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HRA Meeting Minutes – Tuesday, June 16, 2009 Page 3 Block Grants (CDBG), with most of those funds used for single-family, senior citizen homeowners. Further discussion included differences in funding available through Ramsey County as opposed to Hennepin County, with Ramsey County ineligible for CDBG funding, based on income and population levels; Green remodeling Program and leveraging with other agencies to achieve sustainable building and energy efficiencies. Ms. Larson expounded on the various components in the Green Remodeling Program utilizing sustainable building materials, reducing material waste, water conservation, and protecting the site; provision by the City and agencies with technical advice, a home analysis, matching utility rebates, low interest loans, with funding provided through the Housing Rehab Fund, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency (MHFA) and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). Ms. Larson noted problems in initiating the pilot program, Minnesota Greenstar, a certified green remodeling program due to the cumbersome and complex nature in achieving certification by residents, and the current re-evaluation of that program. Additional discussion included Green Communities Program through the MHFA; need to balance ideals and economic realities (i.e., door, window, and hot water heater replacement as the most cost-efficient methods to save energy); success of those programs that provided a financial incentive and evidence of immediate economic gain; key elements of energy use, management and reduction; implementation by St. Louis Park of the Minnesota Energy Challenge as a City initiative with a goal to sign up 1,000 residents for behavioral participation; smart metering options; and the City of St. Louis Park’s experience with the four (4) Housing Improvement Assessment (HIA) projects to-date based on previous and current housing markets and participation by residents in those associations. Ms. Kelsey advised the HRA that Councilmember Pust had alerted the City Council that the HRA would be making recommendation to them in the future related to a policy for any future HIA implementation, since the law had been extended through 2013. Further discussion included sale histories in HIA’s; First Time Homebuyer Program participation and Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin County used by St. Louis Park; foreclosure prevention and financial counseling and resource education with homeowners; financial counseling provided in Roseville by Lutheran Brotherhood by Lutheran Social Services; coordination with utility providers for awareness of delinquent utility payments as a precursor to potential foreclosure situations, by providing counseling before the problem becomes more serious. Additional discussion included comparison of foreclosures between St. Louis Park and Roseville with similar statistics (less than 10/month); tracking through Sheriff’s Sales; and establishment of a Task Force in St. Louis Park representing all City Departments to identify properties that are vacant foreclosures, and those foreclosures not turning over quickly, ongoing advertising in city publications and website to provide assistance to residents; use of the Housing Resource Center for the City of Roseville as an education and assistance resource; and the role of the HRA in magnifying the availability of those programs. Further discussion included comparisons in foreclosures in condominiums and/or townhomes compared to single-family detached homes, with little difference indicated; population of St. Louis Park at approximately 44,000 compared to Roseville; and whether any less cumbersome programs were available beyond an HIA for townhome association maintenance assistance. Ms. Larson noted that the City of Brooklyn Park provided a housing maintenance and inspections program, outside state statue and managed separately that may prove minimally less cumbersome.