Young adults in the Twin Cities face real barriers to stable housing. If you’re between 16 and 24 and experiencing homelessness, or worried you might become homeless, you’re not alone—and there are organizations ready to help.
Understanding Youth Homelessness in the Twin Cities
Minnesota sees an estimated 13,300 youth on their own experiencing homelessness over the course of a year, including an estimated 5,800 minors aged 17 and under, and 7,500 young adults aged 18-24. The Twin Cities is home to many organizations specifically designed to support young people facing housing instability.
Emergency Shelter and Immediate Help
When you need a safe place to sleep tonight, these programs offer emergency beds and 24-hour support:
Key Programs for Young Adults (Ages 18-24)
- Hope Street Youth Shelter—the largest youth shelter in Minnesota—offers 30-90 days of emergency shelter with trauma-informed care. Address: 4140 Cheatham Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406. Phone: (612) 204-8211. Services include case management, mental health counseling, and life skills training.
- Minneapolis Avenues provides emergency shelter, transitional housing and intensive supportive services for youth ages 18-24, supporting 170 to 190 young people annually. Address: 1708 Oak Park Ave N, Minneapolis, MN, 55411. Phone: (612) 522-1690. Emergency beds are available for 1-3 night stays and become available at 4:00 pm daily, first call first served.
- Catholic Charities Twin Cities Youth Permanent Supportive Housing program provides permanent housing for young people aged 18-24 in Minneapolis. Located at 4140 Cheatham Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55406. Services include housing and rental assistance, intensive case management, crisis counseling, education assistance, and employment support.
Programs for Younger Youth (Ages 16-17)
- Brooklyn Avenues is a 12-bed shelter and transitional housing program for homeless youth ages 16 to 21 from the northwest suburbs of Hennepin County, supporting 80 to 100 young people annually. Phone: (763)-450-4276.
- Ain Dah Yung Center provides culturally specific emergency shelter to American Indian youth who are homeless, runaway, or in a family crisis. Contact Marissa Hojnacke, Shelter Case Manager at 651-227-4184 or marissa.hojnacke@adycenter.org.
- Passageways Shelter and Housing Program provides emergency shelter beds for youth ages 13-17 and housing for youth ages 16-23 who have been victims of sex trafficking, with services including case management, mental health therapy, education programming, and life skills training. Phone: (651) 444-5757.
Finding Shelter: Quick Ways to Get Connected
When you need help fast, use these hotlines and websites:
- Hennepin Shelter Hotline (612-204-8200) connects young people 18-24 to shelter, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and weekends/holidays 1 to 9 p.m.
- YouthLink serves young people ages 16-24 experiencing or at risk of homelessness in the Twin Cities and can help you find housing and get connected to local housing programs. Phone: 651-291-0211. Address: 41 N. 12th Street, Minneapolis.
- Youth Services Network (YSN) is a website listing youth shelters in the Twin Cities area, locations of drop-in centers, available outreach workers, and service directory including education, medical, food, and basic needs.
- The Link’s Street Outreach team identifies youth experiencing homelessness across the Twin Cities metro, and their Drop-In Center in Apple Valley provides safe space for youth to access food, clothing, showers, and hygiene products while working with case managers on housing.
Beyond Emergency Shelter: Longer-Term Housing Support
If you need housing for more than a few nights, these programs offer transitional and permanent supportive housing:
- Youth Transitional Housing Program – Rezek, located in St. Paul, is a two-year transitional living program for youth ages 16-21 experiencing homelessness. It offers 10 studio apartments for single youth as well as two one-bedroom parenting apartments.
- Avenues for Youth is opening a $24 million project in Minneapolis that will provide beds for 20 homeless youth plus two emergency beds, with a separate wing containing eight affordable apartments for longer-term needs.
- YouthLink provides staffing for two supportive housing apartment buildings, as well as scattered-site housing units.
- Salvation Army’s Booth Brown House in St. Paul serves young adults ages 18-21, providing emergency housing along with educational, counseling and vocational services to develop life skills and independence.
Support Beyond Housing
Homelessness is about more than just finding a bed. YouthLink’s drop-in center offers hot meals, showers, and clothing, plus access to case managers or youth advocates to support housing, education, and more. YouthLink also offers physical and mental health care onsite, and a weekly support group for young people who have experienced violence or victimization.
Many programs offer employment assistance, educational support, mental health services, and health care. If you’re experiencing barriers related to substance use, substance use treatment is also available through many supportive services programs.
Getting Started
You don’t need to figure this out alone. The first step is reaching out—whether by phone, visiting a drop-in center, or using an online directory. Many programs don’t require paperwork or proof of anything; they just want to help you get to safety. Once you’re in a safe place, staff can help you plan next steps toward stable housing, employment, education, and the future you want to build.
Your situation is temporary. Help is real. Reach out today.
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