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<br />HRA Meeting
<br />Minutes — Tuesday, June 16, 2009
<br />Page 4
<br />Members, staff, and Ms. Larson discussed the City of St. Louis Park's rental inspection
<br />program and other city-wide inspection/rehabilitation programs in operation since 2002, and
<br />proving successful. Ms. Larson advised that the Rel�ab Prograin had been initiated after a
<br />residenrial survey indicated a number of blighted properties unknown or unrecognized by City
<br />staff, followed by a complete windshield tour by inspectors, who took pictures and noted
<br />condirions of all 11,700 single-family homes in St. Louis Park, with 200 of those with the most
<br />deferred maintenance issues chosen by the City for immediate rehabilitation. Ms. Larson
<br />advised that the City worked with the MHFA, leveraging matching funds on a 1:14~�t�s, with
<br />an initial inspection, followed by letters to home owners and face-to-face ��etings with
<br />residents to educate them on programs/funds available; and the progr,�i`��proving very
<br />successful and repeated every four (4) years by the City Council, wi ����� _ound finding
<br />fewer problem properties. Ms. Larson noted that their findings had b,��`'' th ' ed income
<br />had not been the main reason for people not maintaining their px�erties, but;;� lack of
<br />technical assistance, how to idenrify the scope of work needed�,, ancf� �ow to coor �,�i�i
<br />contractors had been the main issues, and not necessarily relat�d �� ��n aging populatio •�ut on
<br />the complexity of issues before a properry owner. Ms. ,I�arson advised that the ��`ity was
<br />realizing a 97% compliance rate with this program; and ��t awar ss of problem issues was
<br />the first step. Ms. Larson also addressed their succes� � targeti ific neighborhoods for
<br />ea�terior corrections, providing residents with a ch '�"� 4 µ matching grant or deferred
<br />loan over ten (10) years, and that this program pletely rejuvenated a rired
<br />neighborhood in their community.
<br />Ms. Larson noted several other affordable housing providers/a��icies that the City worked
<br />with cooperatively by providing fund� "'`` ' them in providing assistance with property
<br />maintenance issues for homeowners, ;� ��� ��f administering those types of
<br />programs, but srill accomplishing the s e goal� "" �" '��w _
<br />Ms. Larson reviewed the City of St. Lou ark's rental inspections program, staffing (2-FTE);
<br />frequency (bi-annually); physical inspe ,',ons and education of property owners; referrals;
<br />"Report a Problem".: ��1P) program; �i��tfiily rental coalition meetings rental properry
<br />owners/managers�:� �� �''�e ordinance at1�'inspecrions; and an annual rental study completed
<br />since 1978 to,��vide o �2ng data and �eas of need.
<br />Ms. Lar a' �'�Crime Free Ordinance implemented two (2) years ago,
<br />modeled after f the Cities of Richfield and Brooklyn Park, and the strong nature of the
<br />ordinance, with p ow�aers getting three (3) strikes, and mandated to participate in crime
<br />fre,��ra��r�;� of ei�h ' "otirs.
<br />Ms. Larsa� ncluc�;d her presentation by discussing use of the West Hennepin county
<br />Affordable ��,.��d Trust, with five (5) homes purchased to-date, where the Trust purchases the
<br />property, sek�'� the rehabilitated home to a low-income homeowner for the price of the home
<br />only, wit ,��ie Trust retaining ownership of the property through a 99-year lease, and the
<br />homeo r only paying for the home, but paying taxes on the home and land. Ms. Larson
<br />'`� te at future sales of the home were sripulated and retained as low-income affordable
<br />�ing as well, based on federal income guidelines. Ms. Larson noted that the Land Trust
<br />reened residents and handled administrarion, with the City providing money and a line of
<br />credit for the Land Trust.
<br />Ms. Larson distributed brochures enritled, "Live Where You Work," another incenrive
<br />provided in the City of St. Louis Park to enhance community ownership of employees within
<br />the City, with employers asked to contribute, providing good employee retention, and saving
<br />energy with less commuting.
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