MINNEAPOLIS -- Long known for its homeownership disparities, the Twin Cities region has seen a widening of the gap between Black residents and their white counterparts. A new report cites historical factors, but the rise of corporate-owned rentals isn't helping.

Research from the Urban Institute found since 2000, homeownership among Black residents in the metro area decreased by 10%, but remained steady for the white population - despite an increase in Black residents living in the region.

Report coauthor Yonah Freemark, senior research associate at the Urban Institute, noted this all coincided with the rise of corporate landlords.

"Companies that own at least three, but sometimes many more, single-family homes in their portfolio," Freemark explained. "There's some big national companies involved in that trend. But they're particularly focused in a few very vulnerable, lower-income and minority-focused communities, like North Minneapolis."

He said investors often will charge rents higher than what the typical monthly mortgage payment would be.

The report also cites longstanding income and wealth gaps between Black and white families, as well as barriers to achieving good credit and financial literacy. It concludes the resulting lack of homeownership keeps these families from securing long-term economic stability.

The analysis also makes mention of the 2008 recession, and how it disproportionately affected Black Minnesotans. Looking ahead, Freemark predicted there could be even more corporate landlords as a result of the pandemic.

"There has been, at the national level, indication that people working for large investment firms are expanding their investments across the country," he observed.

The Urban Institute report cites a variety of solutions, including stronger public programs to help more Black residents purchase homes. Other suggestions include local governments better protecting renters from eviction, and calling on state and federal officials to enforce regulations that reflect a rental company's impact on marginalized communities.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Millions of Americans soon could find eviction notices on their front doors, but New Mexico renters will not be among them - as long as they file the appropriate paperwork to receive financial assistance.

New Mexico has local and state eviction moratoriums in place, even as the federal eviction moratorium is set to expire tomorrow.

Brie Sillery - communications strategist with the New Mexico Coalition to End Homelessness - said it's a good thing there's no immediate change in the state, because most homeless shelters are at capacity.

"We are operating with a homeless response system already inundated," said Sillery, "and, because of the financial implications of the pandemic, we have seen an increase in people that are living on the street."

The pandemic caused many to lose their jobs and fall behind on rent and utility payments. Sillery estimates 60,000 to 80,000 New Mexico households would be facing eviction without the state and local moratoriums.

Renters or landlords facing financial difficulties can find help through "renthelpnm.org" - but must apply by August 30.

Sillery said New Mexico has about $150 million available in federal aid for rent and utility assistance to households experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19.

"What we want to do now is ensure that, as New Mexicans are seeing the federal moratorium come to an end, that both tenants and landlords know that they are still protected," said Sillery.

In a five-to-four ruling last month, the U.S. Supreme Court left the federal ban on evictions in place.

But the Biden administration said Wednesday it lacks the authority to require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to extend the moratorium past this weekend, and called on Congress to pass legislation to do so.

DENVER -- When people experiencing chronic homelessness in Denver received free housing along with mental and behavioral health services, they were able to stay housed and saw improved health outcomes, according to a new Urban Institute report.

Cathy Alderman, chief communications and public policy officer at the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, said the upfront investment in housing resulted in significant savings by reducing encounters with safety-net services.

"Housing with appropriate services is going to not only improve the lives of those people being housed, and the communities in which they are housed, but it's also going to be a benefit to the taxpayers," Alderman asserted.

More than half of the program's cost was offset by reductions in public services, such as jail, detox and other emergency care.

Alderman pointed out the report contradicts claims people choose to become and remain homeless. When participants were able to access housing through the Supportive Housing Social Impact Bond initiative, launched in 2016, they remained stably housed.

Participants also saw overall health benefits, in part because they were able to access preventive care.

Alderman contended helping people address behavioral and mental-health issues is an important step toward re-entering the community in a meaningful way.

"Oftentimes people who are suffering from a behavioral or a mental-health issue, they may not realize that that is the impediment to staying stably housed, or entering the workforce, or obtaining an educational outcome," Alderman explained.

With housing costs exploding in Colorado, Alderman emphasized the time for targeted investments in homelessness prevention and resolution have never been more critical.

She sees the report as a call to action as the state continues to become less affordable for even those with moderate incomes.

"This is a model that can be used at the local level," Alderman urged. "In cities, the state could adopt it, the federal government could adopt it, and we could probably make significant changes in the number of people experiencing homelessness today."

FARGO, N.D. -- North Dakota is reaching out to those who have fallen behind on their rent due to the pandemic and may not know there's help.

Application counselors are seen as a bridge in getting funds to those who need it. Most of the $352 million the state received this year in federal emergency rental aid is still unclaimed.

The nation's eviction moratorium expires July 31, creating concerns about a wave of people being forced from their homes.

Carmel Froemke, statewide outreach coordinator for the Community Action Partnership of North Dakota (CAP-ND), said her staff is getting new training to handle urgent cases, and those who still might see their situation worsen.

"We know that the effects of COVID aren't just going to go away. There's long-term effects of that," Froemke explained. "And so, we're hoping to be able to provide a more sustainable assistance over the course of time."

CAP-ND is contracted with the state through next February to carry out application assistance, with 30 counselors to provide one-on-one help from agency offices, to those unsure about navigating the online portal.

They can help vulnerable populations who don't have access or experience with technology. State officials say eligibility has been expanded to ensure program recipients have a less-rocky recovery from their hardship.

Eligibility was boosted to 80% of area median income, and a person can now receive rental aid for up to 12 months.

Andrea Olson, executive director of the Community Action Partnership of North Dakota, said it suggests part of the issue in reaching households is people who have never relied on aid programs before may now need it, but do not know they exist.

"They make just enough to survive," Olson explained. "But when there's something that happens like a global pandemic, they don't have sufficient savings to carry them through."

Froemke added once people get through the initial application stage, there is a lot of information to submit, including details from the landlord.

"Once the rent is approved, the landlord will be paid directly through a vendor service process," Froemke confirmed.

She added that is why counselors will follow up with applicants, so aid is not pulled back over a key detail. They can also assist if a recipient is renewed for more funds.

Nationwide, Census Pulse Survey data show more than 6 million households are behind on rent. It is estimated the updated North Dakota program could serve up to 25,000 households.