County plans $2M LAHA boost and cites $5M FHPAP to expand eviction prevention

Director Wilkins said beginning in 2027 Ramsey County will add $2,000,000 of Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA) to expand eviction‑prevention work in eviction court and related housing supports. "Beginning in 2027, Ramsey County is making a significant investment of an additional 2,000,000 of their LAHA funding to expand eviction prevention and housing support," Wilkins said.

Wilkins also said the county will pair that LAHA investment with an additional $5,000,000 in FHPAP (Family Homelessness Prevention Assistance Program) funds to support broader prevention, be used across bundling efforts, and to provide light‑touch case management. She cautioned that bundling—combining multiple funding sources to resolve a household's crisis—can stretch dollars but also signals larger arrears and rising rents that make each case more expensive. Commissioners asked for follow‑up RBAs to show year‑by‑year accounting of LAHA and how grant timing affects the department's budget lines.