07-07-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

Item No: AS 2 Meeting Date: July 7, 2004 Type of Business: Staff Reports City of Mounds View Staff Report To: Mounds View Planning Commission From: Jim Ericson, Community Development Director Item Title/Subject: Review Housing Replacement Program Guidelines and Criteria Introduction: Created in 1995, the Housing Replacement Program is a voluntary program that allows the City to purchase blighted residential properties from willing sellers. Because the City has not used the program for a few years, however, the Planning Commission may be unfamiliar with the purpose, objectives and guidelines of the program. As such, this report will serve as an opportunity to provide that background and to review the guidelines for any necessary revisions or corrections. Discussion: On June 16, 2004, the Planning Commission reviewed the proposed modification to the Project Plan for the Economic Development Project, approving a resolution that recommended to the City Council adoption of the modifications. One of the components of the modification involved the creation of a map and identification of parcels the City could potential acquire utilizing Tax Increment Financing (TIF) dollars. The parcel list included both commercial and residential properties. Most of the residential properties identified would be potential candidates for the Housing Replacement Program. Purpose: The purpose of the Housing Replacement Program, as stated in the attached program summary, is to reduce the social costs of blight, improve residential neighborhoods and increase the tax base. Objectives: There are three stated objectives for this program—replace deteriorated lower value housing with larger, higher valued housing; eliminate blight; and increase the availability of quality housing for families. Criteria: The home will likely be substandard in some way or exhibit some level of blight. This is defined as follows: 1. Substandard as to condition, property value, size or usage. 2. Obsolete and having a faulty design for block and area in which it is located. 3. Deterioration which has caused blight to other adjoining properties 4. Detrimental to the safety or health of abutting properties in the block. Recommendation: Review the attached program guidelines. If the Commission feels amendments are in order, they would need to be forwarded on to the City Council for consideration and approval. _____________________ Jim Ericson