HomeMy WebLinkAboutHousing & Redevelopment Authority Minutes 10-30-1986MINUTES OF SPECIAL MEETING
HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY OF PLYMOUTH, MINNESOTA
9 OCTOBER 309 1986
A special meeting of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Plymouth, Minnesota
was called to order by Chairman Del Erickson on the 30th day of October, 1986 at 6:30
p.m. in the City Council Chambers Conference Room in the City of Plymouth, Minnesota.
The following members of the Authority were present: Commissioners Del Erickson,.
Gerry Neils, Harold Bakke, Rod Hillstrom, and David Crain. Also present were:
Executive Director 3ames Willis, Planning Director Blair Tremere, and Housing
Specialist Milt Dale.
MINUTES
MOTION was made by Commissioner Bakke, seconded by Commissioner Neils, to approve the
minutes of the September 25, 1986 meeting as submitted.
MOTION carried, four ayes, Commissioner Hillstrom abstained.
Chairman Erickson stated two firms had responded to the City's requests for proposal
to conduct a market analysis of senior housing needs and demand. Copies of the pro-
posal had been provided to commissioners and each proposer had been asked to attend
this meeting to make a brief presentation and to answer questions.
Elderly Housing Market Survey /Presentation by Maxfield Research Group, Inc.
This presentation was by Lee Maxfield, President of the firm and Thomas Melchoir, d
research analyst ;Pith the firm. Lee Maxfield stated that he has been involved 1.
market research for 18 years and has done numerous projects that involve congreaar.
housing. Currently they are doing a study for Maple Grove that has some similarl••.ies
to the Plymouth proposal.
After the presentation, the consultant was quizzed by the Commissioners. Commissioner
Neils wanted to know how respondents to his survey would be approached relative to the
issue of subsidized and non -subsidized housing in the same complex. Mr. Maxfield
Indicated that most residents do not know who lives in a subsidized apartment or non -
subsidized unit. He stated respondents can be asked in an indirect way to comment on
this subject. Planning Director Tremere asked how many phone calls would be made as
part of the survey. Mr. Maxfield stated they normally do not survey people using the
phone as they get better results from a printed mail survey. He stated they do pro-
vide a return stamped envelope with the survey and .like to send a cover letter from
the mayor of the community with the survey. The return survey would go to the consul-
tant and not the City. Mr. Maxfield related that his firm has a variety of ways to
get mailing its s for seniors.
Commissioner Neils inquired what percent of the people surveyed would he expect to
respond. The consultant responded 20 to 40 percent response is normal but they anti-
cipate a high response, i.e. 40 percent .in Plymouth. The consultant expected they
would receive at a minimum `150 returned surveys. If his firm was selected, they would
get their survey mailed quickly as they have a survey ready to go at this time. Mr.
Maxfield emphasized that a mailed survey should not go out later in the year during
the holidays, otherwise the survey gets In with seasonal mallinqs. The .likelihood of
returns Is reduced if mailed at that time. He indicated that they would consider the
Plymouth market area to be approximately a five mile radius, to include parts of
Minnetonka, New Hope, Crystal, and Maple Grove. They could use a first class bulk
Paqe two
Housing Authority Minutes
October, 1986 Meeting
rate mailing and first class return mail. In response to Commissioner Neils' question
about who holds exclusive rights to the survey, Mr. Maxfield indicated those rights go
to the client. Commissioner Crain wanted to know how nffectively the firm would
interprete the survey results. Mr. Maxfield stated that he believed this was one of
his firm's strongest features based on the years of experience his firm has in other
communities.
Discussion ensued with Mr. Maxfield and Mr. Melchoir regarding the proposed
interviewIng and the reasons for the proposed site analysis.
Elderly Housing Market Survey/Presentation by Quality Decisions, Inc.
