures needed to combat COVID-19.
In general, employees of private sector employers with fewer than 500 employees, and certain public sector employers, are entitled to (up to) two weeks (of fully or partially paid) sick leave for COVID-19 related reasons. Additional partially paid leave is available to care for a child, including during school closure or virtual learning. Private employers that have fewer than 500 employees are reimbursed with tax credits for the cost of providing their employees with paid leave.
For more information, call 1-866-4-US-WAGE and check out the following resources: informational video, eligibility tool, poster and FAQs.
State executive order suspending evictions extended until Oct. 12; rental assistance available through Hennepin County
The governor’s latest extension of the peacetime emergency means that the suspension of evictions and landlord-initiated lease terminations remains in place until Oct. 12.
This suspension will allow households to remain sheltered during the peacetime emergency. The executive order does not relieve a tenant’s obligation to pay rent.
While the eviction moratorium continues, housing providers can evict a tenant when the tenant violates a lease by endangering the safety of others, engaging in certain illegal activities, or significantly damaging property. Evictions can also proceed if the homeowner or their family member needs to move into the premises or if a writ of recovery was issued prior to March 24 at 5 p.m.
Emergency rental assistance
Hennepin County offers emergency rental assistance for residents with low incomes who have been financially harmed by COVID-19. Residents can learn more and apply at www.hennepin.us/rent-help and find more information here:
Please read the latest information to neighbors on COVID-19 from KFNA.
Se puede leer la información última acerca de COVID-19 de Kingfield Neighborhood Association.
KFNA COVID-19 Letter 03-24-20 Español 7
The following resource list was put together by the University of Minnesota Medical School Program in Health Disparities Research. As in previous health emergencies, this crisis will disproportionately impact communities most marginalized by structural, social and economic inequities. It is broken up into useful topics including, in part, Food & Utilities, Families & Education, Employment, Housing, and Finances. It is a working document and will be updated as additional resources are identified.
Kingfield volunteers have been hard at work helping KFNA by compiling data to share with their neighbors adjusting to this new quarantine. This includes the chart below with details for all our local and loved Kingfield restaurants and cafes, including their adjusted hours, delivery and pick-up opportunities, and online gift-card purchase links. Thanks to neighbors Sara Kelly and Evan Bretzman for collaborating to create this information together.
You can continue supporting our small business community by purchasing gift cards at our local businesses, ideally over the phone or online. It is an easy way to support them with critical cash flow during this crisis, allowing you to redeem them later when the virus spread has subsided.
Also, here is a comparison of grocery pick-up and delivery options. Thanks to neighbors Amy Opseth and Brad Hilsabeck for collaborating to create this chart.
As our situation changes and grocers options change, if you see updates that need to be made to this chart please contact info@kingfield.org.
Also: If you are looking for ways to help in the community please visit this link of local nonprofits working on the front lines of helping to feed and support individuals and families in this time. Thank you volunteer Brad Hilsabeck for helping KFNA compile this list!
Boomerang Bag Sewists have Switched Gears and are now Sewing Face Masks: as of 4/7/2020, volunteers have delivered 240 masks of 939 requests.
We need more Sewists! Kingfield Boomerang Bags and Boomerang Bags Minneapolis have set two online forms: One for Clinics to request masks, and one for Sewists (Sewing+Activists) to request supplies and arrange for the pick-up of completed masks to the clinics.
Clinics Sign up Here! If your clinic (not for individuals) needs homemade masks, please let our volunteer sewists know here: https://bit.ly/MasksforHealthClinics.
Sewists Sign Up Here! If you are sewing masks, and need supplies or need to have completed masks picked-up please use this link. Please place masks in a plastic bag and write the number of masks on the bag in Sharpie (so they don’t have to be recounted). bit.ly/MaskPickUp
Visit here for more information for Sewists, including patterns.
Related Blog Posts
- Current COVID-19 Information (9/23/2020)
- Make a Voting Plan, Kingfielders! (9/11/2020)
- Although SOME Polling places are changing due to pandemic, ALL Kingfielders STILL vote at MLK PARK (7/15/2020)
- Revised 2020 Budget: Public Hearings Scheduled for July 14 and 22 (7/14/2020)
- Minneapolis Public Schools Extends Free Meals to Children through August 21 (7/13/2020)
- Keeping Children Fed This Summer (7/6/2020)
- Free COVID-19 Testing (6/22/2020)
- What is one thing you are going to do to create the more equitable and just city that we all desire? (6/18/2020)
- Looking for Ways to Help Our City & Community? (5/29/2020)
- Free COVID-19 Testing this Weekend (5/23/2020)
- Grocery Distribution Event for All Households In-Need (5/12/2020)
- Still Sewing Masks? Help the Boomerang Sewists Help Local Healthcare Workers! (4/30/2020)
- DEED begins making Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) payments to self-employed & independent contractors (4/28/2020)
- Boomerang Bag Sewists have delivered 1720 masks to local clinics (4/28/2020)
- 2020 Census (4/23/2020)
- City of Minneapolis Housing Gap Fund Opens at 9 AM Today (4/22/2020)
- Did you know, that when you speak to the TREES they speak back to YOU? (4/19/2020)
- Minneapolis $3 Million Housing Gap Funds (4/18/2020)
- Do You Need Help Paying your Energy Bill? (4/16/2020)
- Grocery Distribution Event for All Households In-Need (4/16/2020)
