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Stevens County HRA outlines Prairie Vista plan, asks for larger levy as federal funding uncertainty looms
Summary
HRA staff updated the board on the Prairie Vista apartment proposal, a recent increase in Housing Choice Voucher capacity, capital work approved with a Minnesota Housing forgivable loan, and requested a larger local levy to support development and operations amid uncertain HUD funding.
Jessica, HRA staff, updated the Stevens County Board of Commissioners on the Housing and Redevelopment Authority's (HRA) 2025 activity and its budget and levy request. She said the HRA-selected name for the new multifamily project is Prairie Vista Apartments and that the HRA expects to learn whether it receives state funding in December. "The HRA board selected that name," Jessica said.
The HRA reported an increase in its Housing Choice Voucher capacity, effective Sept. 1, tied to changes at a local project: "That just started September 1," Jessica said, noting the expanded voucher capacity is intended to help households find rental units in Stevens and Traverse counties. Jessica described the voucher program as tenant-based assistance and said the office is not yet at full utilization of the larger allocation.
Jessica told the board the HRA is pursuing multiple funding sources for Prairie Vista, including a pending application to the Federal Home Loan Bank for a 20-year forgivable loan and a separate application to Minnesota Housing. She said the HRA is also pursuing project-based rental assistance for the lowest-income units. She described the development as mixed-income, with units targeted to households at roughly 30%, 50% and 80% of area median income, and gave the illustrative 2025 thresholds discussed in the meeting (for example, roughly $21,650 for a single person at the 30% level and about $57,700 at the 80% level).
On capital work at existing HRA properties, Jessica said Minnesota Housing approved forgivable funding to upgrade electrical and fire systems and convert units from gas to electric stoves; she reported approval to move forward on that scope and described the award as $1,042,500 for those improvements. She also said work has begun to replace vanities at Wildwood Apartments and that staff are pursuing water-mitigation work at the Hancock property.
Because HUD and other federal funding streams remain uncertain, Jessica asked the board to support a larger local levy to help the HRA advance Prairie Vista and other development activity. She presented a proposed maximum levy request the HRA would submit for county budgeting. The figure presented was $556,000, described in the discussion as a $76,000 increase over the 2025 request; Jessica later said roughly $67,000 of the increase would be earmarked for Prairie Vista development if the board approved the request. She emphasized operations were planned to remain level-funded and that the requested increase was directed toward development and special projects.
Board members asked how much of Prairie Vista would be income-restricted; Jessica said the project will include units restricted at multiple income bands and reiterated that project rents and maximum income thresholds are set by the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program and Minnesota Housing rules that will be finalized when construction is scheduled.
After the presentation the board voted to accept a related HRA resolution (motion and second recorded on the meeting transcript) and the motion carried by voice vote.
Ending: The HRA will return to the board with outcomes from the Minnesota Housing award process in December and with formal budget materials as part of the county's 2026 levy and budget cycle. Jessica said the HRA would do additional debriefs and re-apply if state funding is not awarded this round.