Judith Marshik was introduced to the Commissioners and she outlined her approach as a
marketing consultant for this study. She indicated there would be four stages to the
study and the City could drop out at the end of any of the four stages. She
emphasized that there is no way of eliminating all risks even though a market study
may state conclusively that an elderly housing project should he developed.
Commissioner Neils queried the consultant in regards to the subsidized, non -subsidized
mix of units within the complex. Ms. Marshik stated that market rate renters do not
always want to move into a partly subsidized building. She relies heavily on local
Input from the community during the survey process. She said the first phase would be
an interview face-to-face with ten influential people. She views each community as
unique with Plymouth seniors being rural -minded and independent who may not want to
readily sell and move out of their single family homes.
Ms. Marshik contended that the most valuable part of the market survey is in Phase 1.
She briioye4 It is essential to find key people to Interview who know the Plymouth
area and/or h:,,.inq for seniors. Executive Director Jim Willis questioned Ms. Marshik
If she had been involved in any housing market survey in Plymouth recently. She
stated she had done a market survey within the past twelve months for a prospective
developer.
Ms. Marshik stressed that the City %ould define the target area for her market
survey. She gets her .lists of senior citizens based on age, income, :.nd other data
throuqh a public data hase. She emphasized that if she gets a return of 400 surveys,
the results will be within a few percentage points of the same accuracy as if she
would get a 100 percent return. Ms. Marshik stated that a cover letter with the
survey from d prestigious person in the community nr from a group of people of
influence within the community, is important to the success and return rate of the
survey. She stressed that the letter has to stand out and she looks very carefully at
potential barriers that get in the way of the survey not being returned.
It was Ms. Marshik's contention that helidays are the worst time to do a survey of
this nature. Again, she stressed that in the first phase, if the survey indicated
that prospects were unfavorable for housing at the Downtown site, the NRA could
determine if the rest of the study were to be done.
Commibsioner Neils inquired about costs for professional services versus out-of-pocket
expenses. She indicated about $6,000 was out-of-pocket cost while $7,000 was in
professional services.
0
Page ..nree
Housing Authority Minutes
October 1986 Meeting
Review of Presentations by Commissioners
Commissioners disc ssed the proposals and the
needs to understand the local needs and demand
housing. Content of the studies was reviewed
would be obtained. Commissioners cnncured that
substantive analysis and seemed to provide more
seniors in Plymouth.
Presentations in light of the City's
for subsidized. and market rate senior
including emphasis on how local input
Quality Decisions Inc. offered a more
Insight into the housing needs of the
Staff was directed to obtain further information from both firms to verify costs for
like products and to check references. Commissioners directed staff to negotiate a
firm not -to -exceed price from Quality Decisions, Inc. if the additional information
confirmed the HRA's finding that the proposal by that firm seemed to offer the product
best suited for the City's needs.
Scattered Site Home Ownership Program
Planning: Director Tremere gave a brief review of what is taking place regarding this
program since the last meeting. He indicated that staff has met with HUD and Hennepin
County personnel as well as with the Wayzata Bank. The Wayzata Bank is now in the
process of obtaining income verification data relative to the time when the two home-
owners made application for the program, versus the time of closing.
Planning Director Tremere directed Commissioners attention to a resolution authorizing
the acceptance of the Scattered Site Home Ownership Project. A short discussion took
place relative to the resolution.
MOTION was made by Commissioner Bakke, ,econded by Commissioner Hillstrom, to adopt
Resoltition No. 86-15 AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF GLACIER MEADOWS SCATTERED SITE HOUSING
PROJECT.
MOTION carried on a roll call vote, five ayes.
Update on Section 8 Program and Rehabilitation Grant Program
Planning Director Tremere indicated that City Council will be looking more closely at
all of the Housing Programs in 1987. There was a brief discussion of information
provided by Housing Specialist Milt Dale.
New Business
Commissioners discussed when they would meet again. It was agreed that the week
before Thanksgivinq would be best for all Commissioners should a meeting be necessary
before January.
The meeting was adjourned at 8:15 p.m.
Secretary