Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan on Tuesday announced a $100 million housing assistance program to help Minnesotans hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

The program is aimed at helping prevent evictions and homelessness and to maintain housing stability for individuals and families. The investment will be funded with federal money through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, authorized by the coronavirus relief bill.

Walz said he hopes the program will bring some relief to Minnesotans who are struggling to pay their bills because of the pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has hit families across the state hard. I’ve said throughout this fight that my top priority is Minnesotans’ safety, health, and well-being. And we know that stable housing is key to safety, health, and well-being,” Walz said in a statement.

Flanagan said the housing assistance “will help us keep individuals and families in their homes throughout the pandemic.”

The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency has launched a request for proposals to select local organizations to administer the housing assistance program.

Walz on Tuesday also modified his suspension of evictions during the pandemic to allow evictions in “additional limited circumstances” and to require landlords to give tenants a seven-day notice of intent to file an eviction.