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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/11/1988 C.orc( MAPLEWOOD HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY DATE: October 11 , 1988 PLACE: City Hall LOCATION: 1830 E. County Road B TIME: 7 p .m. AGENDA 1 . Call to Order 2 . Roll Call 3. Approval of Minutes A. May 24 , 1988 4. Approval of Agenda 5 . Communications A . Resignation of Commissioner Prey B . Home-Share Steering Commission C . Joint Meeting with Council , Parks Commisson and Planning Commission--October 17, 6:30 to 8 p .m . 6. Unfinished Business A. Tax-Exempt Financing Requirements 7 . New Business A. HRA/HRC Liaison 8. Commission Presentations 9 . Date of Next Meeting November 8, 1988 10. Adjournment MINUTES MAPLEWOOD HOUSING AND REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY May 24 , 1988 1 . CALL TO ORDER Chairman Fischer called the meeting to order at 7:05 p .m. 2. ROLL CALL Commissioners : Dale Carlson Present Thomas Connelly Present Lorraine Fischer Present Greg Schmit Present John Prey Absent 3 . APPROVAL OF MINUTES Commissioner Carlson moved and Commissioner Connelly seconded to approve the April 12 , 1988 minutes, as submitted . Motion carried , Ayes all . 4 . APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was accepted as submitted . 5 . COMMUNICATIONS A. Annual Report The city council accepted the HRA's annual report for March 1987--February on April 11 . 6 . UNFINISHED BUSINESS A . Housing Needs of Homeless Persons in Maplewood Sue Hoyt , who is the manager of a crisis intervention team of counselors affiliated with the Red Cross and under contract with Ramsey County , outlined her thoughts about the population groups from this area that are most susceptible to becoming homeless. She estimated that her counselors receive about 5% of their 10,000 annual calls (40+ calls per month) from persons from this area. Of these 40+ calls , at least one half are protection related . (The need for temporary and permanent housing for the protection of physically-abused persons is a form of homelessness that , according to Ms . Hoyt , can be adequately dealt with through the existing network of 1 services and facilities . ) The remaining 20+ calls per month come from the following three groups of people : "new poor" (homeowners who have lost their job) ; "working poor" (low- to-moderate income households) ; and transients . Calls from transients are very infrequent . According to the manager of Maplewood Mall and director of public safety , Maplewood does not have a problem with transients . Ms Hoyt stated that the top priorities to address the needs of these persons in this area are : ( 1 ) establish a food shelf , preferably at a location such as the Gladstone Center ; (2) arrange for transportation to obtain food and to receive assistance from Ramsey County offices in St . Paul ; and (3) arrange for local short-term lodging . The HRA recommended that : ( 1 ) Ms . Hoyt prepare an information piece to advertise her services in Maplewood-in-Motions ; (2) as a member of the HRC , Ms . Hoyt was asked to raise the issue of the need for a food shelf at the next HRC meeting and attempt to stimulate interest among the area churches to establish one . The HRA perceived that this issue is more consistent with the purpose of the HRC than the HRA ; and (3) staff was directed to send a copy of these minutes to the HRC . The HRA directed staff to : ( 1 ) investigate if the NEST service could be used to pick up and deliver food if a van were to drive past a food shelf ; (2) find out where the commodity distribution centers are in this area and determine if it would be appropriate to locate a food shelf nearby , if in Maplewood ; and (3) can NEST be used to transport persons in need of nonmedical emergency assistance to the Red Cross at Ramsey County offices--probably a couple of calls a year . B . Lincoln Farb:: Manor Seniors Development The HRA reviewed the proposed parking space variance and responded to comments submitted by the St . Paul Public Housing Authority . Commissioner Connelly moved and Commissioner Carlson seconded to approve the requested parking lot variances , subject to the conditions proposed by staff , on the basis that this proposal is consistent with past variance approvals which have proven to provide adequate parking . Motion carried , ayes al l . The HRA discussed the letter from the St . Paul PHA and came to the following conclusion : Inasmuch as Lincoln Park Manor is proposed to be a moderate income rental development , not subsidized housing , this development should have no impact on the vacancy rates experienced by St . Paul PHA senior subsidized housing . 