CCAgenda_04Feb4_wksp - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

~~ Cities that are paj~f of the l~lorth rUretro aJ~~/ COrrICIOr Coarition - Arden f-rills, brew Brighton, r~7ounds View, Roseville, ~r7oreView al,C1 Circle f'ines- are planning to contract with the Greafer 6~lrnneaporis etroporitan Dosing Corp., a nonprofit pf t~grarr~. Minnesota r~ L_J St. Paul Pioneer Press Tuesday, May 22, 2001 ~'it~ ~~~s hc~~usnb ~l~l~ra~~rl~erlt a.SS~~tal~c~ BJ/ NQnCy Ng0 STAFF WRITER At a time when the housing stock is aging and revitalization is a key word in the north metro, residents of Anoka and Ramsey County cities along Interstate 35W could get one-stop service when seeking advice on buying or improving homes. Cities that are part of the North Metro 35W Corridor Coalition- Arden Hills, New Brighton, Mounds View, Roseville, Shoreview and Circle Pines -are planning to contract with the Greater Minneapolis Metropolitan Housing Corp., a nonprofit home improvement and revitalization program. ,~~ ~.~r f~ L ~ u ~ ~ ~ , _;, CJ. ~t~ r, ~. ~..J _7 ,^ ~~,~ 1. R f1~ a~=i; ~lt~rt. The agency's fourth housing resource center would be located on the former Art Larson property in Shoreview, on County Road I near Lexington Avenue. All participating cities must formally approve the agreement before the contract becomes active. Shoreview has already signed on. Arden Hills is scheduled to vote on the issue at the May 29 council meeting. Although Blaine is part of the 35W Coalition, which addresses housing and transportation issues in seven cities along the interstate, the city will not participate because it already contracts with an agency to provide housing information. ff all goes as planned, the new housing office could open in July. The housing resource agency gives free financial and technical advice on housing issues, regardless of a resident's income level. Among the services provided are on-site visits. At a resident's request, construction managers visit homes and look at work being proposed. They provide estimated costs for projects, such as storm damage recovery, remodeling or addition projects. Residents would then know what they should expect to be charged when hiring a contractor. Financial services would also be offered, such as resources for rebates or loans. For a year, the city of Roseville has been contracting with the housing corporation, working out of the program's northeast Minneapolis office. Cathy Bennett, Roseville economic development specialist, said residents would now be referred to the Shoreview location. "It's been a successful program," she said. "It's kind of a one-stop shop to help people through the (housing) process." Bennett said more than 300 residents used the resource center during the first nine months the program was offered. She said residents are saving money, including one resident who saved at least $10,000 when redoing a roof. She said the resource center also saves time for city staff and allows them to work on other issues. North Metro Each city's contribution to the housing resource center is based on several factors, including the age of housing stock and median home values. Public and private resources will also help fund the program. The housing resource center might serve several cities outside of the coalition as well. The Coon Rapids City Council has voted to participate in the program and Probst said the center is in discussion with other cities. ID