|
? "It`s really difficult, consider` ST. PALL PION
<br /> v EER PRESS
<br /> . . . .
<br /> . .,, .
<br /> 41
<br /> III
<br /> t NFOFli'Aik44a ing how expensive most rents
<br /> •
<br /> are," Ruth Lane said. "It's ii tIS FROM PAGE 12A
<br /> tracing—so,so frustrating—for
<br /> working families like us to not be
<br /> 12A M THURSDAY, APRIL 25, zooz able toafo daplacetolive. ONLINE
<br /> ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS Economic factors have wors-
<br /> ened the affordable housing cri- +
<br /> FROM PAGE 1A sis. Metro rents have risen 34 The McKnight
<br /> ' percent in the past decade,while Foundation:
<br /> `� } ,i � .. , »f> incomes rose just 9 percent Fut www.mcknight;org
<br /> �tit�i �T� a r x, �' • ton said.
<br /> f > lilt
<br /> °r Er t Family Housing Fund:
<br /> "o101,-::!:. ir=; :a 4- °:r ; - ,.� , ,�r a , nom,, r I The Lane family can afford www.fhfund.org
<br /> li�gar"� '"� • �+ ► � �;I a ? to spend about 390 a month on
<br /> ♦ L.,`3A,.r'sx ; fi ew zl aft5
<br /> f.` • €' ( ► , �,,„: I•, ,,13 housing,using the formula that•
<br /> 3 !�►I i! �� � , x � � ,' , f housing is affordable at no
<br /> I ��'� ¢kr� � more than 30 percent of a fatlti-
<br /> � y xl :N{ f a I Affordable
<br /> � , L \ �ti t►& , ' _�[ f ,r a 5'�V r;�+ 1' �,,a� I)''s income. The average rent
<br /> l 4a� � i.
<br /> • �,J A \ ! { T, ,Ytr}aJ t �� , {A for a three bedroom apartment
<br /> :������� ~�i . E �•' o' •1 ,, 1R''{s ,oaf § , 3f, �T•1 Y h
<br /> V <<S' l r 1 c , t ! [y� 4� gn V ;:.I......... in the Twin Cities is $1,208 a i1o�Sing
<br /> u��`�`i �L 1 nn�t�i, 1 1 (T I s€i �r s-,Z } ; yt E ,ti month.
<br /> e s �® �F Sh l�`' p 'lf V }p sksj�f#'xt ,�`a,. Y (y£+„'' 'f ; In , •
<br /> ► 1 �i The Tamil g
<br /> � f � k �_.cll: ���t,c r, € k � y Housing Fund
<br /> illi 40: , ► r & :A a i 3
<br /> (continued)
<br /> s
<br /> I. will use 90 percent of the
<br /> °":▪a l L., alt { , 'k `�' § f t McKnight rant t0 produce
<br /> gi .‘t< z � Y g g p
<br /> maw 3 ; . �.d }� k i i 4 ; i a ,Av. 1 help.,,
<br /> 2W Pr x,F�g 1 .y UM.:j`y#� s t ► � ,� i ,x,*,V j,' affordable rental units in apart-
<br /> Affordable 1 xs s fN'i .g f i '°ik f 5�.,.� 11 z7 6 se,
<br /> meats and townhouses, help affordable housing Is a
<br /> 'I "r t ,i -1 �" + ' long-term capital investment
<br /> i €F ' ` " "`„ "' loll and moderate income I arm
<br /> �P. A � �'3�� 4*r A, � � � 1 s �►# �` ,.£ t li 'L l.��i �,- •' � 7_
<br /> a r�x� 2k s ,,' ; ,�# _ s 111 corm-nut-titles,Ftdton said.
<br /> r t i E t ;�,.T Q:; r f :ft t= t lies buy homes, renovate exist-,t£& l a �, i f When you produce
<br /> .i.v Ng w m ?� �s ► 4 � 4t'+,,r ' d - ing affordable housing and cre
<br /> I, i�°* t If r `s affordable housing, it bene
<br /> f �r >`t' l > ,3 r k s fa: c,�'` ate supportive idiom units for fits the s,"Fulton tlit for 30,40,
<br /> t " Il r - x i 4 < ', t k t° _ people who need social services
<br /> .14.4n:.� ' F`� `' ��� la � `� � � i���t�} 1x� a � � ` 50 years,,, Fulton said. "It's
<br /> ' g 0 '�.N ,t t aloe v ith housing. rest of not only
<br /> pp q ,13 �Y �� $ �` �'T3 i f 9
<br /> 7 s z rr. `"'`. xS f� , y ,,b i'i IWI'sL9`� y g g a major contribution
<br /> s t the grant will be used for the
<br /> 1i ' * .r,c= '1,01,41:41'44m,;4!1a :r r fa the life of the individual
<br /> . : t. , a group's research and operating
<br /> v s p � 1�, t°•z family that lives there, but
<br /> rlf , ; costs. it's a gift that keeps on giving
<br /> SHERRI I A.! . ,PIONEER PRESS. Tile money is targeted at because it.will be available Io
<br /> First-grader Autumn lane, 7, gets ready to do her homework after dinner in the room she shares those who make no more than
<br /> with her sisters at Mary's Place. 60 percent (for a family of four, families in the future."
