WILLMAR -- The Willmar Housing and Redevelopment Authority is surveying the interest of southeast city homeowners in a housing rehabilitation program.
Willmar HRA Executive Director Dorothy Gaffaney said the agency is preparing an application for Small Cities Development Program funding. She said the HRA needs a certain number of pre-applications from homeowners who are interested in the rehab program.
"We have to have at least 10 but preferably 20 to 30 pre-applications with owners indicating an interest in participating in the program in order to get funded,'' said Gaffaney.
The targeted area is generally bounded by the railroad tracks on the north, First Street on the west, Olena Avenue on the south and Lakeland Drive on the east.
Gaffaney said this area of the city was selected after consulting with city staff.
ADVERTISEMENT
"They had some concerns about the conditions of the housing in that neighborhood,'' said Gaffaney. "Also, in our housing study update, that was one of the neighborhoods that was listed as having housing that needed rehabilitation.''
Dale Mortensen, HRA community development and redevelopment specialist, is going door to door, explaining the program and giving preliminary applications to interested homeowners, said Gaffaney.
The preliminary application asks homeowners to indicate the kinds of improvements they think are needed to their home, such as ramps, bath modifications or other accessibility improvements; new electrical service or related work; structural additions and alterations; exterior and interior finishing; roofing; plumbing; heating; energy conservation; or miscellaneous work such as sidewalk, step or driveway repair and lead and asbestos abatement.
Preliminary applications must be returned no later than Jan. 19. Applications will be left in the door if the owner is not home. Residents may call the Housing and Redevelopment Authority at 320-235-8637, extension 8704, or stop at the HRA office at 2200 23rd St. N.E., to pick up or fill out a pre-application.
The HRA must submit its application to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development by Feb. 1. Gaffaney hopes the HRA will hear by the first part of April whether the program has been funded.
If the program is funded, assistance will be provided to 10 income-eligible homeowners. Assistance is projected to average $24,048 per property. The maximum amount of assistance available is $25,000.
