HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes 11-21-1974HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE
CITY OF PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA
November 21, 1974
A regular meeting of ";he Plymouth Housing Committee was called to order by
Chairman -Roger Barnes at 8:00 p.m... November 21, 1974 in the Conference Room
of the City !fall, at 3025 Harbor Lane.
MEMBERS PRESENT: Chairman Barnes. Mrs. Ruth Ault, William Leeaer, Jr.,
James Eide, Councilman Howard Hunt.
MEMBERS ABSEI'T: Harold .Bakke, Delano Erickson, Mrs. Barbara Edwards.
STAFF and OTHERS PRESENT: John Doyle, Metropolitan Council;
Milton Dale, Assistant Planner.
The meeting was called to order by Chairman Barnes.
Chairman Barnes briefly reviewed the Council action of August 19, 1974, at which
time Chairman, Barnes had submitted to the. Council the findings of the Housing
Advisory Committee. Mr. Barnes stated that the Council directed the Committee
to delve further into two primary areas: 1) the need and method of establishing
a local H.R.A.; and 2) the drafting of a new charge for the Committee relative to
exploring all ways that can be done in Plymouth and by Plymouth to provide low
and moderate income housing.
Discussion then centered on the problems of providing housing for any but the
higher income levels and that the situation was constantly becoming more difficult
with solutions not readily available or apparent at this time. James Eide referred
to a family who bought a house thru his real estate firm with the homeowner having
a yearly income of $16,000 to purchase a home in the $35.40,000 range with monthly
payments, including taxes, of $350.00 per month.
Chairman Barnes urged the Committee to steer away from the problems in providing
housing and concentrate on the solutions the Committee could recommend to help
solve the problem in Plymouth. In this regard Ruth Ault recommended that if the
City established a local H.R.A., it could stay on top of the housing situation and
be informed and aware of the new legislation and/or programs as they became available.
Mr. Leeper concurred in this and fait that with a local H.R.A. one mill or a mill
and a. half could be set aside o4'= of the tax levier to provide for low/moderate
housing programs. Some discustv.6a,.tim ensued in regards to whether a local H.R.A.
might not get out of hand with % serge staff and a large budget with little results
in terms of providing any s f gall i:al t solutions to the issue of low and moderate
income housing. Howard Hunt refof-ad to the Bloomington and Minneapolis H.R.A.'s
and their large staffs and !was somewhat dubious of the results they had accomplished.
All Committee members did recognize this as a concern; and the feeling was that
with proper by-laws this concern could be resolved. Ruth Ault stated that the
Council would have the authority to limit funding of any local H.R.A. and thereby
prevent the N.R.A. from becoming a "monster".
HOUSING ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES 2 November 21, 1974
John Doyle, of the Metropolitan Co.incil, stated that presently the Metro Council
H.R.A., while not funded, is set up with staff personnel to wore; on a contractural
basis to assist suburban communities that need some short range H.R.A. assistance.
lie also stated that two communities, Brooklyn Center and Crystal, do have H.R.A.'s
that are composed entirely of City Council memt.:rs and this would resolve the prob-
lem of an independent N.R.A. not under the thumb of the City Council.
Discussion then revolved around studying the state enabling legislation for estab-
lishment rf a local H.R.A., the City's enabling legislation to control the 'local
H.R.A. Pad the by-laws that would govern a local-. . N.R.A. It was recommended that
all the Committee members should study these three aspects and be prepared to dis-
cuss the pros and cons at the next meeting. Howard Hunt stated he would be able
to pick up copies of the most recent state enabling legislation for establishing
a.local H.R.A. All materials would then be submitted to Committee members for
their study, prior to the December meeting.
Committee members discussed the upcoming schedule for Housing Advisory Committee
Meetings, and following is the result of that discussion:
December 19, 1974 (Thursday) - a. review and study of the state enabling legisla-
tion for establishing an H..R.A..;
January 7, 1975 (Tuesday) - queston and answer period with attendance by a
member of the State Planning Agency;
January 23, 1975 (Thursday) - discussion of the establishment of a Plymouth H.R.A.
framework;
February 6,1975 (Thursdayl - discussion of the Metropolitan Council H.R.A. with
a representative present;
February 27, 1975 (Thursday) - selection of alternatives.
Chairman Barnes indicated that the other charge presented to the Committee by the
Council was "In what other areas can the Committee furnish input into providing
low and moderate income housing in Plymouth". Howard Hunt was of the opinion that
this could be a task of the local H.R.A. should such an H.R.A. be established by
the City Council. It was also recommended by Chairman Barnes that the months of
March, April and May, 1975 mould be the months when the Committee members could go
to 1. he Homeowners Associations and explain the pros and cons of the establishment of
a local H.R.A. in Plymouth.
Meeting adjourned at 10:00 p.m.
Cl ' •'a rj '
ter Barnes, Chairman
ton Dale, Project Coordinator