HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes 02-27-2014APPROVED MINUTES
PLYMOUTH HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
FEBRUARY 27, 2014
PRESENT: Chairman Jeff Kulaszewicz, Commissioner Jim Willis, Commissioner Toni Jelinek,
Commissioner Paul Caryotakis, and Commissioner Adam Schmitt
ABSENT: none
STAFF PRESENT: Housing Program Manager Jim Barnes, HRA Executive Director Steve
Juetten, City Manager Dave Callister, Housing Specialist Spencer Agnew, and Office Support
Representative Tina Beckfeld
OTHER: Grace Management Representative Jodi Bodigheimer
1. CALL TO ORDER
Chairman Kulaszewicz called the Plymouth Housing and Redevelopment Authority meeting to
order at 7:00 p.m.
2. CONSENT AGENDA
A. Approve HRA Meeting Minutes for January 23, 2014
B. Plymouth Towne Square. Accept Monthly Housing Reports
C. Vicksburg Crossing. Accept Monthly Housing/Marketing Reports
MOTION by Commissioner Willis, seconded by Commissioner Caryotakis to approve the
consent agenda. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION passed unanimously.
3. PUBLIC HEARING
A. Community Development Block Grant. Consider 2014 Action Plan.
Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced HRA Specialist, Spencer Agnew, who gave an overview of
the Community Development Block Grant program allocations staff report. Housing Manager
Barnes contributed additional information from the staff report.
Chairman Kulaszewicz asked the reason for minimal use of the First Time Homebuyer (FTHB)
program over the past two years.
Housing Manager Barnes Plymouth responded there are a number of factors influencing the use
of the FTHB program: limited availability of affordable housing in Plymouth, tight mortgage
lending practices, and higher unemployment rates. With bank regulations loosening and
unemployment rates improving, owning a home is becoming more feasible.
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Commissioner Caryotakis added potential homebuyers are risk averse, citing housing values do
not always increase. Homebuyers must have enough income, but not too much, to qualify for the
FTHB program and must be interested in investing in a home.
Commissioner Jelinek asked how HUD views our lack of funding used for the FTHB program.
Housing Manager Barnes responded HUD has not mentioned it in their review. Over past years
Plymouth has used more FTHB funds so overall we are still on track with our five year plan.
HUD is concerned that we spend down our allocation, but not necessarily tied to a particular
program. We are tested yearly to confirm we have spent enough of the allocated funds.
Commissioner Caryotakis asked if it would be beneficial to meet with financial institutions to
make them aware of the FTHB program.
Housing Manager Barnes stated staff will reach out to the professional community that utilizes
the programs such as lending institutions, realtors as well as posting information at community
gathering places. He complimented Communications Manager Helen LaFave on doing a great
job of marketing our programs by including them occasionally in the Plymouth News.
Chairman Kulaszewicz opened the public hearing.
Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced John Estrem representing Hammer. Hammer is funded
through the CDBG Affordable Housing Account. Mr. Estrem thanked the HRA and the City of
Plymouth for a longstanding and ongoing relationship. Hammer has provided services for the
disabled in the western suburbs since 1923. Currently they operate 36 group homes in a
community setting and 10 integrated apartments, one in Vicksburg Village, focusing on
residential life skills.
Hammer supports 101 Plymouth residents with developmental disabilities. Support is provided
24/7 365 days a year. Each residence is unique as our residents are each unique. The goal is to
support individual independence and integration for each resident using a person -centered
approach. Residents, unless already retired, work in a workshop or out in the community. All
101 residents in Plymouth that Hammer supports are adults. Funds provided to Hammer are
primarily used to update or maintain the Hammer residences. In the coming year they plan to
update the Ives residence by remodeling the small kitchen to make it more accessible.
Commissioner Willis asked how many homes will be remodeled this year.
Mr. Estrem says they will spend a half million dollars this year maintaining several of the 36
Commissioner Willis asked if other communities use CDBG funds for Hammer residences.
Mr. Estrem stated Wayzata has inconsistently provided funds to Hammer. Hammer has
approached other communities without success. Plymouth has been Hammer's most consistent
funding contributor.
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Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced Kate Frerich representing Tree House. Ms. Frerich thanked
the HRA for their continued support. Tree House serves at risk teens from their location in
Plymouth at Peace Lutheran Church on highway 101. This past year Tree House served 179
teens at their Plymouth location of which 97 were Plymouth residents. Tree House serves teens
that may not be served through other programs and may fall through the cracks. Of the 179 teens
served, 44% have been the target of a bully, 38% had suicidal thoughts, 35% cut themselves,
27% use alcohol or drugs, and 63% come from low income households. Tree House provides
one-on-one mentoring to support teens with their variety of issues. Peer -based support groups
are held once a week on Tuesdays. Other group sessions provided offer learning of life skills.
