Stearns County HRA requests $25,000 levy increase to support housing voucher program

Neil Fortier, executive director of the Stearns County HRA, told the board on Aug. 25 that the agency would reduce its initial levy request and instead ask for a $25,000 increase for 2027, about a 4.4% rise from the prior year. "Our initial request was for a $50,000 increase or 8.7%. We've come to an agreement that $25,000 would be more in line, which would be approximately a 4.4% increase," Fortier said.