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Memo Meeting W/Property Managers .~ """"""""""""";<"",;<.,.",."""""",,":,:~,:,:"".""""""":,:,:."":",:,:,,,:,:,,.:,, ..,........'.<...'.<.,..........,.....,.<................................".........'.'...'.'........,.....c....',', To: Honorable Mayor Redepenning and Hopkins City Council From: Kersten Elverum, Housing coordinat\} Date: Friday, September 16, 1994 Subject: September 20, 1994 Meeting with Hopkins Property Managers On September 20, 1994 owners and managers of residential rental property in Hopkins have been invited to meet with the Hopkins City Council. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the issues facing Hopkins' multi-family housing and the goals of both the Hopkins City Council and the Property Managers Association. A questionnaire was recently mailed to all rental property owners asking them to respond to a number of questions regarding the property manager's association and the issues facing Hopkins. A summary of the results of that questionnaire is attached and may be useful in our discussions. . The following is a detailed overview of the meeting agenda: Introductions Everyone in attendance will be asked to introduce themselves and who they represent. Openina Remarks Mayor Redepenning will give brief introductory remarks on behalf of the City of Hopkins. Overview of the Hopkins Property ManaQers Association Activities and Goals Doug Strandness, Chair of the Hopkins Property Managers Association will give an overview of the past activities of the association and highlight the goals for 1995. Overview of the City of Hopkins Housina Activities and Goals City staff will provide an overview of the housing programs and initiatives currently being undertaken by the City of Hopkins. Attached is a copy of the recommendations e . of the 1992 Housing Analysis and a work plan based on the 7/12/94 Council Worksession which will be the basis of the overview. Open Discussion The open discussion portion of the agenda is intended to address specific issues and concerns of both the City Council and the property owners and managers. Mangers will be given the opportunity to ask questions of the Council and make specific recommendations. This is also an opportunity for the Council to ask questions of the owners and managers and to discuss the concerns of the City. Conclusion Staff will attempt to summarize the discussion, outlining the specific issues and recommendations which were presented and the potential future steps to be undertaken. . . . HOPKINS PROPERTY MANAGERS QUESTIONNAIRE What do you see as the goals for the Hopkins Property Manager's Association for 1995? o To COlTIllllmicate with the City; great step being taken on the 20th. o To continue to work with the community to promote Hopkins as a good place to live o Continue to infonn o Create a positive image for the apartment industry within the community o hnprove quality of tenants with reference and credit checks. Better housekeeping of some apartment buildings. o Continued cooperation between all Hopkins property managers regarding sharing tenant infonnation with each other. o Cooperate to eliminate bad tenants. o Getting all the managers of rental property involved with the group. To continue to develop a strongly focused group of individuals who are interested in improving Hopkins. e What do you think are the biggest issues facing Hopkins? o High taxes o City llnage is negative o Crime o High percentage of Section 8 housing is a problem o Crime/Gangs - BUllls Park and Oaks Park o Increase in crime, vandalism, graffiti. Breaking llltO COlll operated lmmdry machines. o Significant concentrations of lower income, one parent families in my area (Westbrooke West, Park and North). o Development and enforcement of the hOUSlllg code to deter deterioration of multi-family housing. Reducing the property tax burden of multi-family houslllg. o Reference screening of incoming renters. What would you like to see the City do differently? . o Make all effort to lower taxes allowing for buildings that are aging. ..-- . . o Plow streets and salt earlier o Sweep streets more often o Tighter budget - taxes increasing too fast. o Reward well nm developments. o More police officers hired. If you cannot attend the meeting with the Hopkins City Council on September 20, 1994, what message would you like to send to the Council? o Thanks for listening - now please act on the concenl of some of the highest tax payers in the City o Its time that the City COlUlcil recognizes apartment dwellers as the greater percent of Hopkins population, We support the businesses, churches and schools and also pay a lot of taxes. Many of us are active in the cOlmnunity. Apartment renters should be treated on an equal basis with homeowners. o Continue crime awareness and concern with our apartment operations, o Thank you for supporting the Coalition and lending us some staff time. . . . WORK PLAN BASED ON MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING TOUR/COUNCIL DISCUSSION Activity/Action Steps: Responsibilitv: To Be Completed By: Develop a new housing maintenance Inspections Dept. October 1994 code based on BOCA o Prepare draft of proposed code o Review with PMC and City Council o Hold necessary hearings/adopt Develop an ordinance which will require City Planner Nov 1994 screening for dumpsters relating to multi- family as well as industrial and commercial properties. o Research and prepare draft ordinance o Review with PMC, HBCA and City Council o Hold necessary public hearings/adopt . Continue to work on ways in which to Housing Coordinator Ongoing encourage people to undertake rental rehab Community Dev, Director activities on their multi-famly properties. o Investigate possible special legislation o Encourage Hennepin Co. HRA to develop incentive program Continue to work with the Property Manager's Housing Coordinator Ongoing Coalition Housing Inspector Police Department Look at potential landscaping grant or loan Intern January 1995 programs for multi-family properties o Research other cities' programs o Determine cost, possible funding sources, etc.., Through the use of our public relations staff Public Relations Staff Spring 1995 person work with the Property Managers . Coalition and other appropriate parties on developing a public relations campaign for the City. i. STATUS REPORT ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE 1992 CITY OF HOPKINS HOUSING ANALYSIS fZl Continue to inspect rental units and enforce the housing code. Consider the possibility of strengthening the rental inspection program. o Strengthened inspection program through combination of Housing and Residential Fire Inspection Programs o Currently inspect structures containing 4+ rental units every 2-3 years o All other rental units inspected on complaint basis o Currently working on ordinance that would require all rental . structures containing over two units to request