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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995 02-28 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 FEBRUARY 28, 1995 CONFERENCE ROOM A BROOKLYN CENTER CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission was called to order by Chairperson Robert Torres at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Chairperson Robert Torres, Commissioners Ernie Erickson, Todd Cannon, Vince Opat, Jack Kelly, Henry Yang and Amy Gonyea. Also present were Council Liaison Kathleen Carmody and Community Development Specialist Tom Bublitz. Commissioner Maria Olek was absent from the meeting. It was noted that due to a job change that will require him to be out of state on numerous commission meeting dates, Commissioner Keith Tuttle has resigned from the commission. In discussion of a replacement for this position on the commission, members suggested that an effort be made to find someone who is a resident of rental property in the city. APPROVAL OF AGENDA There was a motion by Commissioner Erickson and seconded by Commissioner Kelly to approve the agenda, as submitted. The motion passed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES JANUARY 17, 1995 There was a motion by Commissioner Erickson and seconded by Commissioner Kelly to approve the January 17, 1995, Housing Commission minutes, as submitted. The motion passed. UPDATE AND DISCUSSION ON HENNEPIN COMMUNITY WORKS PROGRAM The Community Development Specialist reviewed a memorandum prepared for the Housing Commission regarding the Hennepin Community Works Program. He pointed out the council discussed the Hennepin Community Works Program at its February 21, 1995, meeting and at that meeting directed City staff to prepare for an informational meeting in the affected neighborhoods in Brooklyn Center. Councilmember Carmody explained the council had requested that this meeting be held as a public hearing and that because the Planning Commission has the authority to hold public 2 -28 -95 -1- hearings, they would be the host commission for the meeting. The meeting would be conducted in conjunction with the Planning Commission, Housing Commission and Earle Brown Neighborhood Housing Advisory Committee. The Community Development Specialist explained that the County had made a request to the legislature this session for approximately $500,00 to do planning work on the Hennepin Community Works Program. The purpose of the planning would be to further define the impacts and benefits of the Hennepin Community Works Program and to perhaps begin to look at possible designs for the project. The Community Development Specialist explained that, as yet, the County has not completed the application for any projects under the Hennepin Community Works Program but that this may be completed within the next few weeks. Commissioner Opat suggested that it would appear the two primary issues of concern with regard to the Hennepin Community Works Program are potential loss of tax base and loss of students in District 286. The Community Development Specialist explained that those were the two major issues of concern in the immediate future, but that one of the issues to examine in the long -term with regard to the Hennepin Community Works Program was whether or not property values in the potential project area will remain stable or decrease substantially 15 years from now. Commissioner Cannon expressed a concern over what impact a project like the Hennepin Community Works Program will have and specifically what will people do when a parkway is established in their neighborhood and will this actually provide an incentive to improve their properties. There was general concern of commission members that there was not a definite enough connection between the establishment of a parkway and the ultimate improvement and redevelopment of surrounding properties. Commissioner Kelly inquired whether the commission could get a count of non homestead properties along Humboldt, Irving and Girard. Commissioner Erickson suggested that the commission summarize their concerns and he began by specifying that the major concerns appear to be the loss of tax base and student population, how the parkway is going to physically extend to Palmer Lake and, additionally, the issue brought up by Commissioner Cannon regarding how the parkway will encourage development and redevelopment in the area. Commissioner Torres added that additional issues include how senior citizens will be affected, particularly regarding displacement from their homes, including the potential for relocation in senior apartment buildings. The other issue he pointed out was the possibility of continuing the parkway concept east along 57th to the river and along 53rd Avenue from Humboldt to the river. 2 -28 -95 -2- Commissioner Erickson pointed out that he was familiar with many of the families displaced in the 69th Avenue project and pointed out that of the 22 families displaced in this project, only two families stayed in Brooklyn Center. Additional issues of concern stressed by Commissioner Erickson were the rehabilitation and redevelopment of existing homes in relation to the project, what will be the incentive to accomplish these projects, and a specific time line regarding a decision to either discontinue or go forward with the project. The commission requested the Community Development Specialist to mail out a summary of the concerns expressed by the commission regarding the Hennepin Community Works Program prior to next month's meeting. OTHER BUSINESS. DISCUSSION OF FIVE CITY COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (CHDO) Chairperson Robert Torres moved item number 9, Other Business, up on the agenda to accommodate the guest at this evening's meeting who was Ms. Julie Barrie, who is a board member of the Five City Community Housing Development Organization. Ms. Barrie said she was interested in housing from a social worker perspective and expressed a concern that Brooklyn Center is not getting its share of federal dollars. She pointed out the other four cities have highly qualified staff who have worked to develop projects as part of the federal HOME program. She then inquired why the City of Brooklyn Center was not participating to get its share of the HOME funds. In response to Ms. Barrie and an explanation of the CHDO, the Community Development Specialist explained that the CHDO, also known as the CO-OP Northwest Community Revitalization Corporation, is associated with the CO -OP Northwest organization and the CHDO is a nonprofit organization which was specifically designed to allow it to apply for HOME funds. The Community Development Specialist pointed out that the City of Brooklyn Center has, in the past, worked with organizations to apply for HOME funds