Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991 06-25 EBNHACMMINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE EARLE BROWN NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA JUNE 25, 1991 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Earle Brown Neighborhood Housing Advisory Committee was called to order at 7 p.m. ROLL CALL Committee members present were Jody Brandvold, Dolores Hastings, Robert Torres, Pamela Frantum, and Doug Rossi. Also present were Council Liaison Phil Cohen, City Manager Gerald Splinter, EDA Coordinator Brad Hoffman, and Assistant EDA Coordinator Tom Bublitz. Absent and excused from the meeting were committee members June Scofield, Everett Lindh and John Kalligher. APPROVAL OF MINUTES APRIL 23, 1991 Committee Member Pam Frantum noted a correction in the April 23, 1991, minutes, pointing out that she was present at the April 23, 1991, meeting and not absent as the minutes had indicated. There was a motion by Committee Member Brandvold and seconded by Committee Member Hastings to approve the April 23, 1991, minutes with the correction noted by Committee Member Frantum. The motion passed. DISCUSSION ON HOUSING MAINTENANCE CODE ENFORCEMENT Assistant EDA Coordinator Bublitz reviewed the last two committee meetings, noting the committee had heard from both the City's Director of Planning and Inspection and the City's prosecuting attorney with regard to code enforcement issues and procedures. He emphasized the item of housing maintenance code enforcement was at the top of the priority list for the committee, and he would like to continue the discussion on the committee's role in housing maintenance code enforcement. Councilmember Cohen stated he believed it was important for the committee to have a good understanding of exactly the type of enforcement problems that exist in the neighborhood; and in order to achieve this, he suggested the committee take a tour of the southeast neighborhood to review code enforcement problems and issues. Committee members discussed the idea of a tour of the neighborhood, and Committee Member Brandvold stated she felt it would be important for the committee to have some forms for evaluating the types of code enforcement problems they would discover on the tour. 6/25/91 -1- City Manager Splinter suggested the proposed ordinance on driveway widths be reviewed by the Earle Brown Housing Committee. He pointed out this ordinance addresses the amount of lot coverage by driveways and the surfacing of existing gravel driveways. Committee Member Brandvold pointed out she has noticed a large number of homes for sale in the southeast neighborhood. The city manager commented that there has really not been a noticeable increase in sales; and, in general, the listings have been down somewhat. He pointed out the city assessor may have some data on sales he can prepare for the committee. Councilmember Cohen commented he believed the tour of the southeast neighborhood would be valuable to the committee so they could provide meaningful input on code enforcement efforts, including input on possible budgetary items related to code enforcement. He believes the City needs to look at new ways of dealing with enforcement problems and a changing population. He explained a tour would be valuable to the committee in the sense that it would provide first-hand, visual knowledge of code enforcement issues in the neighborhood. Committee Member Brandvold suggested using a form to evaluate various code enforcement items so that the committee can agree on prioritizing code enforcement issues. Councilmember Cohen suggested the possibility of creation of an 411) award for those persons in the neighborhood doing an outstanding job of maintenance. After continued discussion of the bus tour of the southeast neighborhood, the Earle Brown Committee agreed to set up a tour of the southeast neighborhood for Wednesday, July 17, 1991, beginning at 4 p.m. NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS AND JOINT PURCHASING PROGRAMS Assistant EDA Coordinator Bublitz noted the concept of establishing a neighborhood association for single- family homeowners had been discussed previously by the committee, and it had been a rather high priority item. He explained he has been discussing this concept with a number of resources, including the League of Minnesota Cities, nonprofit housing corporations and the Community Associations Institute, which is a nonprofit corporation set up to serve in an advisory capacity to townhouse associations. He also pointed out he has been discussing the concept of a neighborhood association with Mr. Bill Schatzlein, an individual who is in the process of forming a nonprofit corporation to address housing issues in the suburbs. Assistant EDA Coordinator Bublitz distributed Mr. Schatzlein's proposal for a homeowners' association. He pointed out the 6/25/91 -2- proposal is intended to be funded through the proposed nonprofit corporation. Councilmember Cohen stated one of the important issues in developing a model for an association is to determine what kind of fees are necessary and the extent and level of services to be provided. He stated he believed the homeowners' association should be somewhat like a "911" service for homeowners to obtain service. He explained the management of the association would be a key issue, and he believed the homeowners should have a single number to call for all types of services they may need. The committee continued to discuss various options for a neighborhood association, including the use of a nonprofit corporation to establish and manage the association, and the issue of city subsidization of the association fees. It was a general consensus among committee members that the neighborhood association is a concept that should be pursued and researched further to determine whether or not it would provide a model for the provision of services and products for home maintenance. Councilmember Cohen also pointed out the committee could investigate the possibility of using the school district to find out the desires of those families now living in apartments for possible moves to single family homes. He explained housing is part of a continuum linked to social services and family issues and cannot be separated from many other family needs, other than shelter. LANDSCAPING DESIGN ASSISTANCE FOR SINGLE FAMILY HOMES Assistant EDA Coordinator Bublitz explained this item was one of the priorities of the committee's Action Plan. He explained he had contacted the North Hennepin Technical College and inquired whether they had someone on staff who could develop a project for students that would provide landscaping design assistance to the southeast neighborhood. He pointed out he had spoken with Mr. Eidenshank, one of the teachers in the landscaping program at North Hennepin; and Mr. Eidenshank had referred him to Mr. Ted Harris, who has done these types of projects with student groups in the past. The assistant EDA coordinator noted he would follow up with Mr. Harris to determine what type of program could be developed for the southeast neighborhood. He pointed out the North Hennepin Technical College has the most current design system. They use a computer -aided design system to develop landscaping designs for single family homes. SECOND EARLE BROWN NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING NEWSLETTER The assistant EDA coordinator noted the first Earle Brown newsletter will be going out within the next couple of days, and he had prepared a list of possible newsletter articles for a second Earle Brown neighborhood newsletter to be distributed 6/25/91 -3- sometime in the fall. He reviewed the following potential articles for committee members: 1. Highlight homeowner or rental housing improvements in the neighborhood. Possible interview with homeowner or rental owner. 2. Article on homes that have been acquired or developed for development of single- family homes. 3. Purchase Plus Program This is a new Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) program, which will be test marketed in Brooklyn Center. 4. Article on results of survey and other neighborhood comments from first newsletter. 5. Article on code enforcement. The committee briefly discussed the plans for a second newsletter and concurred this should be an agenda item for the next Earle Brown Housing Committee meeting. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Committee Member Hastings and seconded by Committee Member Brandvold to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed. The Earle Brown Neighborhood Housing Advisory Committee meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Respectfully submitted, Tom Bublitz Recording Secretary 6/25/91 -4-