Helping Hmong Homeless in Minnesota

Are you interested in helping the homeless Hmong in Minneapolis? Following a recent meeting on Friday, July 15th among concerned community organizations, including the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans and Mary's Place, the good news is that there are only 26 families that are still living in the shelters.

In the short-term, what is needed most at this point are affordable apartments, preferably in Minneapolis or St. Paul near public transit that these Hmong families can move to sustainably and still afford to feed and clothe their children.

If you know someone who is a landlord with an affordable apartment available within the next two months, please contact the Council on Asian Pacfic Minnesotans at 651.296.0538 or Kao.Ly.Her@state.mn.us as soon as possible and mention that you would like to help with the Hmong homeless situation.

Potential landlords do not have to be Hmong, but experience and familiarity with Hmong tenants with limited English and an understanding of refugee needs and fluency in Hmong will be extremely helpful.

The City Pages has an article from January, 2006 that provides a relatively good briefing of what happened when this issue first emerged: