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Board approves SEMN Multicounty HRA preliminary levy option including $100,000 for housing trust fund
Summary
The board approved the Southeast Minnesota Multicounty HRA's base levy request option that includes $100,000 into the local housing trust fund; the HRA director said additional tiers were available if the county wanted to grow the fund.
The Goodhue County Board of Commissioners voted on Sept. 9 to approve the Southeast Minnesota Multicounty Housing and Redevelopment Authority's preliminary levy Tier 1 request of $386,940, which includes $100,000 into a local housing trust fund.
Buffy Buranick, executive director, presented the HRA request and described a tiered levy structure: the base levy would fund ongoing HRA operations and put $100,000 into the county housing trust fund; an additional tier would raise the total request by $400,000 to deposit $500,000 into the housing trust fund for development rather than preservation. Buranick said the trust fund currently sits at about $250,000 and would be about $300,000 at year end; increasing the fund would allow the HRA to support development activities that can expand the tax base rather than only funding preservation.
A commissioner noted the county board could adjust the preliminary levy down later but not increase it. Other commissioners requested the HRA provide a detailed list of prior housing trust fund awards and how funds were used. One commissioner spoke in opposition to using levy funds for housing trust activities and urged eliminating the trust fund; that position did not carry and the motion to approve Tier 1 was moved and seconded.
The board approved the HRA Tier 1 levy request by voice vote. The motion and outcome were recorded in the meeting minutes; staff noted the HRA's administrative allowance is limited to 10 percent of the trust fund under the HRA arrangement.
