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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes 09-21-2000MINUTES PLYMOUTH HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY September 21, 2000 PRESENT: HRA Chair Brad Brown, HRA Commissioners, Leon Michlitsch, Dick Abel, Susan Henderson, Tim Bildsoe ABSENT: None STAFF PRESENT: HRA Supervisor Ed Goldsmith, Senior Clerk/Typist Barb Peterson OTHERS PRESENT: Planning Laison Kapila Bobra 1. CALL TO ORDER A meeting of the Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority was called to order by Chair Brown on September 21, 2000 at 7:30 p.m. 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES MOTION by Commissioner Abel, seconded by Commissioner Michlitsch to approve the August 3, 2000 meeting minutes. Vote. 5 Ayes. Motion adopted unanimously. Chair Brown introduced Kapila Bobra who will be the Planning Lasison on the HRA Board. 3. 1999 COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT (CDBG) SUMMARY OF CONSOLIDATED PLAN PROJECTS REPORT AND ANNUAL CITIZENS' PARTICIPATION MEETING Supervisor Goldsmith explained the report and noted that one of the interesting factors is the increased use of First Time Homebuyer (FTHB) funds. This was due to the MI -IFA maximum price increase, promotion by the HRA and the availability of affordable units at the Village At Bassett Creek. The report outlines the various CDBG funding used during the year. The current program year started July 1, 2000 and we will be spending down some of the balance. This year our first public meeting will be held in conjunction with the Hennepin County Consortium in October. MOTION by Commissioner Bildsoe, seconded by Chair Brown, recommending that the HRA Board of Commissioners approve submission of the 1999 Summary of Consolidated Plan Projects to the City Council and that it be submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Vote. 5 Ayes. Motion adopted unanimously. 4. RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL REGARDING CONTINUED PARTICIPATION IN THE METROPOLITAN LIVABLE COMMUNITIES ACT PROGRAMS FOR 2001 Supervisor Goldsmith stated that this is an annual requirement that cities must notify the Metropolitan Council if they elect to participate. The City has received benefits from participating as indicated in the report. Plymouth did well in rental housing with Bassett Creek Commons and Shenandoah WoodsApartments of which 70 of 110 units 64%) are considered affordable. This nearly doubled the cities affordable rental goal of 35%.. Only 25 of 291 new owner occupied housing met the goal. Chair Brown asked where we are as a city on median income. Supervisor Goldsmith said that we wouldn't have that data until the 2000 census is available. MOTION by Commissioner Bildsoe, seconded by Commissioner Michlitsch, that the HRA Board of Commissioners recommend to the City Council that it elect to continue its participation in programs established under the Metropolitan Livable Communities Act for 2001. Commissioner Henderson asked if there were any repercussions from the 9% affordable new home ownership units when 21% was the goal. Supervisor Goldsmith said there are no penalties if the city fails to meet its goal. Plymouth definitely has a reputation of being out in the forefront of promoting affordable housing. Commissioner Henderson Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 21, 2000 Page 28 asked when and who establishes the goal. The goals were established by the City with concurrence of the Metropolitan Council. Vote. 5 Ayes. Motion adopted unanimously. 5. PLYMOUTH TOWNE SQUARE MONTHLY MANAGEMENT REPORT Supervisor Goldsmith explained that the financials indicate a healthy condition. 5b. ROOF AND VENTILATION IMPROVEMENTS AT PLYMOUTH TOWNE SQUARE Walker Management has estimated that the work should not cost more than $8,500. However, the shingles used are no longer available as they are a discontinued style. They can match the color but not the shingle edge shadow line. Supervisor Goldsmith did look at the shingles and could not notice the difference until they were pointed out. Supervisor Goldsmith pointed out which shingles would be replaced in order to install a new ice and water shield to cover a larger area. Additional ventilation has taken care of the ice problem. To do a cosmetic improvement would be quite costly. Supervisor Goldsmith is recommending that the HRA not incur the additional expense for the cosmetic work. It has been determined that the ventilation issue on the 3 d floor occurred when the atrium to the third floor was removed from the original construction plans and the ventilation was not re -designed to accommodate this change. A motion was made to authorize Walker Development and Management to proceed to hire a crew to undertake the necessary roof work to correct the roof/attic leakage problems at Plymouth Towne Square without doing any additional cosmetic shingle replacement at a cost not to exceed $8,500; and for Walker to contract with Kappes Building Services for the installation of new supply ducts and diffusers to provide adequate ventilation for the third floor hallway at Plymouth Towne Square at a cost not to exceed $8,500 with the funds for this work be allocated from the remaining construction funds for Plymouth Towne Square reserved by the HRA for these purposes. 