Transportation is provided to and from the meetings. Ninety-eight percent of Tree House teens
have seen a decrease in at least one at -risk behavior. Eighty-one percent have seen improved
relationship with themselves or others. Ninety-three of 10th through 12th graders have started
making plans for after high school. Twenty-four percent of Tree House teens are more likely to
graduate from high school than their peers.
Chairman Kulaszewicz asked if Tree House provides shelter for at -risk teens.
Ms. Frerich replied no, however they do provide referrals.
Commissioner Jelinek asked how the requested funds will be used.
Ms. Frerich stated the funds will be used to provide weekly support services and one-on-one
mentoring to approximately 200 at -risk youth.
Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced Carol Watson representing Community Action Partnership of
Suburban Hennepin (CAPSH). Ms. Watson said they provide service for a full -cycle home
ownership program and make a significant difference for people buying their first home,
maintaining and holding on to their home, repair services, and providing seniors information to
make financially sound decisions about reverse mortgages. Ms. Watson encouraged the HRA to
continue offering the FTHB program citing the Minnesota Homeownership Center has seen a
decline in foreclosures and an increase in FTHB workshops. FTHB pre -purchase counseling has
increased 20% in Minnesota. The trend is heading toward first-time home ownership and away
from crisis management. One of the goals of CAPSH is to get first-time homebuyers mortgage -
ready by helping them improve their credit rating. CAPSH serve 58 households in Plymouth last
year of which 24 of those households were in foreclosure prevention, 21 were in the first-time
home buyer education program, and 9 utilized the homebuyer counseling. CAPSH provides
reverse home mortgage counseling however they do not promote it. They also provide a home
repair program where they connect homeowners with reputable contractors to provide home
maintenance. The majority of CAPSH participants are elderly or disabled. Ms. Watson said
other services include energy assistance, legal services, and tax filing services. New this past
year was financial training for seniors addressing scams and identity security.
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Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced Lisa Jacobson representing People Responding in Social
Ministry, (PRISM). PRISM serves the Plymouth area east of 494. Ms. Jacobson explained the
transportation program was shut down due to the high cost taking a toll on the entire program.
This year they are requested funding for two programs: Homelessness Prevention and Ways to
Work. Homelessness Prevention provides a wide variety of assistance based on needs i.e. food,
short-term rent assistance, and/or transportation. Ways to Work is a national program that
provides vehicles with no -interest or low-interest loans for individuals with low income or bad
credit. This is not a handout; it is a hand -up. Participants must attend financial literacy classes.
PRISM is seeing the "new poor" suburban poverty classification: those in need due to lost jobs,
divorce, or medical reasons. Last year one-on-one counseling services were provided to 121
Plymouth residents based on their individual needs.
Commissioner Jelinek asked if other means of transportation has been substituted for the
PRISM's canceled transportation program.
Ms. Jacobson replied there are other programs they refer their clients to. Regular riders were
provided with other available services.
Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced Valerie Anderson representing Senior Community Services
SCS). Ms. Anderson thanked the HRA for the opportunity to be present and for their long-
standing relationship with the City of Plymouth and the HRA. SCS provides the H.O.M.E
Program, the largest chore -program in the state of Minnesota, that services the elderly with
minor home maintenance i.e. lawn mowing, snow shoveling, minor repairs, painting, and home
making services. Seniors contact SCS when they have difficulty maintaining their homes due to
aging. SCS combined their North and South H.O.M.E. program into one for efficiency. In 2013
SCS had 75 volunteers which provided 200 hours of service to seniors in the City of Plymouth.
Volunteers came from Plymouth Covenant Church, Breck School, and Speak the Word
International Church. Background checks are performed on volunteers to provide safety.
Chairman Kulaszewicz asked what percentage of the funding is for administration.
Ms. Jacobson replied approximately 10% of funding is used for administrative fees.
Chairman Kulaszewicz introduced Beth Yodluboy representing HOME Line. HOME Line gives
tenants the tools they need to solve their own rental problems. HOME Line is requesting
funding for their Community Services Hotline which provides quick, easy answers to how they
can resolve their rental problems. This hotline is open to all Plymouth residents regardless of
income however statistics show that 90% of callers from Plymouth are low-income. The most
frequent calls pertain to repairs, eviction, or security deposit issues. Last year 216 Plymouth
families were helped with the hotline service that helped with 18 possible evictions and saved
residents $31,000 in retained security deposits and rent abatements for repairs.
Chairman Kulaszewicz asked how their request for $8,351.00 was determined.
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Ms. Yodluboy answered the budget was divided by the number of calls and then multiplied by
the number of calls from Plymouth equaling $8,351.00.
Commissioner Caryotakis thanked the representatives for presenting.
