HomeMy WebLinkAbout2021 06-22 Ramsey County moves ahead with tax levy for affordable housing PIONEER PRESS7/23/2021 Ramsey County moves ahead with tax levy for affordable housing — Twin Cities
NEWS : POLITICS
Ramsey County moves ahead with tax levy for affordable
housing
St. Paul will get half of the money raised each year
By INICIK IFIEIRIRAIRCI I nferraro@pioneerpress.com I Pioneer Press
PUBLISHED: June 22, 2021 at 3:30 p.m. l UPDATED: June 22, 2021 at 6:00 p.m.
Ramsey County now has a plan in place to capture a projected $11.1 million in taxes annually for low-income housing projects, with St.
Paul getting half of the money pot.
The county Board of Commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved a resolution that defines the area where starting in 2022 the
Housing and Redevelopment Authority will levy up to 0.0185 percent of estimated market value on all taxable property within the county
to fund housing and redevelopment projects.
The area will not include North St. Paul, since officials there earlier_thi.s_rnanth_said-it_would.be_opa ing_� at. The city may opt in, anytime in
the future.
Of the 19 municipalities within the county, North St. Paul and St. Paul are the only two that had their own HRAs established prior to 1971
when the county was given the ability to create its own.
In late May, St. Paul agreed to participate, but laid down a few of its own conditions: At least 50 percent of the money collected must be
spent on projects located there, and the county must seek approval from the city before commencing a project within its boundaries.
Ramsey County currently is the only county in the Twin Cities metropolitan area that does not have an active levy authority dedicated to
affordable housing.
According to Ramsey County, funds collected through the special benefit tax levy, which the HRA is allowed to enact under state statute,
will support the preservation and creation of affordable housing developments by offering gap financing and land acquisition funds, as
well as allocating resources to increase the competitiveness of county housing projects applying for state grants.
The levy will increase annual taxes on a median value residential property by about $45.
The money will be available starting in 2023.
The HRA will be the primary funding arm ofthe county's Economic Competitiveness and Inclusion Plan, which was unveiled in March and
..........................................................................................
meant to shape county investments over the next four years through the lens of racial equity.
County Commissioner Victoria Reinhardt thanked county staff and Commissioner Trista MatasCastillo for meeting with suburban officials
to explain the levy and dispel untrue rumors of its purpose. Reinhardt said the levy will benefit everyone in the county.
"This is still really working with the community, whether it's St. Paul or it's Shoreview or Maplewood, wherever it is;" she said. "It's how
can we make this work for our communities and to get what we need and want for affordable housing and mixed -income housing for the
labor market, for equity?"
Tags: IHousing, IMorth St. Il1auull, IPollffics, (Ramsey, Couuinty, IRainnsey Couuinty lBoaird, St„ IlAauull
Nick Ferraro I Dakota County reporter
A Minneapolis native, Nick Ferraro joined the Pioneer Press in 1997 after graduating from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul. He's
been a reporter covering Dakota County communities since 2007.
https://www.twincities.com/2021 /O6/22/ramsey-county-moves-ahead-with-tax-levy-for-affordable-housing/ 1 /4
7/23/2021 Ramsey County moves ahead with tax levy for affordable housing — Twin Cities
nferraro@pioneerpress.com
dun Follow Nick Ferraro (r@NFerraroPiPress
Fed Stimulus Plan Cuts Your House Payment L
By Lendgo
If you owe less than $875,000 on your home and have no missed payments in 45 days,
you should read this.
As you comment, please be respectful of other commenters and other viewpoints. Our goal with article comments is to
provide a space for civil, informative and constructive conversations. We reserve the right to remove any comment we
deem to be defamatory, rude, insulting to others, hateful, off -topic or reckless to the community. See our full terms of
use here.
https://www.twincities.com/2021 /O6/22/ramsey-county-moves-ahead-with-tax-levy-for-affordable-housing/ 2/4
7/23/2021 Ramsey County moves ahead with tax levy for affordable housing — Twin Cities
https://www.twincities.com/2021 /O6/22/ramsey-county-moves-ahead-with-tax-levy-for-affordable-housing/ 3/4
7/23/2021 Ramsey County moves ahead with tax levy for affordable housing — Twin Cities
https://www.twincities.com/2021 /O6/22/ramsey-county-moves-ahead-with-tax-levy-for-affordable-housing/ 4/4