A trio of organizations presented in front of the Lyon County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, all with improving the affordable housing landscape on their mind.
Representatives from Tapestry Companies, United Community Action Partnership and a new-look Habitat for Humanity attended the meeting making their pitch for State Affordable Housing Aid (SAHA).
The County has just over $307,000 in SAHA funding available; this money can be used to develop and preserve affordable housing.
Tapestry Companies has applied several times to the State for funding for affordable housing at Legion Field Road in Marshall.
Tapestry was originally looking at building a 60-unit facility, but because of rising construction costs, it has scaled its vision back to 42 units. With the prospect of the Broadmoor Valley trailer park closing, the need for affordable housing in Marshall is high, said Tim Trimble, executive vice president for Tapestry.
The facility would include one- two- three- and fourbedroom apartments for residents with incomes 50% or less of the area median income.
“As most of you know, the (trailer park) owners put in to close that, so Marshall at that point would have little to zero affordable housing,” said Trimble. “We view this as a critical project. Marshall hasn’t had a new affordable housing project built in decades of this type. There certainly is a strong need.”
Angela Larsen, representing UCAP, said her organization is receiving fewer funds these days from the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance program — about an 80% reduction since October.
“We went from having about $5 million in our service area in two years to $1 million in two years,” Larsen said. “It sounds like a lot of money, but when you spread it across 18 counties it really doesn’t add a lot.”
Larsen said UCAP will be getting some additonal dollars from the Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance program grant, but she doesn’t know how much.
“What we are requesting is funds to help fund emergency rental assistance in Lyon County for individuals and families who are under the income guidelines,” Larsen said.
Lyon County Board Chair Todd Draper referenced UCAP’s work with Cedar Lane in Tracy and brought up the issues surrounding that trailer home park.
“There’s some ongoing issues there with families that could be up-rooted,” Draper said. “There is definitely a need out there.”
Finally, the board heard from Kayla Klein from Habitat for Humanity of Redwood River & West Central Minnesota — a combination of Habitat for Humanity of West Central Minnesota and Redwood River Habitat for Humanity, which have officially merged.
“We serve Lyon and Redwood County now moving forward,” Klein said. “We plan to build one home in each county each year.”
Klein said Habitat uses all local electricians and plumbers for their housing work and have volunteers and churches work on other aspects of building homes.
Klein said Habitat is committed to building in Marshall this year, but serves all small towns in the entire county.
Requirements for someone looking for a Habitat home include being able to meet their county’s income requirements; have a minimum credit score of 600; provide a cash down payment; have no bankruptcies within the last seven years; and provide 250 hours of “sweat equity.”
Habitat would serve as the financial host if it is granted SAHA funds.
In other business Tuesday …
• The board rejected separate bids for a bathroom/shower cabin and infrastructure work for Garvin Park since they were both in excess of the County’s available budget.
