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East Bethel HRA approves $77,000 levy for 2027 preliminary city budget
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Summary
At its April 27 meeting the East Bethel Housing and Redevelopment Authority approved adding a $77,000 levy to the city's preliminary 2027 budget to preserve the HRA's legal status and seed potential affordable housing projects; staff reported an unaudited cash balance of $432,907.
The East Bethel Housing and Redevelopment Authority on April 27 approved including a $77,000 levy in the city's preliminary 2027 budget, members said.
Staff presented an unaudited cash balance for the HRA of $432,907 as of March 31, made up of $121,707 from the local affordable housing aid (the quarter-cent sales tax) and $311,200 from the city's levy, a staff member said. "The unaudited HRA cash account balances of March 31 was $432,907," the staff member said.
The staff member told the authority that, under Minnesota Statute 469.033, subdivision 6, the HRA must prepare and file a budget in accordance with the city's budget procedures. The staff member said the HRA had approved a $77,000 levy in 2026 to maintain the authority's legal status as a standalone HRA and to provide funds for potentially eligible housing projects. "We are not levying that amount. We're levying $77,000, so again, keeping those numbers very low," the staff member said.
During discussion, a committee member asked whether the city has ever had to deploy HRA funds for affordable housing, homelessness, or blight. The staff member responded that, in their tenure, the city had not had to do so but described a concrete example involving city-owned land on Taylor Street. The staff member said the city hoped to net about $500,000 for that parcel but had a buyer offering about $350,000; HRA funds could be used to bridge the gap to facilitate senior housing development. "We have a buyer right now that says, well, I'll pay you 350,000, for example, for that land," the staff member said, and noted the HRA could provide gap funding to make a senior housing project feasible.
The motion to include a $77,000 HRA levy in the preliminary 2027 city budget was moved and seconded and passed on a voice vote; the Chair called for "all in favor say aye," members responded "aye," and "none heard" was recorded for opposed. The meeting then adjourned following a motion, second and voice vote.
Votes at a glance
- Motion to adopt the meeting agenda: approved by voice vote (aye recorded, no opposition heard). - Motion to approve minutes from Jan. 26, 2026: approved by voice vote (aye recorded, no opposition heard). - Motion to include an HRA levy of $77,000 in the preliminary 2027 city budget: approved by voice vote (aye recorded, no opposition heard). - Motion to adjourn: approved by voice vote (aye recorded, no opposition heard).
What this means
The approved $77,000 levy will be included in the city's preliminary 2027 budget process; staff described the levy as a means to preserve the HRA's legal status and to seed potential projects such as bridging financing to encourage senior housing developments. No roll-call vote was recorded; outcomes were decided by voice votes. Staff did not specify a timeline for use of the levy funds beyond inclusion in the preliminary budget.
