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)Cal Sunday,Jan. 18, 2004
<br /> Example of an affordable home floor plan Home-buyer classes
<br /> Main floor level Central Minnesota Housing
<br /> Partnership is offering a series
<br /> Dining Living room Second Bedroom
<br /> of"Home Stretch"classes to
<br /> 9'5"x 10'6" 11'6"x 11'5" bedroom Family room anyone looking to buy a home.
<br /> 9'10°x 9'4" The classes focus on first-time .
<br /> home-buyer tips,although
<br /> ,cr _ �p everyone is welcome.■
<br /> °� ■' ( First The series includes an op-
<br /> x bedroom Utility Bath tional session on the Life Cycle
<br /> x �■ 10'10"x10'6"
<br /> room Housing Program,the first of
<br /> Foyer_ — which will be Jan.27.Individu
<br /> als or families interested in ap-
<br /> plying for the Life Cycle Hous
<br /> — ■'' ing Program should complete
<br /> Double m"® the Home Stretch program.
<br /> garage — Class schedules are:
<br /> LO I • Jan.20,27(classes for
<br /> this session have already start- ,
<br /> ed but are still open to people
<br /> Source:Croat Kerfeld Homes who want to attend).
<br /> Times graphic by Mark Marshall,mmarshall @stcloudtimes • Feb.4,11,18,25.
<br /> • March 1,8,15,22.
<br /> • April 7,14,21,28.
<br /> • May 12,19,26 and June 2.
<br /> We have been keeping track of our de- • June 7,14,21,28.
<br /> velopers'commitments to the goal. People interested in attending
<br /> should call 529-6500.
<br /> Since we passed the(affordable hous- Questions about the Life
<br /> inordinance,I'd say we're definitely Cycle Housing Program should
<br /> g� y l y be directed to the Central
<br /> meeting it. Minnesota Housing Partnership
<br /> at 259-0393.
<br /> Matt Glaesman
<br /> St cw d planning director Michael Collins,land manager
<br /> for Croat Land Company."Land
<br /> phasized at planning commission Sauk Rapids will do a better prices have skyrocketed, and
<br /> and City Council meetings. job of creating affordable hous- when city councils have a strict
<br /> "We have to live up to what we ing now that some of the details adherence to their requirements,
<br /> agreed to do unless something have been set,Schultz said. without giving you money to
<br /> changes and we no longer need "I think Sartell has proven it make up for it,it's very difficult."
<br /> o this,"Rasmussen said."It can be done,"Schultz said."It's all Croat-Kerfeld Homes is build-
<br /> ainly hasn't been an easy a matter of how many incentives ing Sartell's first new affordable
<br /> 9ro1
<br /> c ess....There's been a lot of the city is willing to kick in." homes.City leaders have helped
<br /> negotiation and reasoning with St.Joseph Mayor Larry Hosch encourage building by reducing
<br /> developers?' said more communication is water-access charges and right-
<br /> needed among St.Joseph city of-way requirements,he said.
<br /> City barriers leaders to put the agreement into Just because the affordable-
<br /> Much of 2003 was spent flesh- full effect.Like Sauk Rapids,St. housing pact isn't easy to follow
<br /> ing out details of the agreement, Joseph only approved a limited doesn't mean it's not necessary,
<br /> including setting an affordable- number of housing develop- Collins said. '
<br /> house price at$131,000 and de- ments in early 'We really believe in the agree-
<br /> velo■mg other standards for af- 2003, before ment,"he said.'We think 15 per-
<br /> fordable homes,Rasmussen said. the standards
<br /> That's part of the reason most of were set. cent isn't enough, and there's
<br /> the cities had difficulty meeting "We would more that can be put out there:'
<br /> the guidelines. like to meet the 0 Other programs
<br /> Sauk Rapids approved three threshold, and i, Cities that have struggled to•housing developments after the the city is�com-
<br /> agreement was struck,but ques- mitted,"Hosch Lanz Hosch meet the affordable-housing
<br /> tions about the program pre- said. "I think City leaders need goals have taken other measures
<br /> vented leaders from making Life one of the to communicate to improve the situation,leaders
<br /> Cycle homes,city leaders said. things we need to do is figure out say.That can be just as crucial to
<br /> The three developments will in- how to enable developers and housing advocates as actually
<br /> elude about 330 homes. homeowners to access this:' breaking ground and building a
<br /> But a lack of Life Cycle Hous- new home.
<br /> ing units doesn't mean affordable Obstacles 'Ail of the programs in place to
<br /> homes aren't available. While the incentives offered by provide affordable housing are
<br /> "In 2002,we also produced a Sartell and St.Cloud have helped very important,"Finn said.
<br /> number of lots that would easily produce affordable homes,pro- Waite Park received a
<br /> come in under the$131,000 price viding them is not necessarily $250,000 grant from the Min-
<br /> point,"said Todd Schultz,Sauk easy. nesota Housing Finance Agency
<br /> Rapids'community development Developers, many of whom to repair existing homes and sell
<br /> director. "Those units didn't were wary about the agreement them to first-time home buyers
<br /> count,though,because they came in the first place because they who otherwise might not be able
<br /> in before the agreement?' thought it'd be difficult to meet, to afford them.
<br /> Schultz has contacted develop- say it's been tough to develop af- Sauk Rapids received a
<br /> ers of the already-approved fordable homes because they $49,000 grant last year to help
<br /> and asked them aren't able to recoup the costs of qualified homeowners with
<br /> ywould make some of their building them. home-improvement projects.
<br /> I hborhoods
<br /> es adhere to the affordable- "I don't think from a profit Leaders are still waiting for word
<br /> housing agreement.It's possible point of view there's any incentive about another$500,000 grant
<br /> that will happen,he said. for developers to do this,"said they applied for.
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