Commissioner Willis asked if all the organizations that were notified are being funded.
Housing Manager Barnes answered no however all organizations that submitted an application
were recommended for approval with one adjustment noted in the staff report.
Commissioner Willis thanked the speakers for presenting their programs and the important work
they do to make the lives of our citizens easier.
Regarding HRA Resolution 2014-02, Commissioner Schmitt asked if there were any other options
rather giving the entire overage amount to PRISM.
Housing Manager Barnes replied PRISM was allocated the entire amount for continuity and for ease
of tracking. He stated this could be changed by making an amendment to the resolution.
MOTION by Commissioner Willis, seconded by Chairman Kulaszewicz, to adopt HRA
Resolution 2014-2. Vote. 4 Ayes. 1 Abstained. Commissioner Schmitt abstained. MOTION
approved.
MOTION by Commissioner Willis, seconded by Commissioner Jelinek, to adopt HRA
Resolution 2014-3. Vote. 4 Ayes. 1 Abstained. Commissioner Schmitt abstained. MOTION
approved.
4. NEW BUSINESS
A. HRA Development Opportunities
Housing Manager Barnes gave an overview of the HRA Development Opportunities staff report
considering entering into discussions with the City Council to acquire City owned parcels.
Housing Manager Barnes stated staff has identified three city owned properties for possible HRA
development. The intent for parcel #1 would be combining the properties for a single-family
home, parcel #2 would be a single-family home and parcel #3 would be developed as a 4-6
multi -family dwelling project.
Commissioner Jelinek asked if staff has investigated cost to develop these properties and
whether they would be developed all at one time or staggered through multiple years.
Housing Manager Barnes responded the HRA's contribution would mainly be the land and
possibly a small amount of funds to assist with construction costs. His thought was to first talk
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to the board and then the city council to determine their interest. Then plan for the future, doing
one project at a time over multiple years.
Commissioner Caryotakis asked how the City would dispose of properties such as these.
Commissioner Willis responded if the property were buildable then the City would sell it. He
stated single family scattered site housing aligns with the HRA's mission.
Commissioner Caryotakis like the idea of the 3rd parcel as workforce housing that would deliver
a product in need and also aligns with the HRA's goals. He asked how much staff time would be
used to develop the single family lots.
Housing Manager Barnes responded no new staff would be required; it would be absorbed with
current work responsibilities.
Chairman Kulaszewicz stated all three properties were worth looking at developing. He
suggested staff contact the city council to get their interest.
Commissioner Jelinek said if the council was interested then the HRA and City Council should
have a joint meeting to discuss the options.
B. Election of Officers. Chair, Vice -Chair, Secretary.
MOTION by Commissioner Jelinek, seconded by Commissioner Willis, nominating Chairman
Kulaszewicz as chair. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION passed unanimously.
MOTION by Commissioner Jelinek, seconded by Chairman Kulaszewicz, nominating
Commissioner Caryotakis as vice-chairman. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION passed unanimously.
MOTION by Chairman Kulaszewicz, seconded by Commissioner Caryotakis, nominating
Commissioner Jelinek as secretary. Vote. 5 Ayes. MOTION passed unanimously.
C. Funding HOME Line program through HRA reserves of the general fund
Housing Manager Barnes asked the HRA board to fund the HOME Line program that educates
high school student on renting responsibilities. The HRA stopped funding this program 3 years
ago due to CDBG regulations. Housing Manager Barnes asked the board fund $1,000.00 toward
this program to be used in our local high schools for the 2014 fiscal year. Each session costs
approximately $250.00.
Commissioner Willis asked if any other programs are funded as a line item in lieu of being
budget through the CDBG.
Housing Manager Barnes replied no.
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Commissioner Willis cautioned this could open the HRA to more requests for funding in this
manner and it would set precedence going forward. He recommended establishing criteria for
evaluating this type of funding and the satiability of such funding.
HRA Executive Director Juetten reiterated the need for criteria to determine when and how
organizations can request funding from the general fund.
Commissioner Willis felt there could potentially be many valid programs that do not fit the
CDBG criteria that may seek finding from the general fund and the HRA should be prepared.
Chairman Kulaszewicz stated he was in favor of funding $1,000.00 from the general fund for the
HOME Line educational program on the condition that parameters were established for funding
going forward.
Commissioner Willis asked if a decision must be made tonight.
Housing Manager Barnes stated no. Staff could draft program guidelines, more information
could be brought to the HRA board about this program, or it could be discussed at next year's
HRA budget meetings.
Chairman Kulaszewicz suggested the directive to be: get additional data on the specifics of this
program and how the program could be funded going forward.
5. ADJOURNMENT
MOTION by Chairman Kulaszewicz, seconded by Commissioner Willis, to adjourn the meeting
at 8:45 p.m.