Hennepin County consolidates old loans and extends terms for Tasks Unlimited properties

Hennepin County's Administration, Operations and Budget Committee approved a negotiated amendment consolidating four earlier county home loans to Tasks Unlimited Lodges, extending the loan term and raising the county's not-to-exceed amount for the capital loans.

Julia Welly Ayers of Housing and Economic Development summarized the item, saying the county originally provided the four loans in the 1990s and that the loans supported acquisition and rehabilitation of properties in Richfield and Bloomington to provide housing and recovery services. "In the 19 nineties, the county provided these 4 home loans totaling, dollars 538,000 to Tasks Unlimited to acquire and rehabilitate the 4 properties in Richfield and Bloomington," Ayers said. The committee approved the amendment by voice vote.

Why it matters: The loans are capital funds targeted to acquisition and rehabilitation; county staff said the amendment consolidates the loans, extends their term to 2030, and increases the not-to-exceed amount to about $538,000. Housing staff clarified that compliance for these loans is limited to reporting on tenant income and the condition of the physical plant; ongoing services funding and oversight of program services are managed through human services partners.

Details: Committee discussion included commissioners' expressions of support for rehabbing homes for people with serious mental illness or addiction and for preserving long-term housing stock. One commissioner asked whether the county conducts on-site monitoring; staff responded that the housing office's compliance focuses on income reporting and physical quality, and that questions about services funding should be directed to Human Services.

Next steps: The committee approved the amendment and the county will proceed to execute the revised loan documents and related real-estate amendments.