HRA Meeting Date: August 1, 2024
To: Members of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority
From: Melissa Hanson, Housing Coordinator
Jake Reilly, Community Development Director
Risi Karim, Assistant to the City Administrator
Mike Morehouse, Building Official
Mathias Hughey, Associate City Planner
Claudia Garcia, Spanish Interpreter
Title
HRA recommends Adoption of Housing Policies to City Council.
Body
Action Requested:
The HRA will consider recommending new and/or amended policies associated with housing.
Summary Report:
The Northfield Housing & Redevelopment Authority's (HRA) mission is to be a partner in providing a sufficient supply of affordable, adequate, safe, and sanitary dwellings in Northfield.
Our goal is to create a community with housing opportunities available along the entire housing spectrum: from renters to homeownership, first-time homeowners, to senior living, workforce housing and empty-nesters. We strive to create affordable housing opportunities and strengthen our neighborhoods using:
* Sustainability,
* innovation,
* partnerships,
* community input.
The City of Northfield (City) has seen increased demand for all types of rental housing in the last decade. In response to this observed demand, City staff first reviewed the City's rental housing licensing program in 2020, known as the, "Phase I Rental License Updates." These updates included addressing text amendments such as redundant and archaic code language, , clarifying enforcement, and applying nuisance language equitably across residential properties, regardless of owner. During this work, staff recognized that additional ordinances associated with equitable outcomes, including those associated with life-safety issues, in housing were necessary. These, "Phase II Rental License Updates," are included in part here.
The policies/ordinances addressed in the Phase II recommendations include:
* considering adoption of an inclusionary housing ordinance;
* addressing the l...
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