Meeting Date: July 27, 2021
To: Members of the Housing & Redevelopment Authority
From: Melissa Hanson, Housing Coordinator
Title
Staff Update on Outstanding Items.
Body
Action Requested:
There are a number of outstanding items related to the HRA and housing in the Northfield community. Below is a summary update on each item.
Summary Report:
Healthy Community Initiative
Staff met with HCI and representatives from the City of Faribault, the City of Northfield, mobile home park owners, Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs), and Hosanna Church for an update on HCI’s Heat Tape Campaign. Video is nearing completion. Subtitles and interpretation is all that is left. HCI is organizing volunteers to assist mobile home residents with installation of Heat Tape on August 14, 2022 from 8:00 am to 12:00 noon at Viking Terrace, with Hosanna! Church supplying lunch to volunteers and participants. Cost of Heat Tape installation by a contractor can cost $500-$600. Materials alone can cost $75-$100. Growing Up Healthy Director, Jennyffer Barrientos, reports that no less than 12 families at Viking Terrace have already expressed interest. Interested mobile home residents are required to respond to HCI no later than August 5, 2022 in order to order materials. It is expected that HCI will have a monetary request of HRA by the next meeting.
Northfield Racial & Ethnic Equity Collaborative
NREEC has identified as a Priority Area Housing and the support for existing tenant renters. Several possible action items were identified- housing directory, resource list, renters’ union, Rent-to-Own, required landlord meeting for renewal of rental licenses. NREEC has asked that City Staff review rental complaint process and identify possible changes in conjunction with ordinance changes.
The City of Northfield Racial Equity Core Team
The City of Northfield is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. The Racial Equity Core Team has identified Training/ Learning and Equity in Services as priorities. There is a Manager/Supervisor training scheduled for September 29, 2021
Age Friendly Northfield
Staff presentation scheduled for July 14, 2021was postponed due to a conflict and has not yet been rescheduled.
COVID-19 Rental Assistance
Federal Emergency Rental Assistance is now accessible to Minnesotans through MN Housing Finance Agency at www.RentHelpMN.org <http://www.RentHelpMN.org> <http://www.RentHelpMN.org>
• Assistance is for renters at or below 80% AMI financially impacted by COVID-19
• Each household is limited to 15 months of assistance, can retro back to March 2020
• Landlords can apply on behalf of tenants
Alternative Options:
N/A
Financial Impacts:
N/A
Tentative Timelines:
N/A