Longfellow Community Council (LCC)
MIDTOWN ECO ENERGY PROJECT (BIOMASS BURNER): The board discussed the Good Neighbor Agreement it had signed with Midtown Eco Energy (MEE) in September 2007. MEE wants to build a biomass burner at 2850 20th Ave. S. in the Phillips neighborhood. Board members were concerned that LCC’s signature was being touted as neighborhood support for the project.
At the September 20, 2007 board meeting, Craig Wilson, a principal at Kandiyohi Development Partners, the developer behind the MEE, told the board that signing the Good Neighbor Agreement would make Longfellow part of “a reasonable process for MEE to hear and respond to resident concerns about the operation and management of the biomass power plant.” The agreement did not ask the board whether or not it supported the project.
Craig Wilson from Kandiyohi, Carol Pass, president of East Phillips Improvement Coalition, and Seward Environment Committee representative Mark Sulander attended the meeting, although they were not allowed to contribute to the discussion. Given the level of interest, the board decided to set aside time at its February meeting to hear from Wilson, Pass and Sulander.
SUPPORTING SENIORS HOUSING PROGRAM: The board approved $40,000 in Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funding for the Supporting Seniors Housing Program. The program is designed to fund assessments and home modifications that would help Longfellow seniors stay in their homes safely. The Housing Task Force, which administers the program, will provide grants up to $1,000 to serve between 25 to 30 households. The remaining funds will cover administrative and marketing expenses.
CITY OF LAKES COMMUNITY LAND TRUST (CLCLT) HOMEBUYER INITIATED PROGRAM: After having tabled a vote on this issue at its November meeting, the board approved $60,000 in NRP funding for two units in the CLCLT Homebuyer Initiated Program. The program provides affordability gap and rehabilitation loans to low-to-moderate income individuals so they can become homeowners in Longfellow.
The loans are structured as perpetual affordability grants to the CLCLT and the homebuyer, so the money would never be repaid to LCC. Instead the grant stays with the home, increasing in value as the value of the home increases. The initial grant, plus 75 percent of the equity is transferred to the next qualified household at resale. This formula keeps the home affordable in perpetuity.
At the November meeting, some board members had expressed concern about providing money that would never be repaid to LCC given the surrounding continued NRP funding. “You have to remember that 70 percent of our NRP dollars have to be spent on housing anyway. Keeping some homes affordable in Longfellow does a lot of good for the neighborhood,” said LCC Executive Director Melanie Majors.
ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS FOR REFORM NOW (ACORN) RESOLUTION: The board agreed to support the ACORN resolution that, among other items, asks the 25 largest sub-prime mortgage lenders in the country to agree to a 3-month suspension on foreclosures of owner-occupied properties in the city of Minneapolis.
HOWE SCHOOL REUSE AD-HOC COMMITTEE: The board approved the formation of an ad-hoc committee to determine the reuse of the Howe School. The committee will report to LCC’s Community Connections Committee.
EMERGENCY LOAN PROGRAM: The board approved moving $20,000 from the Supporting Senior Housing program fund and $21,000 from the Basic Home Improvement loan program to refund the Emergency Loan program. The program provides up to $5,000 to homeowners for emergency repairs like furnace or water heater replacement and roof repairs. The loan acts more as a deferred grant because if the homeowner remains in the property for longer than 10 years, he does not need to repay the loan.
AD-HOC CONDO COMMITTEE: The board approved forming an ad-hoc committee to oversee the condo development at 46th Street and 46th Avenue. The committee will report to LCC’s Neighborhood Development Committee.
GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING: The LCC “best general membership meeting ever” is January 23 at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2730 East 31st Street. The Longfellow Grill, the Craftsman, Midori’s Floating World Café, McMahon’s and the Hub’s smoothie bike will provide refreshments. Leonardo’s Basement will provide art activities for children.
NEXT: Board meeting, February 21, 2008
MEETINGS: 3rd Thursday monthly, 6:30 p.m. at Longfellow Park, 3435 36th Avenue South
CONTACT: 722-4529, www.longfellow.org
BORDERS: Mississippi River to Hiawatha Ave., Minnehaha Park to 27th St. railroad tracks
last revised: January 23, 2008