Ramsey County outlines housing-stability priorities, staff and role in homelessness response

Director Wilkins opened the Ramsey County workshop by framing the Housing Stability Department's role in the county's homelessness response and listing the department's strategic priorities: alignment, equity and collaboration.

"We are a small but mighty team. There's only 33 of us on the team," Wilkins said, and described a split between planning functions (strategy, grant oversight, data) and operations (access, prevention, diversion, shelter coordination). Wilkins emphasized that HSD’s work spans prevention through supportive housing and that not every county responsibility is covered by federal Continuum of Care (CoC) funding.

Wilkins said the department focuses on ensuring individuals and families move through the system to housing stability, coordinating with Ramsey County Community and Economic Development (CED) on affordable-housing planning and working closely with contracted providers through Heading Home Ramsey.

Board members asked about staff roles and program examples during the presentation; Wilkins introduced several staff who work on operations and planning and said the department is using new local affordable housing aid and other one-time resources while also navigating rising demand and shifting funding environments.

The workshop continued to a discussion of program types, funding composition and targeted system changes intended to improve access and shorten pathways to housing.