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MINUTES of the MHNA General Membership Meeting Feb 20, 2007

Univ. Lutheran Church of Hope 601 13th Ave SE

1. Meeting called to order at 7:45 pm.by Deb Girard, president. While there was no quorum, there were several new faces in attendance.
2. NRP report – Elissa Cottle talked about NRP’s reception of the neighborhood Community Development Corporation (CDC) plan submitted by a Housing Subcommittee of the Land Use Committee. The start-up funding will be used for marketing consultants, a business plan and MHNA staff time to get things started. The motion to support using NRP funds passed with 3 in favor, 3 abstained and 1 opposed. Some language changes were suggested to improve the plan:
   • The east side of the neighborhood is specifically included
   • Marketing be coordinated with the U of M
   • Recent MH housing studies be included
   • Marketing and housing improvements not exclude undergraduate renters but include all segments of the U of M community (undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and staff) The funding request of $70,000 would come from the $9,000 for housing grant writing, $49,000 for rental to owner conversions and $12,000 for faculty/senior citizen housing.

   NRP staff added that marketing strategies will include a landlords’ association with a directory of landlords with good property records as one tool to market MH housing to more stable renters

   A motion ( J Radzwill) to accept the CDC start up plan with changes including “may” replacing “will” in the marketing strategies was passed.

   The NRP Committee also approved the scope of the Owner Occupied Rehab Deferred Loan program. MHNA Board members want to ensure that the properties are indeed owner occupied and not “relative homesteaded”. Properties will be chosen using a point system, not a lottery. There will be $1000 – $5000 available per property with an owner match, except in cases of low income. Improvements will be for the property exterior (with some exclusions) and they will be inspected first so any code violations are resolved before getting the funds. The program guidelines presented tonight need MHNA approval and a motion to approve (K Carver) was passed.

   Also at the board tonight, the CURA Housing Survey was presented by student Matt Ayers. There were 625 responses to 20,000 surveys sent to faculty, staff, grad students and alumni. Although the response rate was low, the information gleaned is very valuable. 87% said they would be willing to move to the neighborhoods surrounding the University if adequate housing were available. The basic themes were housing (more grad school and more affordable faculty), safety and transportation. The survey results are on our website. A separate comments section is particularly interesting. www.marcy-holmes.org

   Last month the MHNA Board recommended re-allocation of $39,142 in NRP (unused project) funds. Since a 30-day notice is required, the vote will take place at the March 20 MHNA General Membership meeting. The funds would be used for citizen participation activities of MHNA, including office operations and staff, due to cuts in our primary source of funding from the City.

3. Council Member Diane Hofstede spoke about the Impact Study. She said that the initial response from Senator Pogemiller’s office was positive. She thinks he will be sponsoring some kind of funding bill along with Rep Kahn in the House. On Sat Feb 24 both of them will be at a Town Hall Forum to answer questions from constituents.The city libraries merging with Hennepin County is in serious discussion. CM Hofstede’s staff is looking into budgetary analysis and what this would mean for our SE Library. The long requested stoplight at 6th & University was the topic of some emails going around the city. A traffic analysis showed there was no warrant for one – that cars can easily turn on to University from 6th Ave….problem is it’s PEOPLE CROSSING UNIVERSITY we’re worried about. She understands and will keep going on this issue, as well as the antenna on Andrew House/Remington Apts. CM Hofstede thanked our Safety & Livability Committee for their input at the 3rd Ward CARE Committee. At the last meeting “excessive consumption” was discussed – looking at what to do about property owners who consume excessive city resources (police and fire calls for example).President Girard asked about CM Gordon’s task force looking into occupancy laws. She replied that Regulatory Services is re-examining the rental property ordinances. She is on the Public Safety Committee so she will be involved at some point.
4. Jeremy Stratton, new editor of The Bridge newspaper was introduced. He will be attending neighborhood meetings seeking news. He is also seeking opinion pieces. The paper has a web version and a paper version that is mailed out to every resident. Approx 5000 copies are dropped off to area businesses. If you are not receiving the paper, contact him 436-9160.
5. MHNA Committee meetings schedule – all are invited:
   • 1st Monday 7pm First Congregational Church (5th St & 8th Ave SE) Safety & Livability (Tom Lincoln, chair)
   • 2nd Wednesday 5:30pm Marcy Open School (415 4th Ave SE) NRP
   • 1st Wednesday Dunn Bros 5:30pm (6th & University Ave SE) Land Use
   • 4th Tuesday 6pm Bordertown Coffee (16th Ave SE off University) Student Affairs

