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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 08-10 CCM Study Session08/10/15 -1- MINUTES OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER IN THE COUNTY OF HENNEPIN AND THE STATE OF MINNESOTA STUDY/WORK SESSION AUGUST 10, 2015 CITY HALL – COUNCIL CHAMBERS CALL TO ORDER The Brooklyn Center City Council met in Study Session called to order by Mayor Tim Willson at 6:03 p.m. ROLL CALL Mayor Tim Willson and Councilmembers April Graves, Kris Lawrence-Anderson, Lin Myszkowski, and Dan Ryan. Also present were City Manager Curt Boganey, Finance Director Nate Reinhardt, Director of Business and Development Gary Eitel, Assistant City Manager/Director of Building and Community Standards Vickie Schleuning, City Attorney Troy Gilchrist, and Denise Bosch, TimeSaver Off Site Secretarial, Inc. CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION OF AGENDA ITEMS AND QUESTIONS Mayor Willson advised that there is an agenda addition under item 10b, Mayoral Appointment of Member to Serve on Housing Commission. MISCELLANEOUS Draft Letter to Metro Cities Housing Policy Committee Mayor Willson stated his opinion that the draft letter was well done and lays out the whole subject. He stated it can be used as a future reference. Councilmember Ryan thanked City Manager Curt Boganey for soliciting comments from Attorney Myron Orfield. He explained that he has been attending the Metro Cities Housing Policy Committee meetings and the purpose of bringing the draft letter before the City Council is to request City Council consensus on changes to Metro Cities housing policies to be recommended to the Met Council. He stated it was a good letter that summarized the range of issues and he feels that the nub of matter is the affordable housing allocation formula. He stated the recommendation he would bring to the Metro Cities Housing Policy Committee on August 14 would be to request consensus on the part of the Committee to support the City of Brooklyn Center demand that the Met Council’s affordable housing allocation formula be changed to fully credit cities like Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, and Richfield for the amount of affordable housing already present. 08/10/15 -2- Mayor Willson stated that Attorney Orfield has pointed out that the policy of the 1970s and 1980s is in place and if the Met Council followed that policy, it would take care of the affordable housing issues. Councilmember Ryan stated the question is which policy is being followed. He stated he will seek advice on how best to approach that issue from Charlie Vander Aarde, who lobbies and advocates on behalf of Metro Cities with the Met Council. He asked Mr. Boganey if he thought that was a reasonable approach. Mr. Boganey responded affirmatively and also thought that Attorney Orfield would make himself available to provide further background and more specific language. Councilmember Ryan stated he would contact Attorney Orfield. He noted there were three Committee meetings left and this would give members a chance to review the letter and make a decision at their final meeting in September. Councilmember Myszkowski stated her appreciation for the remedies outlined in the draft letter. She stated that one can really sense the passion behind it and the desire to right a significant wrong. She pointed out a particular sentence in the draft letter that was significant to her, “We want Brooklyn Center to be a city defined by diversity and integration, not by severe and worsening segregation.” She stated that she thought that it is easy for people to turn away and not necessarily want to see the challenges the City of Brooklyn Center faces. She stated that Brooklyn Center is ‘ahead of the pack’ and everyone is going to look like us in the next 20 or so years. She stated she is grateful for the draft letter and that it is well done. Mayor Willson stated that the City is not looking for a remedy, but is looking for a fair ratio across the metro for a number of reasons including avoiding school system segregation. He stated that in 20-30 years everyone will look like we do now but asked what we will look like then. Councilmember Ryan stated that Attorney Orfield’s past publications state that housing drives housing policies and that housing market activity has driven greater segregation. He stated it has been suggested that what makes a great neighborhood is the cross section of socioeconomic status and spoke about preventing the excessive concentration of poverty. Mayor Willson spoke about the Met Council’s policies and identification of areas of concentrated poverty across the metro area. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson asked if redlining and real estate steering is what Mayor Willson was referencing. Mayor Willson replied affirmatively. Councilmember Graves stated she has witnessed different kinds of gentrification. She stated her opinion that the subprime lending crisis and predatory lending targeted lower income communities. She thought the letter was very passionate and that Attorney Orfield did a good job. Councilmember Graves is grateful to the people drafting the letter and making sure the City’s voice is heard. She stated that what seemed to be missing was a system of accountability 08/10/15 -3- and that the remedies suggested in the letter would be a way of holding people accountable in a more systematic way. Mayor Willson stated that this letter is a synopsis of current litigation. Councilmember Graves asked what is the incentive to comply. Mayor Willson replied dollars. Councilmember Ryan spoke about a recent Supreme Court decision in resounding support of the Fair Housing Act and the provisions, which should support further integration in