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Council backs Met Council pre‑development grant application for small affordable townhouse project
Summary
Council authorized staff to apply for up to $300,000 in Metropolitan Council Livable Communities pre‑development grant funds to support a developer's proposal for seven‑to‑eight for‑sale townhouse units targeted to households at roughly 60–80% of area median income.
The North St. Paul City Council approved a resolution authorizing city staff to submit a Livable Communities pre-development grant application to the Metropolitan Council to support the Nature Point townhouse proposal.
Community Development Director Ken Roberts described the privately led concept: two four‑unit buildings (seven to eight total units likely after engineering) on a privately owned parcel near South Avenue and 7th; the applicant, Hong Kong Vang, said the units would be for sale to low‑to‑moderate‑income households and that the developer is seeking up to $300,000 in pre‑development funding to advance engineering and design work. Roberts emphasized that a favorable grant decision would be only one step: any award would come with agreements and subsequent planning and permitting review and would not guarantee final project approvals.
Vang introduced himself and said the property is currently owned by his father; he said the goal is owner-occupied units targeted at families of four with incomes around 60–80% of area median income (staff cited HUD figures for those bands during the presentation). Roberts and staff noted Met Council awards are competitive and not guaranteed.
On a motion, council members voted to authorize staff to submit the grant application. If the Metropolitan Council awards funds, the city would be the grant recipient and the developer a subrecipient; any grant agreement and project approvals would return to council.
