HRA Meeting Date: June 6, 2024
To: Members of the Housing and Redevelopment Authority
From: Melissa Hanson, Housing Coordinator
Title
Southbridge Development Update and Geotechnical Analysis Request.
Body
Action Requested:
The HRA hear an update regarding the Northcountry Cooperative Foundation (NCF) proposal at Southbridge and to authorize geotechnical analysis of HRA and City owned land at Southbridge.
Summary Report:
The Northfield HRA's mission is to be a partner in providing a sufficient supply of affordable, adequate, safe and sanitary dwellings. The HRA exists 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. The HRA strives to create affordable housing opportunities and strengthen our neighborhoods utilizing:
* Sustainability
* Innovation
* Partnerships
* Community Input
In fall 2022, thanks to connections within the local-to-Northfield affordable housing advocacy network, NCF contacted City of Northfield staff to discuss a concept called, "New Leaf Cooperative." The concept is a potentially scalable model for new single-family homeownership subdivisions built to municipal infrastructure engineering standards using a cooperative ownership model and HUD-certified manufactured homes as the product. Since then staff and NCF have been discussing this model and how it could be applied in Northfield, specifically if built on HRA- and City-owned land at Southbridge. NCF first presented the New Leaf concept plan to the HRA Board on May 4, 2023. On November 2, 2023, the HRA reviewed NCF's revised concept plan and entered into a six-month Memorandum of Understanding (Att. 1) with NCF in order for the developer to secure additional funding for the project. The MOU was extended until May 31, 2024 and has since expired. A detailed timeline of the project proposal, presentations, and documents can be found o...
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