Policy Arena   Housing, Homelessness, and Foreclosure Prevention Homelessness has been a persistent poverty issue in Minnesota for years.  Community Action Agencies play a pivotal role in both the provision of homeless services and the coordination of planning efforts to address and prevent homelessness.  An increasing number of Community Action Agencies provide the entire continuum oh homeless services. Minnesota Housing Partnership has developed Legislative District Profiles.  These Profiles give legislative district-specific and state information about housing. Topic covered include Jobs and Housing, Housing Affordability, Renters, and the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency.  Check out your Legislative District Profile: http://www.mhponline.org/policy/policystate/legislative-district-profiles Energy Assistance and Energy Efficiency Community Action Agencies in Minnesota deliver the Low Income Heating Assistance Programs (LIHEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Programs in many parts of the state.   The Energy Assistance Program helps pay home heating costs.  The Weatherization Assistance Program uses energy conservation techniques to reduce the cost of home energy . In early 2010, Minnesota Community Action Partnership invited a diverse group of stakeholders that represented utility companies, affordable housing owners and advocates, renter advocates, a landlord association, energy efficiency advocates, state agencies concerned with energy and housing policy, and the public utilities commission to explore the issue of energy efficiency in the rental housing market. The overall goal of the work group was to explore barriers and solutions to greater penetration of effective energy conservation/efficiency practices within the rental housing sector. Rental Housing Energy Efficiency Working Document Rental Housing Energy Efficiency Work Group - Executive Summary           "Click" the map to locate your local agency