2 The letter produced additional discussion , as recent surveys by the Lutheran Social Services (in regard to our home-share program) and the League of Women Voters both found 2-7 year waiting lists at our suburban subsidized senior buildings , and a lack of moderate rate rental units in our communities . Inasmuch as our Maplewood housing goal calls for a maximum choice of type , location , rental or ownership , and respect for established values to the degree that human values , natural beauty and urban amenities are not sacrificed , it was the HRA opinion that Maplewood should continue to provide for such development . Why St . Paul subsidized units should be empty while suburban buildings have waiting lists gave rise to many questions . Are the empty units at the four East Side buildings , or other parts of the city? Is it because their units appear to be smaller (about 400 square feet vs . our 600 square feet) ? Can it be a demand for 2-bedroom units? A desire for low- rise vs . 124- or 17-story buildings? A desire for garages? A wish to be closer to their family/care giver? While we came up with no answers , this is something we should be concerned about for the future . Not all people are eligible for subsidized housing , but many could still not afford the cost of the market-rate senior units presently available . A negative review for moderate/modest cost senior units would appear to serve no constructive purpose . If St . Paul subsidized units have vacancies and ours have waiting lists , what are the reasons? Commissioner Connelly moved and Commissioner Carl sen seconded the above response to the St . Paul letter . Motion carried , Ayes all . C . Tax-Exempt Financing Design Criteria Commissioner Carlson moved and Commissioner Connelly seconded to recommend approval of the revised criteria as follows : (New language is underlined) FAMILY AND SENIOR HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS A . Mandatory Requirement 1 . Each development that would house public transportation-dependent residents , shall be (a) located. near a scheduled public bus stop or (b) an agreement must_ be secured to provide a new public stop , and (c) if the NEST (Northeast Suburban Transit) service is not available an agreement with a private carrier should be secured to provide a convenient schedule of pick up and departure times . The maximum distance to a bus stop for senior housing developments shall be 800 feet (two blocks) and one-half mile for family-housing 3 devel opments . B . Optional Requirements (At least eight of the following items must be included) : 1 . Brick 2 . Building design should be a distinctive, nongeneric style with meaningful details (such as large windows , skyl ights, etc . ) 3 . A noticeable increase in size and quantity of landscape plantings over what is normally required . 4 . Underground irrigation of all landscaping . 5 . Usable open space provided above code minimum . 6 . Electrical outlets adjacent to at least half of the parking stalls for car heaters . 7 . A children 's play area . 8 . tieadbol t 1 ocks . 9 . Security system . 10 . Swimming pool , tennis court , indoor multi-activity room or outdoor multi-activity building . 11 . At last 10% more parking spaces or garages than code requires . 12 . Underground parking or parking under the dwelling unit . 13 . Setbacks above code minimums . 14 . Floor areas above code minimums . 15 . All parking stall widths at least ten feet . 16 . Recreational wal kways or sidewalk . 17 . At least five percent of the units shall be three- bedroom units for family developments and two-bedroom units for senior developments (not including caretaker units) . 18 . Provide for an enclosed bus stop shel ter , if not available . 19 . On-site garden or lower plots in a central location_ 4 or near the entrance of units with direct outdoor access . 20 . Washer and dryer hook-ups in each unit for townhouse units or a washer and dryer installed on each floor for apartment units . 21 . A landscaped sitting area with tables and benches central to the complex or a sodded "private-appearing" _ yard area near the entrance to units with direct outdoor access . 22 . Attached garage , underground parking or open parking space (s) within 100 feet to a building/unit entrance that requires the negotiation of few or no steps . Motion carried , Ayes all . 7 . COMMISSIONER PRESENTATIONS Commissioner Carlson informed that HRA that the Home Share Steering Commission had made a finding that the Home Share concept is a cost-effective housing option for older adults and that it would be in the public interest to continue to insure that the Lutheran Social Service (LSS) program is available to area residents on a long-term basis . He also stated that a revised joint powers agreement would be discussed to on May 26 to extend the program beyond December 31 , 1988 . A key consideration was that a proposal will be discussed at that meeting to relieve Maplewood from the staffing duties . Chairman Fischer asked staff to determine if any Maplewood staff person (s) , other than from Community Development , could be available to staff this Steering Commission . The LSS staff person will accept appointment if one of the participating communities does not assign a staff person . 8 . DATE OF NEXT MEETING Unless an item of urgency arises , the HRA is not meeting again until September . 9 . ADJOURNMENT Chairman Fischer adjourned the meeting at 9 :20 p .m . 5