CDBG Impact Stories in Washington County, Minnesota
During National Community Development Week, NAHRO celebrates the hard work of communities across the country by sharing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) impact stories, highlighting the importance of these federal affordable housing and community development programs at the local level.
CDBG is a flexible federal program and Washington County, Minnesota has used CDBG dollars to strengthen their communities through a wide variety of projects:
- Affordable senior housing so that the elderly population may comfortably age in place;
- zero percent home improvement loans for families and seniors to fund repairs that these homeowners might not otherwise be able to afford; and
- an expanded local food bank so that additional fresh produce and meats are available to their growing number of clients.
| Project name | Piccadilly Square Senior Housing Building |
| Location | Mahtomedi, Minnesota |
| District | MN-04 |
| Project year | 2015 |
| Use of CDBG funds | Soil remediation for redevelopment |
| Project Description | The Piccadilly Square Senior Housing Building is a 79-unit affordable senior housing development for seniors 62 or older with incomes at or below $35,000. Developed through the joint effort of the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority and a private developer, CDBG funds were used for soil remediation of 3 acres for redevelopment of a former restaurant site at the edge of downtown Mahtomedi. Piccadilly Square enables seniors to age in place. A senior service coordinator is available to all tenants to proactively problem solve issues affecting seniors ability to live well and safely in their units. Building design includes: 5 wheelchair accessible units and 9 units with accessible communication features for residents who are deaf or hearing impaired; roll-in showers in all units; ample space in unit and common area spaces for walker/wheelchair mobility; no threshold curb at main entry; and two elevators. |
| Target population | Low-income, elderly |
| Amount of CDBG funds | $352,709 |
| Other project funds; leverage | $14,078,516; 1:98. HOME, 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit, Tax Exempt bonds, Federal Home Loan Bank Board, Metropolitan Council Livable Community Act funds, and City fee waivers. |
| Jobs created | 28 temporary jobs |
| Project impact | Not only does the apartment complex allow low-income seniors to comfortably age in place (full occupancy of the 79-unit building is expected in summer of 2017), but this project has contributed to the beautification of the downtown area. The restaurant previously located on the site had been shuttered since 2005 and was badly deteriorating. The project called for razing the building and extensive environmental cleanup of the soil. City officials expect Piccadilly Square to “spur things happening in the downtown area.” |
| Contact | Washington County Community Development Agency BDacy@wchra.com |
| Project name | Owner Occupied Rehabilitation Loan Program |
| Location | Throughout Washington County, Minnesota |
| District | MN-02, MN-04, MN-06 |
| Project year | Yearly |
| Use of CDBG funds | Homeowner housing rehabilitation |
| Project description | Administered by the Greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation (GMHC), this program offers deferred, 0% interest loans to homeowners in Washington County for home improvements to low-income families or seniors that might not otherwise be able to afford repairs. |
| Target population | Families and the elderly |
| Amount of CDBG funds | $207,000 |
| Project impact | 10 to 15 homes a year |
| Contact | www.gmhchousing.org |
| Project name | Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf |
| Location | Hugo, Minnesota |
| District | MN-04 |
| Project year | 2014 |
| Use of CDBG funds | Land acquisition for construction so that HGNFS could move into a new and improved space. |
| Project description | Opened in May 2009, the Hugo Good Neighbors Food Shelf (HGNFS) was started by a group of volunteers in response to the needs of their neighbors, whom were struggling to meet their financial obligations and provide food to their families. It was critical to the community that the food shelf conduct itself with a philosophy of operational transparency and as an independent, stand-alone Food Shelf, not affiliated with any other private organization. With this in mind, and with the full support of the City of Hugo, HGNFS was developed as a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. Significant growth of HGNFS over the last seven years spurred the need for a larger space – the previous food shelf had been operating out of a small garage that housed the Hugo Fire Department’s fire truck over 30 years ago and had inadequate heating and cooling and no running water. |
| Target population | Extremely low-income families, seniors, youth, homeless. |
| Amount of CDBG funds | $70,000 |
| Other project funds; leveraging | Bank Loan $202,414; 1:4 |
| Project impact | In the early days, HGNFS served, on average, served 10 households per month. In 2012, the other food shelf located in the community closed its doors, leaving HGNFS as the sole provider of food shelf service for the growing community. As a result, clients have doubled and they now serve, on average, 125 households per month. Thanks to the CDBG program, the new building has the additional space needed to offer more fresh produce and meats to their clients. |
| Contact | www.hugofoodshelf.org |