Sheridan NRP Committee Meeting Notes – March16, 2009

Attending:Susan Kulstad, Nate Benton,John Akre, Michael Romens, Denise Eloundou

Audubon Park is getting corrugated vinyl lawn signs for Minneapolis Advantage program. They asked if we wanted to go in on them. Cost of $20 per neighborhood. To let people know about the program available for homebuyers in the neighborhood. It sounds like a great idea.

We discussed our NRP Housing programs and some changes that should be made to them to make them more accessible.

Income guidelines –Denise said that in Sheridan there hasn’t been much activity on downpayment assistance. Lottery program has no income requirements and that is what everybody is using. Live Work program has income limits, and that may be keeping some people from using it. Now Live/Work and Downpayment are limited to 80% area median income. Minneapolis Advantage Guidelines are up to 120%. She suggested we match that. We may not go that high with Live/Work because of appeal to artists. 120% for family of two is income of 77,640. 100% for family of two is 64,700/

Denise also talked about loan to value rate of programs, and how those are becoming more troublesome with declining property values. Right now those are 120% and might be good.

Other remedies – appealing to the SNO board to challenge denial in a program because of guidelines. We already do this for the business program, and should do it also for the housing programs.

Publicity – the biggest issue. Nate is working on a flyer that puts all the programs in one place. Nate will set it up so all committee members can change it. We will try to get this in Northeast in the spring after we have made some changes to program guidelines. Denise said that LiveMSP.com will have information on neighborhood housing programs and be up later this spring. Have flyers at the kiosk for people to grab. Discussed online social networking to get out word.

Phase I versus Phase II programs. Denise suggested zeroing out Phase I programs and move funds to Phase II. Perhaps moving funds from Absentee to Phase II Revolving and maybe Business program.

Fix and Paint deadline. Mike offered to be at office with John to check addresses at deadline time. Nate is willing to take the surveys to check the information on them. Mike will drop the surveys off at Nate’s.

Susan gave an update on 13th Ave streetlights. Good news is that we are the first program in under the new policy. Other news is that it has been a month and Susan has yet to receive the form for getting permission and they are still tweaking it.And Susan will have dot voting ready for annual meeting on type of lamp. Will hear back from Great Streets in late May or early June. Question about what the assessment cost would be for the lighting. Susan has not yet heard that back from city.

Mike has been working with a lighting designer about doing streetscape improvements in the realm of lighting.He can do artistic things with lights that wouldn’t cost a ton of money. Lighting in trees will also be part of it. Building projections could also be a possibility.

Other outreach for Fix and Paint? Put info about it on Northeaster insert flyer for annual meeting.

Next meeting, Monday, April 20th at Nate’s, 150 15th Ave. NE.

Notes written by John Akre