RentHelpMN clearing payment backlog, applications still open

(ABC 6 News) – Minnesota’s pandemic rental assistance program is finally moving past a major backlog in payments.

RentHelpMN is an emergency rent assistance program designed to keep people from being evicted during the pandemic.

Minnesota paid $333 million in rent help through December.

"We have both the combination of having dramatically cleared the backlog of all the claims from spring and summer, not 100 percent, but vastly reduced. and then we’re also just seeing some of the new applications come in for lower dollar amounts," Jennifer Ho, Commissioner of Minnesota Housing, said.

Commissioner Ho said in January we typically see higher rent delinquencies following the holidays.

There has already been an increase in applications this month, with over 3,000 applications submitted in the first six days of January.

Applications are still open.