Housing and Redevelopment Authority Meeting Date: October 20, 2026
To: Members of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority
From: Scott Wopata, Community Development Director
Emery John, Interim Program Coordinator
Title
Discussion about proposal by Habitat for Humanity related to HRA Owned Linden/Cherry St. Property.
Body
Action Requested:
Information/discussion
Summary Report:
Staff will present some history and updates related to the HRA owned property at Linden and Cherry Street. Staff are looking for direction and feedback from HRA members related to a conceptual proposal from Habitat for Humanity. The proposal is conceptual and is balancing competing priorities. With support from the HRA, staff will work with Habitat for Humanity on a more detailed and reviewed proposal to be considered at a future HRA meeting.
315 Linden St. and 308 Cherry St. are adjacent parcels (about 1 acre when combined) that the HRA owns and has acquired in the past three years to develop into affordable housing.
The HRA purchased 315 Linden St. N (“Linden”) in 2023 for $130,000. The house on the lot was then demolished for approximately $20,000. The lot is approximately .49 acres.
The HRA then purchased 308 Cherry St. N (“Cherry”) in 2024 for $350,000; the lot consists of a 1 story, 1963 home that sits on .52 acres of land. The HRA has incurred approximately $50,000 in holding costs for the Cherry house, including a survey, required tree removal, weatherization, and an asbestos survey.
The HRA and staff had previously contemplated demolishing the Cherry house in 2025. During the acquisition of the Cherry St house, part of the rationale was to combine with the Linden property to develop with more density and greater access between Cherry and Linden.
Habitat for Humanity has proposed a development on the two parcels after many conversations with various city staff over several years. Their proposal consists of splitting the Cherry lot so that an additional home can be constructed there. Additionally, they have proposed “adjoining” the newly split Cherry lot with the Linden property to develop several smaller footprint single family houses. This would result in a proposed net gain of five small single-family homes and the rehabilitation of the existing Cherry house.
Previous plans for this property prioritized greater density, but at the cost of the demolition of the Cherry Street House. While the Habitat proposal does not maximize density on the site, it does provide for five new units and the rehabilitation/preservation of the existing house. This proposal, in its early conceptual form, would likely require a variance with the current LDC and may not follow the prescription of the LDC. This would be reviewed and refined in future conversations.
Rice County Habitat for Humanity is committed to providing affordable home ownership opportunities to eligible households. They do so by developing, rehabbing, and financing an array of homeownership options throughout the county. They have partnered with the HRA on other developments, including that on Sumner St., currently under construction.
City Plans & Policies Relevance:
Strategic Plan: Increase Housing Availability
- Expanded availability of single-family housing
- Expanded availability of multi-family housing
- Preservation of housing quality and affordability
Northfield 2045 Comprehensive Plan Ch. 4: Sustainable Economic Future
- Strategy 6: Grow in a compact, sustainable, development pattern
- Strategy 7: Maintain Northfield’s existing housing stock
- Strategy 8: Build more housing
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
None at this time; potential sale and/or development of properties will have variety of associated costs depending on direction.
Tentative Timelines:
March 2023 - HRA bought Linden
July 2024 - HRA bought Cherry
October 2026 - Discussion at HRA of Habitat Proposal
TBD - Continued conversations with neighborhood stakeholders
TBD - Future action on Habitat Proposal