   Note full editions of committee minutes can be seen at the our website: www.marcy-holmes.org

   MHNA Committee Updates-

   • Land Use – No formal actions were taken tonight. Alex Roberts, of Restaurant Alma, contacted the committee about his plans to open Brasa Rotisserie in the former Betty’s Bikes & Buns space on 6th & East Hennepin. It will be a casual restaurant with counter service /food cooked to order. He plans to offer beer and wine and be open Mon – Sat. He plans to complete the site plan improvements the former tenant left undone. He is also pursuing “limited hours” parking. He is applying for a C-1 entertainment license (five or fewer musicians). We have not been contacted yet by the city as to when a public hearing might occur.Elmwood Properties wants to develop the Arcola building site, 815 14th Ave SE, for 5-story student apartments with enclosed parking. He will be returning to the March Land Use Committee. The Andrew – Riverside site is still sitting with HPC. Schafer Richardson is planning to go back to that commission and ask what might be approved for the site. David Frank asked if we would be amenable to rental instead of condos.
   • Safety & Livability Citizen Patrol Update: The Citizen Patrol is still doing 311 sweeps on Saturday mornings at 8:00 AM at Dunn Brothers. Anything below zero (temperature or windchill) and we postpone. MSA is proposing a walk on Wednesday, April 4, 2007. A joint event may be a way to re-energize our MHNA Citizen Patrol.CODEFOR (Computer Optimized DEployment – Focus On Results) Crime Stats for the month of January were just posted.
     

     Violent Crimes		Other Crimes
     Rape	0	Burglary	6
     Robbery of Person	5	Motor Vehicle Theft	8
     Assault	2	Theft from Motor Vehicle	24
     Arson	0
     	Total:	45

     Overall crime is flat from last month and from January 2006. Note the 5 robberies of person. Note also the rise in motor vehicle thefts. This is likely weather related.

   • Student Affairs met on ideas to get more students involved, both socially and more in the community, including Renters Block Clubs and a spring block party ideas. They now meet the 4th Tuesday at 6 pm at Bordertown Coffee on 16th Ave SE just off University. (NOTE: NO meeting in March.)
   • Casey Briscoe also updated the board on the District Council Collaborative/ Light Rail meetings. This group brings together neighborhoods around the Univ Ave light rail line. Most are in St Paul. Casey’s subgroup is looking at the Minneapolis leg of the line – where the U’s stops should be and if the tunnel (starts at Coffman Union ends at other side of Stadium Village) is removed from the plan because of the cost – what is the best alternative? The above ground alternative, being proposed by the U, would require businesses on the north side of Washington Ave between Oak and Huron to be relocated so the street would become wider. The train would cross the river at Washington Ave.There is some discussion over the West Bank stop location. The latest has the stop at Washington Ave between Cedar and 19th, with stairs leading to both streets. The committee will be taking a position soon and Casey was advised to be “supportive of the neighborhoods and the dialog between pertinent neighborhoods and the University”.
6. Misc Announcements
   • Congrats to Pete Aspers, winner of a gift certificate to Vic’s restaurant in St Anthony Main tonight. Attend a MHNA meeting and you could be a winner too.
   • U of MN’s Kendre Turonie will be leaving on a maternity break in four weeks. Her staff will be taking over in the interim.
   • Tony Hofstede is serving on the CLIC (Capital Long-range Improvement Committee) and he is looking for suggestions as to how to fund bike path maintenance. Reach him through CM Hofstede’s office.
   • Several executive members of the Pan Hellenic Council were present and expressed interest in working with MHNA. It was suggested that their group could take charge of some of the east side trash containers – we will get them a map.

Meeting adjourned at 8:25 pm
Melissa Bean, Exec Director