<br /> $46,020 a year) of the metro The hick is petted ce-
<br /> r� to become the No. 1 priority on President Tom Fulton. The meclian income. meat, which is expected to
<br /> Affordable everyone's agenda." almotulcement today also
<br /> Four years ago, McKnight include St.Paul Ivlayol'Rankly
<br /> McKni ht's four-year y gave the Family Housing Kelly and Minneapolis Mayor
<br /> housing g y grant marks a milestone for the Ialni g Fund a R.T. Rybak, twill be held at a
<br /> to the Family Housing Fund ly I-lousitlg Fund:The nonprofit $23 million grant. And in the recently completed affordable
<br /> could help 12,000 to 14,000 pev- group has committed funds to past 20 years, McKnight has townhouse development in
<br /> (continued) ple, said Family Housing Fund complete its 25,000th affordable invested about $100 million in Mendota heights. The iota•housing unlit (over a nearly 22- affordable housing,"but what is lion was picked to highlight
<br /> year p
<br /> span), so paradoxical is, by many the need for affordable hous-
<br /> Over the next five years, measures, it •seems as if the ing ill the suburbs and• 31,700 new affordable housing problem has•worsened or at because a new affordable
<br /> tulits for people making $15,000 least not improved," said Rip housing hutiative,the Dakota
<br /> to$50,000 annually mast be built Rapson,McKnight president. County 'lousing Opportunity
<br /> to satisfy demand, meet new "We really have made sub- Enhancement Program, twill
<br /> housing needs and create a stantial progress in the tom- receive about $1.5 million of
<br /> healthy vacancy rate,according mtulity, but on the surface, r the McKnight grant.
<br /> to the Family Housing Fluid things seem worse," he said.
<br /> • study. `Affordable housing is a moo-
<br /> "T'here's always been a need ing target." '
<br /> y The9"e s always
<br /> for housing,but as the economy Today's grant fi om McKnight
<br /> •slips,there's more and more of a should be seen as a catalyst, l) ' 11 a need fO9•
<br /> need," said Dakota County Rapson said.
<br /> •
<br /> Conmlissioner Mince Turner, "We don't pretend a single / O7J( 2119' but as
<br /> who has been active in the coral grant from McKnight is going
<br /> • ty's affordable housing efforts. to change,the way people look
<br /> "It's been rather bleak. 'There at the questions surrounding the eGO92O171y SI1/)S,
<br /> are families out there living in affordable housing, he said. "I
<br /> cats,jammed ht houses with reI- think this should put enough there's 7)209"e
<br /> atives and living hl conditions energy in the community to get
<br /> that are way less than desirable. people moving and thinking and ?1201"e of a
<br /> •
<br /> We're just now making some about what they can do to
<br /> moves in file right direction."
<br /> Ruth and Enunanuel Lane AFFORDABLE HOUSING,13A need. It's been
<br /> and their five I +
<br /> "' children fit the 9" 1111•er bleak.
<br /> •
<br /> 1 profile of a fam-
<br /> �; ily that could be 1btIKE TURNER
<br /> ,:
<br /> E helped by Dakota County Commissioner
<br /> '
<br /> . today's grant
<br /> I -announcement.
<br /> The family has Emmanuel Lane, Ruth's
<br /> `" a gross annual husband, said he realizes
<br /> Emmanuel income of about there are many other Mini-
<br /> :
<br /> a int
<br /> Lane $15,600 and is lies like his wilo struggle to
<br /> currently living find affordable housing.
<br /> •
<br /> in transitional housing in Min- "There's 96 families at
<br /> neapolis.
<br /> "Wc ”..,11., lug,...,. . •- this place (transitional
<br /> housing) and I know we're
<br /> not alone,"said Lane,who is
<br /> a school bus' driver. "It's
<br /> overwhelming sometimes.
<br /> • It's all I think about —
<br /> where are we going to live,
<br /> how are we going to afford
<br /> it? We have a roof over otu•
<br /> ••
<br /> head now, but I can't help
<br /> •
<br /> •
<br /> but want sometlung better
<br /> for Illy family.
<br /> •
<br /> Mara H. Gottfried can be
<br /> •
<br /> reached at mgottfried@
<br /> piotleerpress.Com or
<br /> •
<br /> (651)228-5262.
<br /> •
<br /> •
<br /> •
<br /> •
<br /> •
<br /> •
<br /> •
<br /> •
<br /> •
<br /> .
<br />
|