The Cook County/ Grand Marais Economic Development Authority (EDA) started its January 12, 2016 meeting with the election of board officers. The slate of officers remains the same as last year—Howard Hedstrom is board president; Anton Moody, vice president; Heidi Doo-Kirk secretary; and Scott Harrison continues as treasurer.
The primary topic of the meeting was housing, as the Work Force Housing Committee gave an update on its progress toward finding potential properties on which to develop workforce housing.
The Work Force Housing Committee— Harrison, Doo-Kirk and Moody—had several meetings with One Roof Community Housing, a nonprofit organization whose purpose is “to provide housing services and building and sustaining affordable homes and healthy neighborhoods using the community land trust model.”
What the EDA is working to develop is different than what One Roof has done in the past—the nonprofit works to provide housing for families at 80 percent of the adjusted median income while the EDA is trying to build homes for those that are at 120 percent of the adjusted median income. Anton Moody said services for the people at the 80 percent level are eligible for Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA) programs.
“AEOA is filling that role,” said Moody. He noted the EDA wants to provide market rate—workforce housing—that will enable professionals like teachers, nurses or government workers to find a home to buy.
It was agreed that although their focus is a bit different, One Roof Community Housing could still help the EDA as it proceeds with its housing initiatives. A unanimous motion passed to endorse One Roof as the EDA’s partner on its workforce housing project.
Scott Harrison said still using funds from its Northland Foundation grant, the housing subcommittee has made progress in the study of two potential properties, one near Arrowhead Cooperative in Lutsen and the other west of Homestead Housing in Grand Marais.
The committee has started discussion with architect Doug Zaun regarding potential housing vendors, such as Dynamic Homes, to create a plan for the properties, should the EDA be able to obtain them.
“So the plan is to have a developer put homes in? What about the infrastructure? We pay for that?” asked Hedstrom.
Harrison replied, “That is all up in the air.”
“But the plan is to get the housing in the $200,000 – $250,000 range down to $150,000 to $200,000?” asked Hedstrom.
Small Business Development Center Representative Pat Campanaro, who provides administrative assistance to the EDA and its Work Force Housing Committee, said the committee is now working to find funding sources to move on to those next steps.
Energy improvements and assistance discussed
Virginia Danfelt of the Cook County Local Energy Project (CCLEP) introduced her replacement as CCLEP coordinator, Staci Drouillard. Danfelt said she would work with Drouillard during the transition period and would stay involved with CCLEP in some manner. That said, Danfelt distributed information on the Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program, which provides financing to property owners for energy saving improvements through a revolving loan fund overseen by the St. Paul Port Authority.
Cook County Chamber Executive Director Jim Boyd was on hand to voice his support of the PACE program. Boyd said something he hears from local tourism entity Visit Cook County is that it is difficult to grow tourism in the off-season because many places close in the winter. Energy improvements could help local businesses stay open longer and would be an economic driver.
Campanaro said she believes there is real merit in this program. “The question is, how do we promote it?”
The EDA board agreed that this is information that should be shared in the community and discussed ways to do that. Campanaro said the EDA housing subcommittee had talked about hosting an educational forum in the spring, in part to talk about the benefit of building in the Cedar Grove Business Park. “This could be part of that,” she said.
The board asked Campanaro to put together a plan to promote the PACE program and bring it to the next EDA meeting.
Anita Jeziah of the Arrowhead Economic Development Authority (AEOA) gave a report on Cook County’s participation in the AEOA Energy Assistance program. At the time of the meeting, 161 applications had been approved for county residents for a benefit of $126,700. Eight families received financial assistance for “crisis events,” such as the need for propane while waiting for an AEOA application to be processed. Five families also received assistance for furnace repairs.
Jeziah said energy assistance funds are still available and she asked EDA board members to help spread the word. Anyone needing assistance can complete an application on line or they can visit Jeziah at the AEOA office (next to the EDA office in Grand Marais City Hall).
In a final matter of EDA business, the board agreed to reopen the search for an EDA director. The board directed Campanaro to place advertising, asking interested parties to apply by Tuesday, January 26.
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