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If you’re a young person in the Twin Cities without a safe place to sleep tonight — or if someone you love is in that situation — you are not alone. Every night in Minnesota, more than 6,000 youth experience homelessness, and it disproportionately impacts Black, Indigenous, and other youth of color, as well as LGBTQI+ identified young people. The good news is that the Twin Cities metro area has a network of dedicated organizations ready to help right now, from emergency shelter to transitional housing, job support, and beyond.

This guide walks you through what youth homelessness looks like in our region, which programs can help, and how to connect with them today.

Understanding Youth Homelessness in the Twin Cities

Youth homelessness is more widespread than many people realize — and it looks different than adult homelessness. Many young people are “couch surfing,” sleeping in cars, or staying in unsafe situations rather than living on the streets. In 2025, 46 percent of the homeless population in Minnesota were youth, with 5,800 under the age of 17. Many of these youth have left abusive or neglectful homes, and some have been rejected because of their gender identity or sexuality.

The causes are intersectional, but lack of affordable housing, poverty, mental health challenges, and racist housing practices all perpetuate the issue. And the ripple effects are serious. According to The Bridge for Youth, 61 percent of homeless youth have lived with a person struggling with substance abuse, 59 percent have lived with an adult with mental illness, and 48 percent have experienced physical abuse.

The state has responded with funding: the Homeless Youth Act was funded at $41.238 million for the 2024–2025 biennium, with $40.924 million distributed to grantees for programming. But community organizations remain on the front lines. Here’s who they are.

Emergency Shelters for Youth

The Bridge for Youth

For more than 56 years, The Bridge for Youth has been a critical resource for young people in crisis in the Twin Cities. It is the largest emergency shelter for youth ages 10–17 in Hennepin County, and the only emergency shelter in Minnesota for young parents and their children. Youth receive holistic care ranging from onsite therapy, support groups, and community connections that make them feel safe, accepted, and supported.

📍 Website: bridgeforyouth.org

Avenues for Youth

For over 30 years, Avenues for Youth has supported more than 3,600 youth aged 16 to 24 in Hennepin County to transition from merely surviving to thriving. Whether a young person needs a place to stay for just one night or for an entire year, Avenues provides youth with the tools to find their path out of homelessness — by providing a stable home, building trusting relationships, and supporting youth in navigating toward their self-identified goals in education, career, health and wellness, and housing.

Avenues also offers the ConneQT program, which specifically supports LGBTQ+ youth ages 16–24 for up to one year.

📍 Address: 1708 Oak Park Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411
📞 Phone: (612) 522-1690

Booth Brown House – Salvation Army (St. Paul)

Located in St. Paul, the Booth Brown House emergency shelter can house 16 homeless young adults, ages 18–21, on any given night. It is a safe place for youth to turn when they are in need of housing programs. Youth in need of shelter should call the Ramsey County joint shelter line at 651-444-5757 between 10 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily to find out about bed availability.

Lutheran Social Service (LSS) – Safe House Youth Shelter

LSS operates the Safe House, an emergency crisis shelter for youth ages 16–20. Youth in Minneapolis and Saint Paul who are experiencing homelessness can find nonjudgmental support and assistance at LSS. They serve hundreds of youth every year in the Twin Cities metro area.

📞 Phone: (651) 444-5757

Drop-In Centers: Walk In Any Weekday

YouthLink Drop-In Center

YouthLink’s Drop-In Center is a safe, non-judgmental place for youth ages 16–24 experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity, providing a safe space to relax, restore, and access services during weekday hours. Services include hot lunch, personal care items, clothing, food pantry, showers, laundry, bus tokens, GED support, job search assistance, help getting a photo ID, access to computers and phones, mental health care, and an onsite health clinic through Health Care for the Homeless.

You can also Mental Health and Health Care resources through the Hues Hope directory if you need additional support.

📍 Address: 41 North 12th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55403
📞 Phone: (612) 252-1200
🕐 Hours: Mon–Tue, Thu–Fri: 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. | Wed: 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Face to Face – SafeZone Drop-In (St. Paul)

Face to Face operates a drop-in day shelter for youth ages 14–24, located at 1165 Arcade St., St. Paul, MN 55106 — reachable at 651-772-5555, open Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Friday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. While many of the youth who visit SafeZone are experiencing some form of homelessness — like staying with friends or moving around frequently — they’re there to help anyone who needs assistance with housing, food, clothing, or personal care items. They can also help you obtain a free ID and a copy of your birth certificate.

Transitional Housing: A Bridge to Stability

Emergency shelter