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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995 03-21 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 MARCH 21, 1995 CONFERENCE ROOM A BROOKLYN CENTER CITY HALL CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission was called to order by Vice -Chair Erickson at 7:00 p.m. ROLL CALL Commissioners Ernie Erickson, Todd Cannon, Jack Kelly, Henry Yang and Amy Gonyea. Also present were Council Liaison Kathleen Carmody and Tom Bublitz, Community Development Specialist. Chairperson Robert Torres and Commissioner Vince Opat were excused from the meeting. Commissioner Maria Olek was also absent from the meeting. APPROVAL OF AGENDA There was a motion by Commissioner Kelly and seconded by Co Cannon to approve the agenda, as submitted.' The motion passed. APPROVAL OF MINUTES FEBRUARY 28, 1995 There was a motion by Commissioner Cannon and seconded by Commissioner Kelly to approve the February 28, 1995, Housing Commission minutes, as submitted. The motion passed. REVIEW OF COUNCIL ACTIONS ON COMMUNITY HOUSING DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION (CHDO) Councilmember Carmody stated she had talked to Dave Greeman, a planner with the Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council and noted he confirmed the information the Community Development Specialist had relayed to the Housing Commission regarding the CHDO and the projects currently undertaken by the CHDO. She also pointed out that the CO -OP Northwest group had prepared a housing report which set forth some goals for the CO -OP Northwest group and the CHDO. She also pointed out that Project for Pride in Living, a Minneapolis nonprofit housing organization, is now working with the CHDO and that it is anticipated the CHDO will be making more progress in the future with their assistance. 3 -21 -95 _1_ Councilmember Carmody also noted that there is a 25 match required for participation in the federal HOME program, and that cities can pay the CHDO the match requirement and then bill back the CHDO for the money. Councilmember Carmody noted that the housing report prepared by the CO -OP Northwest group contains several joint housing policies and pointed out that apparently this is with regard to the five cities participation in the CHDO and not necessarily joint housing policies for any housing activities outside the CHDO. She explained Dave Greeman, with the Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council, confirmed that these housing policies were for the CHDO only and not for the five cities in general. Vice -Chair Erickson commented that if the City of Brooklyn Center can do one home per year with Habitat for Humanity that this appears to be more beneficial than the City's participation in the HOME program, given the length of time to complete projects with HOME funds. Commissioner Yang also stated that he thinks the CHDO projects may be worthwhile, but not as cost effective as a program such as Habitat for Humanity. UPDATE ON HENNEPIN COMMUNITY WORKS PROGRAM The Community Development Specialist explained he has been working with the City Manager's office to set up a neighborhood meeting in the southeast neighborhood to review the Hennepin Community Works Program. He noted the target date for the meeting is April 27, but that he needs to confirm this date with Commissioner Opat's office. He noted that with regard to the Hennepin Community Works Program the County would be taking the lead in presenting this information to residents in the southeast neighborhood. DISCUSSION OF POINT OF SALE /TRUTH IN HOUSING ORDINANCES The Housing Commission continued its discussion of Point of Sale and Truth in Housing ordinances from the February meeting, and Councilmember Carmody explained that Minneapolis and St. Paul both have Truth in Housing -type ordinances which do not require the homeowners to repair the items detected in the inspection report. She explained that in the Minneapolis and St. Paul system the homeowners are billed for the inspection and that there is no liability because the city does not have to inspect the items repaired since there is no requirement that they be repaired. In contrast, she explained, she believes there is more potential for liability in the Point of Sale system because the city must inspect the items corrected. I In comparing the two approaches to housing inspection, she noted that the Truth in Housing type ordinance is good if the city wants the homes inspected and the code and repair items disclosed, but that the Point of Sale -type ordinance does help to upgrade the housing more than a Truth in Housing -type ordinance. With regard to cost, she explained that the goal of both ordinance types are to make them pay for themselves in the inspection fees charged to homeowners. She noted that Assessing 3 -21 -95 -2- Department records counted 552 houses on the market in Brooklyn Center in the calendar year 40 1994. In her discussions with the City Building Official, she noted that he