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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1979 01-09 HCMMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA REGULAR SESSION JANUARY 9, 1979 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission met in regular session and was called to order by Chairman Plummer at 7 :40 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairman Plummer, Commissioners Williams, Duenow, Cilke, Hastings, Weitzel, Turner and Haroldson. Also present were Councilmember Bill Fignar and Admin- istrative Assistant Brad Hoffman. APPROVAL OF MINUTES 12 -12 -78 Chairman Plummer asked that the December 12 minutes be corrected to reflect that Commissioner Turner was absent and excused. Motion by Commissioner Haroldson and seconded by Commissioner Williams to approve the minutes of the December 12, 1978 Housing Commission meeting as corrected. The motion passed unanimously. MINNESOTA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY REHABILITATION GRANT RANKINGS REVIEW The first agenda item introduced by Chairman Plummer was a review of the rehabil- itation grant applications submitted to the City. Diane Fenn of the Metropolitan Council was present to review each of the grant applications. She noted that only (9) applications h d r r -i an f r} v d that total f ,0 ,Y.,S',.'Lit :3) had berm v d and further i ,J i�'.0 r.11t�1. a t.V ��..t 1 of $12,05 had been used in the grant applications but the City had been allocated $18,230. She also noted that the criteria used for ranking grant applications had been changed somewhat from previous years by also accounting for the assets of applicants. Com- missioner Haroldson inquired if it was true that only eight applicants had applied. Diane Fenn indicated that only eight (8) had completed the application process and six (6) were determined to be eligible. She also indicated that there was a waiting list of approximately twenty (20) individuals that desired to receive grants but that only the eight had completed them. Commissioner Cilke noted that the status of one of the grant applicants had just recently changed and that her eligibility would also change. Diane Fenn noted that she had been aware that that change might take place and that her application would be dropped from consideration. Diane Fenn then briefly described the follow -up process for reviewing grants indicating that it takes approximately two months to do a complete follow -up on each grant applicant. A brief discussion then ensued relative to the cost estimates on a number of the pro- jects. Councilmember Fignar inquired if the monies were paid directly to the vendor or whether they were paid to the vendor through the grant applicant. Diane Fenn indicated that the monies were paid directly to the vendor and the applicant never received the monies directly. A brief discussion then ensued relative to the ranking system. Diane Fenn noted that the ranking system is used really for the selection of grants assuming that there would be more eligible grant applicants then there would be money available. However, she noted that in this case there were more monies available than grant applicants so the ranking system really was a moot 1 -9 -79 -1- question. Motion by Commissioner Hastings and seconded by Commissioner Cilke to accept the rankings of the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency rehab grant appli- cants. The motion passed unanimously. METRO COUNCIL LARGE FAMILY HOUSING PROGRAM The next agenda item introduced by Chairman Plummer was a''discussion of a need for the Metro Council Large Family Housing Program in Brooklyn Center. Phil Cohen of the Metropolitan Council briefly reviewed the need factor for such housing in Brooklyn Center. He noted that there were one hundred and two (102) households on the HRA waiting list who have said they would like to live in Brooklyn Center. He noted that sixty -four (64) were elderly households and thirty -eight (38) were families. Thirty -four (34) of the families require three bedrooms or larger. Of the families on the waiting list requiring larger apartments or households, twenty -five (25) currently reside in Brooklyn Center. Councilmember Fignar then inquired if the construction of the Ewing Square project was into consideration for the need factor. Phil Cohen replied that Ewing Square had been accounted for and that the numbers on the waiting list represented a list dated January 3., 1978. He noted that applications had no longer been accepted and that it also does not include the wait- ing list for handicapped individuals. Commissioner Haroldson inquired what the number was based upon. Mary Grace Flannery from the Metro Council replied that a compiled list of individuals seeking rental assistance that had been declared eligible. Commissioner Turner inquired where these thirty -four (34) families now reside. Mary Grace Flannery briefly reviewed the problem noting that most of these families are living in one and two bedroom apartments. She also briefly reviewed available piog lie iiiy tiiai Uxis was the only ptvyidin cunent.ly availai,ie lo address this need. Phil Cohen added that the private sector is not building large family housing for low and moderate income individuals. Commissioner Turner in- quired whether or not the homes would be sold or rented to tr.e individuals in ques- tion. Phil Cohen noted that the homes would be rented. Commissioner Hastings inquired as to whether or not the homes would be single family detached or duplexes, six piexes or what. Mary Grace Flannery replied that for the most part, they would be single family homes. She did note that six piexes were eligible, but it is the desire of the Council and would be the prerogative of the City's involved to determine that they should be single family homes or whatever. A brief discussion then ensued relative to available