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RHRA Meeting Minutes – Monday, May 25, 2016 Page 16 1 At the request of President Roe, Ms. Kelsey advised that Ms. Reilly’s time is 2 spent 50/50 with 50% billed to the RHRA for this program. 3 4 Roseville Abatement Program 5 Ms. Kelsey noted that there are no long-term additional levies, but as indicated, 6 upfront abatement costs were provided until properties could be assessed. 7 However, Ms. Kelsey advised that no additional funding beyond that initial 8 $105,000 was needed. General Staff Direction 9 10 Ms. Kelsey noted that the overall levy/budget impact in this section was 11 $54,000. Home Improvement Loans 12 13 Roseville Home Improvement Loan Programs 14 As detailed in the staff report, Ms. Kelsey reviewed the establishment and 15 modifications in 2015 to this program due to lack of use and current needs in 16 targeting certain areas or home values. Ms. Kelsey reviewed the current 17 activity level of seven loans, with three closed, and four others having dropped 18 out for various reasons. With little activity so far in 2016, Ms. Kelsey advised 19 that last year saw an uptick of loan applications in May, and she anticipated 20 that occurring again this year, with one loan already having closed this month. 21 22 Ms. Kelsey noted that the RHRA had increased the program from $20,000 to 23 $40,000 in consideration of average building permits being pulled over 24 $25,000 for home remodels, which she opined had made a difference in the 25 interest level. Ms. Kelsey reported that the program is self-sustaining now, 26 with no more money infusions since 2009, and funds being returned 27 perpetually and revolving with loans issued for a maximum of ten years. Ms. 28 Kelsey suggested no further discussions were warranted, other than an annual 29 review of activity or to determine if further modifications are indicated. 30 31 Ms. Kelsey suggested another downtick in loan program activity may be due to 32 no active marketing outreach since the past packets prepared for homeowners 33 newly hooking up to the city’s water service. Ms. Kelsey advised that this had 34 been discontinued when the Living Smarter Home & Garden Fair had been 35 discontinued, advising it was a very expensive mailing anticipating it may 36 actually be thrown away upon receipt. Ms. Kelsey advised that those mailing 37 costs of $3/each at the time, in addition to printing, stocking them and other 38 costs had put a halt to the packets until they could be redesigned or until the 39 REDA directed staff how to market their programming. Ms. Kelsey noted that 40 the entire packet needs refreshing to meet the city’s vision and incorporate it 41 on the city’s website, since a majority of the current material referenced 42 “Living Smarter.” 43 44 Member Willmus asked if the Community Engagement Commission was 45 working on something similar to this packet. 46