housing. On June 25, 2015, the Supreme Court decision, upheld the application of disparate impact under the Fair Housing Act (“FHA”) in Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs v. The Inclusive Communities Project, Inc. In a disparate-impact claim, a plaintiff may establish liability, without proof of intentional discrimination, if an identified practice has a disproportionate effect on certain groups of individuals. He stated that it was the HUD representative’s opinion that the wording of Justice Kennedy’s opinion should drive policy making in that direction and there should be accountability through legal leverage. He stated this supports the direction of the City with respect to its complaint with the Met Council. Mayor Willson spoke about the Blue Line and the Met Council’s stance that it be put where there is a concentration of poverty. He stated that this will not be good for the northwest corner of the metropolitan area. Councilmember Graves stated the need for any transit expansion to include the voices of all affected parties regardless of their economic bracket to ensure an inclusive and effective process of decision making and ultimate success of the project. She asked that she be contacted if she could be of help because this is a big issue in our community and across the county. She asked to be contacted if she could be of help because this is a big issue in our community and across the county. Mayor Willson spoke about the recent summit in Washington he attended and how this is an issue across the country. Mr. Boganey gave a brief update on the process with HUD and the City’s complaint. He stated that it is moving forward and they are attempting to negotiate a settlement. He stated that the hope on the part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development is that there will be a settlement between all the parties so that the Met Council, Minnesota State Housing Authority, and the cities will arrive at some sort of consensus where there will be a change in the formulas and the way low-income housing is distributed throughout the State of Minnesota. He stated that failure to reach a settlement could lead to some sort of lawsuit, and ultimate risk to the Met Council and the State of Minnesota is that funds currently available from the federal government would be cut back or eliminated. Mayor Willson stated that he will not be able to attend the Joint Work Session with the Financial Commission on August 31. He suggested the meeting be rescheduled. Mr. Boganey indicated he will reschedule the meeting. 08/10/15 -4- Councilmember Myszkowski reminded Councilmembers that she will not be at the August 24 City Council meeting. DISCUSSION OF WORK SESSION AGENDA ITEMS AS TIME PERMITS FUNDING STRATEGY TO BRIDGE THE FINANCIAL GAP FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE BROOKLYN BOULEVARD SENIOR HOUSING PROJECT (FORMER CARS WITH HEART SITE) Director of Business and Development Gary Eitel presented the background; funding strategy details; and site details. He presented the policy question: Does the EDA support a strategy to fund the financial gap of the proposed Brooklyn Boulevard Senior Housing with the use of a TIF Pay-As-Go-Note? Councilmember Graves asked if there was a need identified for an assisted living facility prior to the site proposal. Mr. Eitel replied affirmatively and stated that there was a marketing study done. Mayor Willson thought there was a prevailing feeling in the community that there is a need for a senior living facility. Councilmember Ryan talked about the location and type of development and stated his belief that the City did not have that large of a capital risk. Councilmember Ryan spoke about the great location and the City’s demographics. He stated that citizens have been asking him about the site and they think it is a good idea. Mayor Willson spoke about the City’s previous financing strategies, believing they have all been healthy for the community. He stated that the land isn’t going to depreciate over the next 20 years and he supports the strategy to bring in a facility that the community has been after for some years. Councilmember Graves stated that the senior housing project would be across the street from her and she wants to make sure the project is a good one. Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson stated she supports the strategy and thinks it is a good transition for seniors that would love to stay in the City. Councilmember Myszkowski stated she thinks the strategy is wonderful and talked about how people want to stay in Brooklyn Center. She talked about her parents possibly coming back to the City if there was a facility available. She thinks it will enhance the neighborhood. It was the City Council/EDA’s consensus to go forward with the funding strategy to bridge the financial gap for the development of the Brooklyn Boulevard Senior Housing Project (former Cars with Heart site). 08/10/15 -5- ADJOURNMENT Councilmember Lawrence-Anderson moved and Councilmember Myszkowski seconded adjournment of the Study Session at 6:41 p.m. Motion passed unanimously. STATE OF MINNESOTA) COUNTY OF HENNEPIN) ss. Certification of Minutes CITY OF BROOKLYN CENTER) The undersigned, being the duly qualified and appointed City Clerk of the City of Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, certifies: 1. That attached hereto is a full, true, and complete transcript of the minutes of a Study/Work Session of the City Council of the City of Brooklyn Center held on August 10, 2015. 2. That said meeting was held pursuant to due call and notice thereof and was duly held at Brooklyn Center City Hall. 3. That the City Council adopted said minutes at its August 24, 2015, Regular Session. City Clerk Mayor 08/10/15 -6-