MANKATO — Updated homelessness data showed the number of Minnesotans in the south-central and southeastern regions experiencing it stayed relatively steady from before the COVID-19 pandemic to 2023.
Wilder Research typically conducts its Minnesota Homelessness Study every three years, although after 2018 it didn’t release new data until 2023. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or HUD, conducts an annual point-in-time homelessness count.
The two studies intersected in 2018 and 2023, with Wilder documenting a 2.9% increase in the state’s Southeast region and HUD’s numbers staying level during that span. Southeast Minnesota as defined in the studies includes Mankato and Rochester within its 20 total counties — all Region Nine counties in this area are considered part of southeast Minnesota for these purposes.
Wilder’s total for regional homelessness rose from 589 to 606 from 2018 to 2023. HUD’s total went down from 497 to 496.
Non-alignment in the totals can come down to differences in how the two define homelessness and conduct their counts. Each count also merely shows how many people experiencing homelessness could be accounted for in a region and can therefore be seen as a minimum number at the time.
The studies don’t have Mankato-specific data. Local programs serving people in homelessness can provide some clues into how local numbers are trending.
Connections Shelter in Mankato, running seasonally from fall to spring, regularly hit capacity and had a waitlist in recent years. So too did Partners for Housing, which provides a range of shelter, transitional and rental housing units.
The two nonprofits have teamed up to pursue a supportive housing and emergency shelter in Mankato using city, county and state funds. Trellis, the developer lined up for the project, is set to submit an application for state tax credits to support the project on Thursday, confirmed Justin Eilers, Trellis’ vice president of housing development.
Construction on Phase 1, the supportive housing side of the project, likely wouldn’t start until 2025 at the earliest. Phase 2, the emergency shelter, would come later.
In the meantime, Partners’ executive director, Trisha Anderson, said the nonprofit transitioned to set aside one room for use as a drop-in shelter within the last few months. It’s designed for short-term stays, generally three to five days.
A medical situation, waiting on a lease to begin, or just needing a few nights to get your feet under you before your next step are all examples of reasons for needing the drop-in room, Anderson said.
“One lady was stuck in Mankato but wanted to get home to Colorado where family and support are,” she said. “We got her in the drop-in room for a few days.”
Across its various programs, moving someone into a room once someone moves out usually happens within 24 hours, she said. When Partners can’t serve someone, staff refers them to another local organization.
“The needs are always increasing, but the community pulls together with resources to do our best to support members of our community who are unhoused,” she said. “We work strongly with Connections, Salvation Army, CADA and other local organizations to provide additional support and resources.”