Laserfiche WebLink
1 <br />HOUSING IMPROVEMENT AREAS <br />INFORMATIONAL SHEET <br /> <br />The 1996 Minnesota State Legislature enacted a law (428A.11 ) intended to provide cities with a <br />means of assisting homeowners associations, and the owners of housing units within the <br />associations, in paying the costs of housing improvements made to the common elements of the <br />development. In order for a city to provide such assistance, the City Council must first designate <br />the area in which the improvements are to be made as a Housing Improvement Area. The City <br />Council may designate the City’s Housing & Redevelopment Authority as the implementing <br />entity responsible for implementing and administering the Housing Improvement Area. <br /> <br />The law, Minnesota Statutes, Sections 428A.11 to 428A.21, can seem complex at times. The <br />following information is intended to assist in the understanding of that legislation and the <br />process that must be followed if a Housing Improvement Area is to be designated. There <br />currently are no Housing Improvement Areas with in the boundaries of the City of Roseville. <br />However, the Roseville Housing & Redevelopment Authority could explore the use of this <br />option to help financing major common area housing improvements for condominium and/or <br />town home complexes. <br /> <br />1. What is a Housing Improvement Area? A Housing Improvement Area is a designated <br />portion of the City in which housing improvements are financed, in whole or in part, with <br />public funds that are repaid by fees imposed against the benefited housing units much in the <br />same manner as property taxes or special assessments. The law is designed to assist areas <br />where common elements of a development are maintained by condominium or home owners <br />associations. <br /> <br />2. What types of improvements can be included? The enabling law provides that the <br />improvements are to be made to the common elements of the housing structures. Common <br />elements are generally those maintenance and capital improvement items which are the <br />responsibility of the association and not the individual home owners such as windows, <br />siding, roofing and parking lots resurfacing. <br /> <br />3. When is a Housing Improvement Area designation appropriate? A Housing <br />Improvement Area can be established only if: <br /> <br />a. The proposed improvements to the common elements are necessary to maintain and <br />preserve the housing units, and <br /> <br />b. The proposed improvements could not be incurred financially by the condominium or <br />town home association or housing unit owner. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />