BOARD/COMMISSION:  Task Force on Shelter

Membership includes: Commissioner of Human Services or a designee; Commissioner of Corrections or a designee; Commissioner of Health or a designee; Commissioner of Public Safety or a designee; Commissioner of Transportation or a designee; Commissioner of Veterans Affairs or a designee; three public members who have experienced homelessness and resided in a shelter, at least one must be from greater MN; one public member who has experienced homelessness and chose to remain unsheltered; one representative of Street Voices of Change; one representative of Freedom from the Streets; two representatives from an organization that advocates on behalf of persons with disabilities; one representative from an organization that advocates on behalf of persons experiencing homelessness; one representative from an organization that provides legal services to persons experiencing homelessness; four representatives of organizations representing shelter providers of whom, two must provide shelter in the seven-county metro area and two must provide shelter in greater Minnesota, one of which must provide shelters to families and one of which must also be a victim service provider that is funded to provide shelter to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault; two representatives from cities, one representing a metropolitan city and the other representing a city in greater MN; two representatives from counties, one representing a metropolitan county and the other representing a county in greater MN.

The Task Force on Shelter is established to develop standards for the provision of shelter and examine the need for, and feasibility and cost of, establishing state oversight of shelter. The Task Force is required to examine existing shelter policies and practices in shelters of all types, engage stakeholders, and make recommendations to the legislature regarding standards that will strengthen the shelter system and ensure that shelters have the ability and resources to provide safe and appropriate shelter services to those in need. The task force must submit an initial report to the legislature no later than February 1, 2022 and a final report no later than December 15, 2022.