Housing Support Program (HSP): Overview

The Housing Support Program (HSP) helps pay for room and board in authorized locations for people with low income who have disabilities or other conditions. HSP may also help pay for additional services if you are not eligible for MA-Waiver programs or personal care assistance (PCA) services through MA.

You can apply for HSP online using MNbenefits or fill out the Combined Application Form and turn it in to your county or tribal human services office. Note on your application that you are requesting HSP and the name, address, and telephone number of the location where you plan to live. If you do not mention that you are applying for HSP, the county may not check if you are eligible.

This page has videos and information that introduce HSP eligibility rules. The next page in this article explains how your income is counted and how much you have to pay for room and board. Housing Benefits 101 also has an article about the Housing Support Program that explains the sorts of housing settings where it can help.

Watch these videos to get an introduction to the Housing Support Program:

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Housing Support Program (HSP) Eligibility

To get HSP, you must be over age 65 or have a disabling condition. To qualify, you must have either:

1. A General Assistance (GA) basis of eligibility, or
2. A Supplemental Security Income (SSI) basis of eligibility.

For both, you need to live in a location approved by HSP.

The eligibility rules for HSP are not exactly the same as for GA or SSI. Most people who get HSP also get GA or SSI, but some people qualify for HSP even though they do not actually get GA or SSI cash benefits.

HSP with a GA Basis of Eligibility

You may qualify for HSP with a GA basis of eligibility if you have $10,000 or less in assets, and either:

• Get GA benefits, or
• Would qualify for GA benefits if your income or assets were lower. If this is the case, your income still must be below HSP's income limit. See DB101’s GA article for more information about GA’s eligibility requirements.

Note: If your disability began before you turned 46, you can open an ABLE account where you can save up to $20,000 in assets each year and not have them counted by HSP. Learn more about ABLE accounts.

Either way, you also must meet GA's standards for at least one of these situations:

• Permanent or temporary illness or incapacity
• Pending application for SSI and/or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)
• Medically certified as having a developmental disability or mental illness
• Drug or alcohol addiction
• Require services in residence
• Learning disability impacting employment
• Advanced age (55 or older) impacting employment
• Unemployable.

Note: If you get GA benefits with a different basis of eligibility that is not on this list, you will not qualify for HSP.

If you are approved for HSP with a GA basis of eligibility, you have to apply for SSI benefits if you appear eligible. If you are approved for SSI, you will switch to having HSP with an SSI basis of eligibility.

HSP with an SSI Basis of Eligibility

You may qualify for HSP with an SSI basis of eligibility if you have $10,000 or less in assets, and either:

• Get SSI benefits, or
• Would qualify for SSI benefits if your income or assets were lower. If this is the case, your income still must be below HSP's income limit. See DB101’s SSI article for more information about SSI’s eligibility requirements.

Note: If your disability began before you turned 46, you can open an ABLE account where you can save up to $20,000 in assets each year and not have them counted by GA or SSI. (If you get SSI benefits, they'lll be suspended if your ABLE account balance goes over $100,000.) Learn more about ABLE accounts.

Income Limits

Your income includes money you get from work, benefits, or other sources. You can only qualify for HSP if your countable income is below the highest possible combined amount that HSP would pay your provider for:

• Room and board (HSP pays at most $1,221 per month in most settings; $1,271 for Supportive Housing), and
• Services you need (HSP pays at most $494.91 per month).
  • Note: Most people on HSP get services paid for by MA-Waiver programs. HSP will not pay for services if you qualify for MA-Waiver programs or for PCA services through MA.

This means your countable income limit for HSP may range from $1,221 per month to $1,715.91 per month, depending on the provider and whether you need and qualify for services. And for some people who get services, the limit can be even higher. Tip: HSP doesn’t count all of your income, so even if you think you have too much income to get Housing Support, you might still qualify.

The next page in this article explains how your income is counted and how much you have to pay for room and board.