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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1991 01-08 HCM MINUTES 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 8, 1991 CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center housing commission was called to order at 7:09 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairman Nicholas Eoloff, Commissioners Ernie Erickson, Pamela Frantum, Barbara Jensen, John Kalligher, Neal Nelson, Jon Perkins, and Robert Torres. Also present were Mr. Phil Cohen, Director of Planning and Inspections Ron Warren, City Planner Gary Shallcross and Assistant EDA Coordinator Tom Bublitz. APPROVAL OF MINUTES NOVEMBER 26, 1990 There was a motion by Commissioner Kalligher and seconded by Commissioner Erickson to approve the November 26, 1990, housing commission minutes as submitted. The motion passed. APPROVAL OF SOUTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD ACTION AGENDA The Assistant EDA Coordinator introduced a resolution accepting recommendations of the Southeast Neighborhood Advisory Committee for adoption of a Southeast Neighborhood Action Agenda and creation of the Earle Brown Housing Advisory Committee. He explained the purpose of this resolution was to approve the action agenda and forward it to the City Council for their approval. In discussion of the resolution, Mr. Cohen recommended an amendment be made to the resolution which would change the name of the Earle Brown Housing Advisory Committee to the Earle Brown Neighborhood Housing Advisory Committee. Commissioner Jensen offered an amendment to the action agenda which would amend item number 10 under code enforcement and maintenance to state that the home maintenance workshops would be required of home improvement grant recipients as is reasonable. She explained the requirement for attendance at home maintenance workshops for some elderly individuals in the grant program may not be reasonable. She also offered an amendment to item number 1 under communications and public relations. She explained the term "all concerned" may be too broad an audience and may overtax our ability to provide exact information. Mr. Cohen suggested the language in the item be changed to "all concerned residents of the area" rather than merely "all concerned." 1/8/91 1 Commissioner Kalligher pointed out the Southeast Neighborhood Advisory Committee had placed code enforcement and maintenance as the number one priority, and he suggested making this the first section in the action agenda rather than finance. He suggested reversing the positions of the finance and code enforcement and maintenance sections. Chairman Eoloff inquired if there were any additional amendments to the action agenda or resolution. Hearing none, he entertained a motion to approve the resolution. There was a motion by Commissioner Erickson and seconded by Commissioner Perkins to approve the resolution accepting recommendation of the Southeast Neighborhood Advisory Committee for adoption of a Southeast Neighborhood Action Agenda and creation of the Earle Brown Neighborhood Housing Advisory Committee with the amendments described in the above paragraphs. The motion passed. DISCUSSION ITEM: LARGE FAMILY RENTAL HOUSING Commissioner Eoloff introduced this item and requested the Assistant EDA Coordinator to briefly review this item for commission members. The Assistant EDA Coordinator explained the commission had been provided with information packets on this item. He explained the City Council had referred the issue of large family rental housing to the planning commission and the housing commission for their review and consideration. He also pointed out to commission members he had discussed this issue with Mr. Cohen; and based on the Council request for review of this item, there were a number of areas the housing commission should address which require additional data to be prepared and reviewed. Those additional areas included a need for demographic data for the next ten years for the potential demand for large family housing, the future of tax credit programs and other governmental programs influencing housing in this area, space needs and amenities needed for larger families, planning and land use issues, legal issues, and the impact on existing inventories of apartments if the cap on three bedroom units is somehow amended. Mr. Cohen reviewed the history of the zoning ordinance provision and explained when the ordinance was originally passed, it was felt there was not the need for large family apartment units in the city; and the City did not want to create a housing density problem. Mr. Cohen explained further the City's responsibility is not to deny families housing but to determine which is the proper type of housing, including the appropriate space, parking requirements and other amenities needed. 1/8/91 2 Mr. Cohen pointed out the Metropolitan Council's Regional Housing Task Force is presently looking at a sector approach to housing needs. He explained this approach would divide the metropolitan area into sectors rather than treating each city as an isolated area. He pointed out the sector relevant to Brooklyn Center would include the south half of Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Robbinsdale and New Hope. He stated he believes the housing commission's role in determining what is suitable housing for families should be based on reliable data, which addresses the needs of larger families for suitable housing. Commissioner Frantum commented that with the upcoming oversupply of single- family starter homes, how might we get larger families into single family homes. In response to Commissioner Frantum, Mr. Cohen stated once you get a family into a starter home, in some situations, it is necessary to provide the proper services to assist the home owners in maintaining the home. He proposed the possibility of a single family home owners' association for dealing with maintenance items important to single family home ownership and maintenance. He explained this would be particularly important for a single parent head -of- household, and the association could cover areas such as lawn mowing, snow removal and routine maintenance. Commissioner Erickson suggested there is really not a lack of large family units in the city, particularly when you consider the number of town houses available. City Planner Gary Shallcross noted the ten percent cap in the zoning ordinance never applied to R3 town houses. He explained there are a significant number of large rental units in town house developments. Commissioner Perkins agreed it is better for families to live in single family homes, but not every family can afford to live in a single family house. He explained market forces may be able to regulate this and questioned whether it would be appropriate for the City to control this market. He explained he believed the City should look at which amenities might be needed in large family rental housing and to also provide incentives to help people move into single family homes. Director of Planning and Inspections Ron Warren commented housing markets are constantly changing, and many of the apartments in Brooklyn Center were built in the 1960's when the demand for two bedroom units was very high. Now, he explained, the city may have an overabundance of apartments, and many people feel this overabundance is the core of the problem. Discussion continued among commission members regarding the need for large family housing and the rationale for the ten percent limit in the zoning ordinance. The Director of Planning and Inspections discussed density control in the zoning ordinance and, generally, how zoning ordinances add land -area requirements as 1/8/91 3 density as the number of bedrooms increases. He also noted we tend to look at the zoning issue with regard to this ten percent cap; but the original ten percent limit was related also to non- zoning issues and a feeling on the part of City officials that apartments were not appropriate places to house large families. The discussion continued among commission members with regard to federal subsidy programs and how they might affect the type of housing and housing rehabilitation. The Assistant EDA Coordinator explained that in discussions with state officials, it was his subsidies to understanding here is presently a need for federal g P Y make any kind of rental conversions economical. He explained the officials at the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency emphasized conversions cannot be done in today's market without some type and federal and, in most cases, local subsidy. The Assistant EDA Coordinator ointed out he would begin pulling together P g P g g information on the large family housing issue and return to next month's meeting with additional information on the issue. OTHER BUSINESS The Assistant EDA Coordinator noted the next few housing commission meetings would be held on the first Tuesday of the month, rather than the second Tuesday. He explained the February meeting will be held on February 5, 1991. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner Torres and seconded by Commissioner Nelson to adjourn. The motion passed. The Brooklyn Center housing commission adjourned at 8:40 p.m. i Chairperson 1/8/91 4