Ramsey County HSD lays out funding mix: $19.3M snapshot and braided dollars

Staff presented a revenue pie for Housing Stability showing roughly $19,300,000 in CoC-related and other homelessness-response funds and explained that Ramsey County braids levy, state, local and federal dollars to support prevention, shelter and housing programs.

"Of that pie, approximately 33% of our budget is levy, 28% of our budget is state, 21% the rest is LAHA, and 11% is LHPA, and 7% is federal," Wilkins said. She cautioned that different funding streams carry different eligible uses, timelines and reporting rules, which constrains the department’s ability to move money between parts of the system.

Board members asked how city LAHA dollars interact with county uses; Wilkins said cities control their own LAHA decisions but often consult system-level needs (Heading Home Ramsey) and that cities have used LAHA for shelter and prevention pilots. Wilkins also noted some federal grants require local match and that many provider programs combine federal, state and philanthropic funds to reach full program budgets.

Commissioners pressed for average cost-per-bed estimates; Wilkins said permanent supportive housing is the most expensive funded model and she will provide per-unit dollar figures to the board later.