financing programs for the private sector. Inquiry was then made as to site availability. The Secretary, Brad Hoffman, replied there were approximately ninety (90) sites in Brooklyn Center zoned R -1 that would be available for the large family project. Councilmember Fignar inquired as to the maintenance of the program. Phil Cohen briefly described the Metropolitan Council's responsibility to see that the homes were maintained. He added that the renters would be required to take a short maintenance course similar to that offered by the Dakota County HRA. He also added that maintenance requirements would be put into the lease and failure to maintain the property would subject the users to eviction. Councilmember Fignar then inquired as to what kind of maintenance would be required. Mary Grace Flannery replied that it would be the everday minor items such as cutting grass, changing filters in the furnace, screen repairs, broken windows and so forth. She added that 1 -9 -79 -2- major repairs such as plumbing, electrical and so forth would be the responsibility of the Metropolitan Council. Councilmember Fignar then inquired if the units in question would be inspected. Again, Mary Grace Flannery noted that there would be annual inspection by the City. She added that when residents move in, there would be a check list as to the condition of the apartment at that point in time. That check list would be available to the inspector who would be able to determine whether or not the residents were abiding by the conditions of the lease. Com- missioner Haroldson inquired if the program was being used elsewhere. Mary Grace Flannery indicated that the City of Minneapolis has a similar program and that they have been successful in operating those units. Commissioner Duenow inquired as to how often the occupants would be checked as to their income. Mary Grace Flannery indicated that the residents would be required to inform them of any income changes. She also noted that failure to inform the Council of any income change would be cause for eviction. A brief discussion then ensued relative to the cost to the City. -The Secretary noted that there would be a slight negative fiscal impact upon the City. The impact on the school district however would be positive. He noted that the school district would receive additional monies in school aids that would offset the taxes the school district would receive from the property. Commissioner Weitzel inquired if there would be any handicapped homes in the ten (10) units. Phil Cohen noted that there would be at least one (1) handicapped unit in Brooklyn Center. Chairman Plummer inquired if community development funds could be used in conjunction. with new construction to make them barrier free. The Secretary indicated that he would follow -up on that question. A brief discussion then ensued relative to the criteria for recommending such a pro- ject to the Council. The Commission agreed that a minimum of one (1) unit should be for handicapped, that they should be scattered site with only one unit per site and that the sites should be noncontiguous. Commissioner Hastings moved and Commissioner Haroldson seconded a motion instructing the Secretary to draft a res- olution to the Council recommending the City's participation in the Metropolitan Council Large Family Housing Program and that HRA and Community Development Block Grant monies should be used where feasible. ADTOURNMENT Motion by Commissioner Turner and seconded by Commissioner Weitzel to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 9 :43 p.m. Chairman 1 -9 -79 -3- Member Dolores Hastings introduced the following resolution and moved its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. 79 -1 RESOLUTION RECOMMENDING BROOKLYN CENTER'S PARTICIPATION IN THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL'S LARGE FAMILY HOUSING PROGRAM WHEREAS, it is the charge of the Brooklyn Center Housing Commission to identify the housing needs of the community and to evaluate and recommend programs or actions to the City Council to address those needs; and WHEREAS, it is the Housing Commission's responsibility to study and recommend housing programs to be implemented in conjunction with community development funds; and WHEREAS, the Brooklyn Center Housing Commission through its study of housing needs has identified the lack of available and affordable housing for large families with low and moderate incomes as being one of the most imminent housing problems in the metropolitan area and more specifically in Brooklyn Center; and WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Council Large Family Housing Program is the only funding program currently available to construct housing to meet this need: ATTES NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that: 1. The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission recommends to the City Council that the City of Brooklyn Center participate in the Metro- politan Council Large Family Housing Program by entering into an agreement for up to ten (10) large family units. 2. That the City Council as part of the participation agreement require a minimum of one (1) unit to be constructed barrier free. 3. That the units be single family and detached on scattered, noncon- tiguous sites. 4. That the City use Community Development Block Grant and /or HRA funds where appropriate to assure the successful completion of the project. January 9, 1979 Date C ha irma RESOLUTION NO, 79 -1 The motion for the adoption of the foregoing resolution was duly seconded by member Ray Haroldson and upon vote being taken, the following voted in favor thereof: Phyllis Plummer, Dolores Hastings, Ray Haroldson, Patricia Weitzel, Karen Duenow, Ronald Turner, Clifford Williams and Robert Cilke; and the following voted against the same: none, whereupon said resolution was declared duly passed and adopted.