HomeMy WebLinkAbout1976 06-30 Rent subsidy expansion okayed by Met Council THE REVIEW Rent subsidy expansion
okayed by Met Council
A$12 million grant to the Metropolitan program,eligible families pay no more
Council for expansion of a federal rent than 25 percent of their income toward
subsidy program has been approved by rent, with the Metro HRA paying the
the U.S. Department of Homing and difference. To qualify,applicants must
Urban Development, John Boland, meet low or moderate-income limits
council chairman,announced Thursday. which vary depending on family size.
Boland said the grant will enable the In addition,qualified families(or single
council,through its Metropolitan Housing elderly, handicapped, or disabled per-
, and Redevelopment Authority (Metro sons)must presently live in or agree to
HRA), to subsidize rentals for an ad- relocate in communities that have
ditional 1,000 housing units in 42 Twin cooperative agreements with the Metro
Cities area communities that have HRA.Applicants must also select housing
cooperative agreements with the Metro with rental costs that fall below certain
HRA. levels.
The Metro HRA received$5.5 million The 13 original participating com-
last fall to subsidize rentals for 500 munities include Roseville, North St.
housing units in 13 participating Twin Paul, Stillwater, New Brighton, St.
Cities area communities.The program Anthony, Brooklyn Park, Columbia
has since been expanded to cover 42 cities Heights, Coon Rapids, Hopkins, New
and counties. Hope, Richfield, Robbinsdale and
The council also has an application Shakopee.
pending for a grant to fund another 500
units.Approval would bring to 2,000 the Communities that have recently joined
number of housing unit subsidies the the program include Anoka, Fridley,
council has received or is seeking under Brooklyn Center, Crystal, Edina,
the Section 8 program. Excelsior, Golden Valley, Greenwood,
Boland called the program the"most Minnetonka, Osseo, Shorewood, Spring
important governmental tool the region Park,Tonka Bay,Wayzata,Maplewood,
possesses for the dispersal of low and Mounds View, Shoreview, White Bear
moderate-income housing. Lake,Cottage Grove, Oakdale,Chaska,
"The Metro HRA is now administering Victoria,Champlin and St.Paul Park.
the largest voluntary housing assistance The Scott County Housing and
program in the nation in number of Redevelopment Authority has joined the
governmental units served. The volun- program and provides services to Belle
tary nature of the program has been the Plaine,Jordan,New Prague,Prior Lake
key to its acceptance throughout the and Savage.
region, and the program's rapid ex- The Metropolitan Council was
pansion is proof it is meeting a real authorized to act as a Housing and
housing need." Redevelopment Authority under a state
Trudy McFall,council housing director, law passed in 1974.The Council,acting as
said the Metro HRA will begin advertising an HRA, can operate throughout the
for applicants for the 1,000 rental sub- seven-county Area and carry out housing
sidles about mid-August. rehabilitation and development programs
Under the Section 8 subsidized rent at the request of local communities.