Tofte Township supervisors met with Cliff Knettel, deputy director of One Roof Community Housing at their February meeting to discuss the community housing project that has sat in limbo for the last two years. Supervisors turned over all of the information for the planned 12-unit housing project that will be built on the hill above Birch Grove Community Center to Knettel, who took it back to his board for review.
The goal was to have Dynamic Homes make six twin patio homes and have the houses ready for rent by fall, 2015. But an individual bill crafted by the late Representative Dave Dill (DFL) and Senator Tom Bakk (DFL) that would have given the township authority to manage the units was stalled in a larger bill that didn’t get passed in the special session. It also failed in 2016. And at this point, the township supervisors have been working with the Cook County/ Grand Marais EDA on finding someone else other than the township to own and manage the project.
Work began on the 27-acre site three years ago. The ground has been cleared, a rough road pushed in, a well is in place, and the six twin patio homes that were built by Design Homes are being stored in St. Cloud rent free, waiting for a decision by One Roof.
“The project is on hold,” said supervisor Craig Horak. “The township can’t legally build the housing because we have no authority by statute to oversee the housing. One Roof/EDA has that housing authority. Design Homes has worked with One Roof, and they said they would wait for their decision.”
To date, the township has spent $60,000 out of its coffers as a down payment to Design Homes, said Horak. The Iron Range Rehabilitation Resources Board (IRRRB) has given $350,000 for infrastructure. It is estimated that the housing, which will be available for rent, will cost $2,224,983, with the town expected to bond for $1,654,000 to help finance it.
“There have been a lot of rumors about this housing project,” said Horak. “It’s still in the works. We are not in trouble financially. The houses that Design Homes built are fine. There is nothing wrong with them. It’s just on hold. We are waiting to get an answer from One Roof. Right now we don’t have a no; we don’t have a yes, we don’t have a maybe. I was hoping we would get a reply from them by the township’s annual March 14 meeting, but that might not happen.”
One Roof has worked with the Cook County/Grand Marais EDA for the last year on two workforce housing projects they have agreed to take ownership of and operate in Cook County. One is the 16-unit workforce housing that will be built this summer and fall in Lutsen, and the other project is for four homes that will be constructed this summer in Grand Marais.
Located in Duluth, One Roof Community Housing is a nonprofit that is committed to providing housing services and building affordable housing. One Roof was formed by the merger of Northern Communities Land Trust and Neighborhood Housing Services in 2012.
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