
Direct Housing Assistance Program
Get financial help to pay your home's rent or mortgage
Wilder's Direct Housing Assistance Program provides financial relief for you and your family, allowing you to focus on your self-identified goals and prevent your household from entering a crisis. Upon approval of the application and supporting documents, Wilder sends direct payments to your landlord or mortgage company on your behalf for up to 12 months, paying a maximum of $3000.00 in financial assistance ($350 for the first 6 months, $200 for 3 months, and $100 for 3 months).
The Direct Housing Assistance Program is currently available to all existing Wilder clients and participants. Translation services are available upon request (email dha@wilder.org).
If you are a current Wilder client or participant and want to apply to join the Direct Housing Assistance Program:
- Contact your Wilder provider for more information
- Send an email to dha@wilder.org requesting additional information OR
- Keep scrolling and apply online here!
☰On This Page
Read Program Eligibility & Expectations Before You Apply
Check Program Eligibility Requirements
- You or your family member is a current client or participant in a Wilder service or program when you apply.
- You currently rent at market rate or are a homeowner with your name listed on the mortgage deed.
- You are not receiving housing subsidy like Section 8, government/public housing, Common Bond, etc.
- You have not participated in this or any mortgage or rental assistance housing programs at Wilder in the past 12 months.
- You are able to provide required, supporting documents like identification for all adult (18+) household members, lease or mortgage deed, income verification and COVID-19 employment impact statement from employer.
- You have not been employed by Wilder in the past 90 days. Current Wilder employees are not eligible to apply.
- You meet yearly income guidelines by household size. Your household's combined income requirement include but is not limited to wages/earned income, self-employment, child support, SSI/SSDI/RSDI, retirement, MFIP.
Check Yearly Income Guidelines by Household Size
Household Size | Income range (per year) |
---|---|
1 | $14,830 - $52,850 |
2 | $17,650 - $60,400 |
3 | $20,470 - $67,950 |
4 | $23,290 - $75,500 |
5 | $25, 570 - $81,550 |
6 | $27,820 - $87,600 |
7 | $30,100 - $93,650 |
8 | $32,350 - $99,700 |
(Adjusted FY2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines at 80%)
Check Program Expectations
- You are encouraged, but ARE NOT required to continue engaging and/or participating in services with the referring program to be eligible to receive financial assistance through this program.
- You are expected to maintain and/or increase their existing income prior to program exit.
- You must remain in your current housing placement at program entry unless you unable to due to a safety hazard being presented.
- You are expected to remain lease abiding as articulated in original lease terms and, expectations.
Applications that meet the program requirements, and are accompanied by the required documentation, will be entered into a lottery. Applicants will be notified in writing of the status of their application within thirty (30) days via United States Postal Services.
Apply for Wilder's Direct Housing Assistance Program
Before you start on your application, please:
- Take Your Time: This application will take a minimum of 30 minutes to complete; please give yourself sufficient time to complete the entire application as you are unable to save any information and return at a later time.
- Have Supporting Documents Ready: To complete this application you will need to upload the following documents; photo identification (state/government issued identification), housing verification (lease, mortgage purchase deed, etc), and income verification (paystubs, receipts, 2019 income taxes for self-employed).
Click the button below to start your application. When you are done, please be sure to click "Submit My Application" for it to be sent to Wilder. If you have any questions and/or concerns along the way, please email us at dha@wilder.org.
The initiative is just one way that Wilder provides responsive services with and for clients even when many funding streams have specific requirements for how services are delivered. I’m excited about the commitment of Wilder and the community to continue finding ways to serve the needs of whole families.
Family Stability through Wilder's Supportive Housing Programs & Services


From Homelessness to Housing, Families Achieve Stability through Self-Determination and Community Support
Once a family faces eviction or experiences homelessness in the Twin Cities, how do they eventually find a home? With community support from counties, shelters ... Read the article »
Saint Paul Mother Finds Stability After Experiencing Homelessness: I Am Feeling Awesome These Days
What does it take to live a stable life? For Saint Paul Promise Neighborhood resident Barbara Lewis, the answer has three parts: “Home, kids and career – if you have those three things and you’re happy with them, then everything goes smo...More about this story »