Donor cash that paid immigrants' rent during ICE surge is now slowing
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Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Donations are beginning to slow to some of the mutual aid groups that scrambled to provide rent to immigrant families during Operation Metro Surge.
Why it matters: Breathtaking sums of donated money prevented thousands of immigrants from falling behind on rent, and may be helping hold back a wave of eviction filings.
- Tenant advocates and mutual aid groups say state and local governments must step in to keep that dam from breaking.
"This is not sustainable," Catherine Elliott, co-organizer of the Neighbors Helping Neighbors mutual aid network, told Axios.
- "We've put everything into responding well, but we can't keep responding at this level … Something more is needed."
Stunning stats: Mutual aid groups have likely handed out more emergency rental assistance in three months than Hennepin County budgeted for this year, a survey by Neighbors Helping Neighbors suggests.
- Responding to the survey, 124 entities reported distributing more than $8.6 million as of March 5 — most of it ($7.1 million) to cover rent.
- That extraordinary total doesn't capture all distributed funds. One major fund — from Shir Tikvah synagogue — did not report its rental assistance totals to the survey, and the Wilson Foundation's $3 million matching fund pledge also wasn't explicitly accounted for, Elliott said.
Yes, but: "We have never been able to keep pace with demand," Shir Tikvah fund administrator Jess Markuson told Axios.
- The fund has given about $1 million, mostly for rental assistance — but "we're still helping folks who have January and February rent outstanding," Markuson said.
"There's still a wave building," added Eric Hauge of the tenant advocacy organization HOME Line.
Friction point: Mutual aid providers had hoped Minneapolis leaders would buy time for tenants — and state lawmakers — to cobble together more rental assistance funding by temporarily lengthening the waiting period before an eviction filing from 30 to 60 days.
- But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed that proposal this week, telling Axios it would be irresponsible to allow tenants to rack up an additional month of debt when "there's no promise" state or federal lawmakers would come through with aid.
What we're watching: In the tied Minnesota House, Republican lawmakers made clear this week they wouldn't support a $40 million infusion to local rental assistance programs so long as undocumented immigrants could receive funds.
- The proposal's DFL authors counter that the money would go to landlords, not tenants, under counties' eligibility guidelines.
Between the lines: In eviction cases, "It's always more useful for tenants to have more time before the actual court filing because of just how harmful they are" to a tenant's rental record, Hauge told Axios.
- Hauge doubts the Minneapolis City Council's proposal would've allowed tenants to rack up much more debt. Once an eviction case hits the court system, "a ton" are resolved quickly — often within 25 days, he said.
What's next: Frey has proposed doubling the city's funding for rental assistance to $2 million, which he said would trigger a $1 million match from the Wilson Foundation if the City Council approves.
- If approved, Hennepin County could begin distributing those funds by "early April," according to the mayor's office.
Meanwhile, St. Paul council members will vote next week on a proposal temporarily extending their city's pre-eviction notice period from 30 to 60 days.
- St. Paul officials have already redirected more than $1.4 million in additional funding into the city's rental assistance program.