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<br />ARDEN HILLS CITY COUNCIL - SEPTEMBER 11,2000 <br /> <br />10 <br /> <br />Councilmember Aplikowski asked if the entire building was Section 8, Ms. Bruno stated tbat 15 <br />. of the 72 apartments are Section 8, <br /> <br />Councilmember Grant stated that affordable housing is in high demand and the current vacancy <br />rates are very low, He stated that there was an organization called ISAHA that is a collection of <br />churches that have banned together because their congregations have approached them with this <br />same issue. He offered that this may be a resource to the residents of Hunter's Park Apartments, <br />He indicated that one of the local churches involved in this group was Saint Odilia Catholic <br />Church, <br /> <br />Councilmember Grant noted that applications for apartments tend to run $35 to $50 per applicant <br />and, with the current low vacancy rate, the fees collected for applications can often exceed the <br />rent rate, <br /> <br />Councilmember Aplikowski stated that the ISAHA group would be holding a meeting on <br />September 28,2000 at Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church located in New Brighton, She <br />stated that Isaha was an advocacy group that encourages legislation for affordable housing, She <br />noted that at this time the City of Arden Hills does not have property available for affordable <br />housing, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Mayor Probst questioned whether the City Council and Staff were prepared to become actively <br />involved in terms of encouraging the new owner to continue to keep certain apartments available <br />for lower rent. He reiterated that, unless the City was interested in purchasing the property, there <br />was not a great deal that the City can do, <br /> <br />Mayor Probst asked if the City Council was interested in communicating with the property <br />owner regarding what the City would like him to do and to help identify potential parties that <br />may be interested in operating the apartment complex, He suggested that if the Council was <br />interested in this approach, then City Staff and one Councilmembcr should be directed to help <br />make this happen, <br /> <br />Councilmember Larson indicated that since having served on the City Council, he has been <br />aware of the Council discussing the fact that mixed housing was good for Arden Hills. However, <br />he acknowledged that there are not many opportunities for the Council to make this happen, In <br />this case, he felt that the City Council could encourage the purchase of this property by someone <br />who will maintain the current tenant mix, However, he was not certain that any efforts on the <br />part of the City would be very effective, He believed that the property owner wished to sell the <br />property and he suggested that the City Council send the property owner a letter stating their <br />point of view, however, he did not want the tenants of the apartment complex to rely on this as <br />something that will resolve the issue. <br /> <br />Ms, Bruno stated that the property owner has indicated that he wants to sell the property and <br />retire, <br /> <br />. <br /> <br />Councilmember Aplikowski stated that the City Council should make the effort to contact the <br />property owner to determine his opinion on this issue, She felt that, since the property owner <br />