and is now currently supporting a HOME application for rehabilitation of the Brookdale Ten apartment complex. He explained that the City did work with the Westminster Housing Corporation to apply for HOME funds to acquire and rehabilitate The Ponds, a 112 -unit subsidized townhouse project in the City of Brooklyn Center. He noted their application did receive $700,000 in HOME funds, but that the project was never completed due to problems with obtaining additional financing in addition to the HOME funds. The current project regarding Brookdale Ten is another HOME application which the City has been supporting and assisting. Ms. Barrie noted that the other four cities are now participating with HOME projects as part of the CHDO and that she is disappointed that Brooklyn Center did not have any projects in this program. She added that she believes Brooklyn Center housing is growing older and needs recycling. She stated that there is also a need to be well represented in the HOME program and that she believed it was very important that the City of Brooklyn Center receive its fair 2 -28 -95 -3- share of these HOME dollars. Ms. Barrie expressed extreme disappointment in the staff for not participating in the CHDO's HOME program, and stated that she believes an elected representative should serve on the CHDO board to represent the City of Brooklyn Center. She added that she would like to suggest that one of the best resources the City of Brooklyn Center has with regard to housing is the Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council. In response to Ms. Barrie, the Community Development Specialist reviewed the City's participation in several housing programs dealing with affordable housing, including the City's first -time home buyer program, and noted that the City of Brooklyn Center is one of the largest users of mortgage funds in the statewide Minnesota City Participation Program. Additionally, he noted the City has an ongoing program of housing rehabilitation for low and moderate income people, and, additionally, has worked with Habitat for Humanity to construct two affordable single family housing units within the last couple of years and is currently discussing a third single family home construction project with Habitat for Humanity for 1995. The Community Development Specialist explained that the spring of 1993 is when the CHDO began forming and at that time it was being created to apply for federal HOME funds. He noted the council did not elect to join the CHDO at that time, and it was his understanding that the council did not want the City's membership in the CHDO to be dictated by an application for federal funds. In the fall of 1993, the City Council did elect to join the CHDO at staff's recommendation, but at that time decided against applying for HOME funds with the rest of the four cities. The Community Development Specialist did point out that at that time the staff indicated that even though they were not formal applicants on the HOME application, the City could possibly use some of the HOME funds allocated under the CHDO application, and that the staff, at the direction of the City Council, would consider constructing a handicap accessible house with HOME funds. In explanation of the existing four city projects, the Community Development Specialist explained that he did not intend to be critical of the progress of the other four cities, but that none of the housing projects in the other four cities which were awarded funds in July of 1993 were completed, and that Brooklyn Center City staff did not think that construction of one affordable housing unit over a two-year period was a productive use of staff time and resources. The discussion, primarily between the Community Development Specialist and Ms. Barrie, continued for some time. Essentially, the discussion focused on Ms. Barrie's assertion that the City should take full advantage of the HOME funds and that she did not agree with the staff actions on this matter. The discussion continued until commission members expressed a concern that continuation of the discussion was not appropriate, that the commission should return to the agenda items and that this matter should be taken up at a separate time. Commissioner Ernie Erickson suggested that the commission should look at the Council record with regard to their past actions on the CHDO, and there was a general consensus among commission members that the staff should prepare this information for the commission. With 2 -28 -95 -4- that direction, the commission returned to the regular agenda items. FIVE CITY REMODELING FAIR The Community Development Specialist informed commission members that the cities of Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, New Hope and Robbinsdale will be holding their second annual Five City Remodeling Fair on March 25, 1995, at the Crystal Community Center. The time for the fair will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 25. He explained the fair will include between 60 and 65 vendors and will also include several workshops on remodeling, interior design, gardening, finance, etc. He also pointed out that the City of Brooklyn Center will be having a booth at the fair and he invited commission members to stop by the City booth on the 25th. POINT OF SALE /TRUTH IN HOUSING ORDINANCES Commissioner Opat stated that, given the lateness of the hour, he suggested that this item be deferred until the next commission meeting. Councilmember Carmody expressed a concern over the amount of staff time that would be needed for any change in the City ordinance regarding Point of Sale or Truth in Housing. She explained that this is a particular concern with regard to the ongoing budget cuts for the City and the apparent time necessary to implement a Truth in Housing or Point of Sale ordinance. Commissioner Kelly stated that he believes every city will eventually get some version of a Point of Sale or Truth in Housing ordinance and he suggested that Brooklyn Center needs to assure that it gets the best ordinance possible. There was a motion by Co Opat and seconded by Commissioner Erickson to lay over item number 7, Point of Sale and Truth in Housing ordinance discussion until the March commission meeting. The motion passed. REPORT ONAC77VITIES OFEARLE BROWN NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSINGADVISORY COMMITTEE There was a motion by Commissioner Erickson and seconded by Commissioner Kelly to lay over this item until the March commission meeting. The motion passed. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Commissioner Erickson and seconded by Commissioner Cannon to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed. The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission adjourned at 8:45 p.m. Chairperson 2-28-95 -5-