6. HRA STRATEGIC PLAN Supervisor Goldsmith said he had a discussion with Director Hurlburt regarding staffing to undertake fully all the action items indicated under the strategic plan. At this time we do not have the staff to do this. We have not yet hired a person to fill the Housing Technician position. The second aspect is the broad scope of issues that are included in the plan. Once we are currently staffed at our present level we will be able to give attention to most of those areas. Chair Brown said the plan establishes the order of the attention we want placed on the specified items. Supervisor Goldsmith wants it made clear that these are long term action statements. With that clarification he asked for questions regarding the comments he has made. Chair Brown said he acknowledges that we can't possibly work on all of this at one time. There will be rational reasons for not working on some of these. The key is to have regular reviews and decide what needs to be done. Commissioner Henderson asked if any other departments of the City do human service work. Supervisor Goldsmith responded that the Public Safety and Park and Recreation Departments also work with human service programs. Supervisor Goldsmith and HRA Specialist Stoen also serve as the City's representative and alternate, respectively to the Executive Board of the Northwest Hennepin Human Services Council. Chair Brown would like to see an annual review put on HRA's calendar for the HRA Strategic Plan. It could be tied to budget time. Commissioner Henderson said we should keep referring back to the plan. MOTION by Commissioner Bildsoe, seconded by Commissioner Abel, that the Strategic Plan Strategies and Actions be adopted as the Action Plan section of the HRA's revised Strategic Plan with the clarification that these are long- term strategies and actions. Adoption of this section of the Plan by the Board will complete the current update of the HRA Strategic Plan. Vote. 5 Ayes. Motion adopted unanimously. Other Business: Application for Livable Communities Demonstration Grant Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority September 21, 2000 Page 29 The Phase I application was recommended for a Phase 2 application by the Metropolitan Council staff. Fourteen applications were originally recommended by the Livable Communities Advisory Committee and staff recommended our application as one of an additional three to be considered. We are in the process of drafting the Phase II application. The basic elements will essentially be the same with the funding of a transit station as part of the Reserve project. The Hennepin Parks Trail comes through the property and the transit station will also serve as a shelter for the users of the trail. Rottlund has included benches and additional trails for pedestrians. Chair Brown asked what the turaround time is. Supervisor Goldsmith said the Metropolitan Council will award the grants sometime in December. Coats for Kids Commissioner Henderson talked about the Rotary Club's Coats for Kids Drive. The Rotary Club wants to donate the coats to local agencies. Mittens and hats are also needed Kimberly Meadows Chair Brown asked about Kimberly Meadows. It is a 39 unit townhouse development that has Section 8 project based subsidies. Under Federal law the owner can opt out of the Section 8 Program after 20 years. They must give a one year notice to residents, the City, HUD & MHFA. Kimberly Meadows' owner has given the notice with the termination effective neat September. Residents have contacted the City and asked for support. MFHA has a contract that requires the owner to keep the Section 8 subsidies until 2011. However, past practice at MHFA has been to allow owners to terminate their Section 8 contracts. The owner has a track record of keeping the Section 8 subsidy, but gives the notice to terminate because it is legally required to qualify for additional federal funds. Supervisor Goldsmith will check on how long the owner has to notify the residents before September. (According to MHFA, the owner would have to obtain final approval from MHFA for the termination of the contract, 60 days before the September termination. Final notices to the tenants would be in accordance with their lease.). A letter from Chair Brown and the Mayor will be sent to MHFA indicating the HRA and City's support for retaining the Section 8 project based subsidies at Kimberly Meadows. Housing Tour Chair Brown spoke about the affordable housing tour we had talked about previously. His suggestion is to put it off until next Spring Hammer Residences Tour The tour of Hammer Residences will be at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 19. (This tour was subsequently rescheduled to November 16tH ) 8. ADJOURMENT Meeting adjourned at 9:15 p.m.