indicated one additional inspector would be needed to cover a Point of Sale -type ordinance. Commissioner Kelly pointed out that even if the houses do not sell, the items, under a Point of Sale -type ordinance, must be repaired anyway. He pointed out that with the Minneapolis Truth in Housing ordinance form, if an item is marked with an "H it is considered a hazard and must be repaired, but non hazardous items do not need to be repaired. Councilmember Carmody asked the Housing Commission members what direction they would like to take with regard to pursuing Truth in Housing or Point of Sale ordinances. Councilmember Erickson stated that he believes the City Council looks to the Housing Commission for input on these types of items, and that he believed it was up to the commission as to whether or not they wanted to reexamine the Point of Sale or Truth in Housing ordinances again. Councilmember Carmody expressed the cost of managing and administering such a program was a major concern to her, and that if the commission investigated the Point of Sale or Truth in Housing -type ordinances, the cost factor would be a major item she would like to confirm. She also stated that she would call the other councilmembers to determine whether or not they would like the Housing Commission to consider this item further so that the Housing Commission is not wasting its time investigating a housing program that the Council has no interest in. REPORT ONACTIVITIES OFEARLE BROWNNEIGHBORHOOD HOUSINGADVISORY COMMITTEE The Community Development Specialist explained that the reason this item is on the agenda is to inform the Housing Commission as to the current status of the Earle Brown Neighborhood Housing Advisory Committee, particularly since the Housing Commission has expressed an interest in seeing this type of committee expanded to other neighborhoods in the City. He explained that one of the reasons this item is on the agenda is that he will have less time to spend in assisting the Earle Brown Neighborhood Committee, and that the committee is currently discussing just what role the committee members will be playing in the future and what the reduced staff involvement will mean to the future of the committee. He pointed out that at the Thursday Earle Brown Neighborhood meeting, he has invited a speaker from the City of St. Louis Park to discuss how the City of St. Louis Park organized their neighborhood groups. He pointed out that the City of St. Louis Park created an umbrella commission that was set up to assist neighborhoods in organizing, but that the staff involvement and city assistance to these groups was relatively minimal. He invited Housing Commission members to attend Thursday's meeting if they were interested in learning more about the St. 3 -21 -95 -3- Louis Park program. OTHER BUSINESS Councilmember Carmody reviewed a February 6, 1995, Minneapolis Star Tribune article regarding affordable housing. She pointed out that there has been considerable discussion in the metro area regarding affordable housing, and that she would like the commission to address the issue of affordable housing and start by determining or defining affordable housing for the City of Brooklyn Center. She also noted that she would like the Housing Commission to consider a goal of what percentage the Housing Commission would find desirable for affordable housing in the City of Brooklyn Center. As an example of the information available, she noted that apartments rent in Brooklyn Center from $350 -425 a month for a one bedroom, $500 -575 for a two- bedroom, and $650 -750 per month for a three bedroom. She also pointed out that the Minneapolis Star Tribune article noted that the definition of affordable housing they were using was $60,000 for a single family home. Commissioner Kelly pointed out that the principal, interest, taxes and insurance, plus mortgage insurance on a $60,000 home would be approximately $530 -540 per month. Commission members agreed that for the April meeting, the Point of Sale and Truth in Housing discussion would continue, and that the Community Development Specialist would arrange for speakers to be at the April meeting to discuss these type of ordinances. Also, the commission put the issue of affordable housing on the April agenda and agreed to begin discussing the definition and the possible establishment of a goal for affordable housing in the City of Brooklyn Center. Vice -Chair Erickson stated that he had been receiving City Council minutes up until approximately a year ago, and that he no longer receives them. He indicated he would like to receive them and asked the Community Development Specialist to follow up as to why he is not receiving Council minutes. The commission agreed that the next Housing Commission meeting would be on April 18, 1995. ADJOURNMENT There was a motion by Co Yang and seconded by Co Kelly to adjourn the meeting. The motion passed. The Brooklyn Center Housing Commission adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Chairperson 3 -21 -95 -4-