inspection and obtain certificate of occupancy every 5 years [ '" I Evaluate the Truth-In-Housing Program after one year. o Staff has evaluated program~ appears to be meeting goals o Approximately 150 evaluations per year~ 20% of homes require hazard corrections o Problems experienced with evaluators being liberal with hazard determination due to liability concerns o Currently working on revisions establishing two types of hazards, those requiring correction and those not requiring correction . - -- --- -- ---- --- . [ ~ , Evaluate the benefit of adopting stronger housing maintenance codes. o Current City Housing Code is very general - only covers residential properties, and does not include accessory structures and yards o Staff has reviewed three codes. Staff is recommending BOCA National Housing Maintenance Code o BOCA Code includes commercial and residential properties [!:J Aggressively enforce the Nuisance Abatement Ordinance/ Housing Code in regard to dilapidated housing units. o Staff responds to all complaints, conducts routine inspections of neighborhoods, undertakes alley sweeps twice/year . (corresponding to spring and fall clean-ups). o 195 orders issued in 1993; voluntary clean-up of many more properties o Nuisances and complaints have increased state wide [!l identify those properties which should be demolished and determine the proper approach to take in order to remove them. o Difficult to identify based solely on exterior of property o Preliminary list compiled by value o Recommend a trial project with a goal of one acquisition in 1994/1995 o Estimated cost to City per project w $30,000 . . 0 Determine interest for a landlord coalition or landlord workshops. o First meeting held March 1993; meeting monthly since o Topics of meetings include Tenant Screening, Crime/Crime Prevention, Discrimination, Legal Issues, Youth Issues o Interested in public relations, strengthening ties with business community, involving apartment residents in community [!J Continue to offer first-time home buyer loan program through MHFA. o Program offered 1992, 1993, 1994 . o $545,258 spent to date~ 9 loans made [ ~ I Continue to offer the Residential Rehabilitation Loan/Grant Program and promote this program extensively. o Program advertised a minimum of four times per year in Sailor and City newsletter o 16 applications received in 1993 ~ 7 applications received in first 5 months of 1994 \ 4! I Promote the use of other available rehabilitation programs through MHF A and other agencies. o Staff provides referrals as appropriate . . [ZJ Organize a home remodeling show which would encourage homeowners to make improvements to their property. o First remodeling show held March 1993 at Activity Center~ joined with St. Louis Park and Golden Valley in March 1994 show o 1995 Home Show scheduled for February 1995 at Eisenhower Community Center to be held in conjunction with St. Louis Park and Golden Valley (~ I Encourage the use of existing rental rehabilitation programs available through MHF A. o Staff researches and provides referrals to MHF A programs as applicable . [!l Continue to investigate possible sources of funds for local rental rehab loan program. o Discussions held with Hennepin Co. HRA with no results o Will continue to pursue this issue with Hennepin Co o Consideration should be given to legislation which would provide incentives for owners of multi-family properties to make improvements. I ~ t Implement the recommendations outlined in the Springsted Inc. study according to the work plan. o All of the recommendations of the 1992 work plan have been completed or attempted including converting Westbrooke Way to public road, assist Westbrooke North . with parking lot improvements bids, pursue financing for - -- - -- -- . common area improvements and establishing Property Manager's Coalition. [!} Initiate discussions with FHA, MERF, and lenders with a substantial interest in the Wesbrooke area in order to identify roles these organizations may play in the revitalization of the neighborhood. o Staff has had discussions with these organizations with little or no success [!} Following the strategic planning process, the Planning and Zoning Commission should review the current Land Use Plan to confirm that parcels currently zoned for multi-family are appropriately zoned. . o New goals for the housing section of the Comprehensive Plan have been adopted by City Council and forwarded to Met Council o Upon approval by Met Council, Zoning and Planning Commission to review individual sites for possible changes to zoning and/or camp plan [..;/ , Continue to implement the recommendations outlined in the City's Comprehensive Plan and the Strategic Plan for Economic Development including such items as improving the image of Co. Road 3, developing a marketing and public relations plan, continue to work to bolster the image of the Downtown, continue to promote the local festivals, maintaining adequate buffer zones between new commercial development and residential properties, continue City's ongoing effort to maintain and improve all public . infrastructure, etc... . o Image of Co.Rd 3 - Co. Rd. 3 Corridor study is nearing completion with construction of first segment between Shady Oak Road and 11 th Ave. to begin in 1996. Tracks have been removed from CO.Rd. 3 o MarketinglPublic Relations Plan - No specific activities have occurred. It is anticipated the Communications Coordinator would take the lead on this initiative. o Image of Downtown - No specific new initiatives, Communication Coordinator could become involved. HBCA is planning on undertaking public relations activities which would assist in this area. o Promote local festivals - Ongoing o Buffer Zones - Being considered as part of Co. Rd. 3 Corridor Study o Improve Infrastructure - Ongoing CIP provides comprehensive plan for improvements . [!} Continue to locally administer the Section 8 Rental Assistance Program o Currently average of 132 contracts in Hopkins~ 36% increase in last five years [!} Investigate ways to allow public housing residents to become homeowners. o Attempted through HOPE program; invesitigating other options . r----L . o Offer Home Buyer's Seminars in conjunction with a local lender. o Has not been attempted; lenders offering this service STATUS REPORT ON THE NEIGHBORHOOD GOALS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT [!l Assure strong and well maintained neighborhoods in order to foster an overall positive economic development climate in Hopkins. o Facilitate development which helps meet "special needs" housing - Assisted in the development of the handicapped . housing project; continue to support "special needs housing" including senior, 3-bedroom family, and luxury. o Review Zoning standards - Staff has attempted to examine appropriateness of zoning standards related to rehabilitation of existing non-conforming uses; found City's standards to be less restrictive than surrounding cities. Scheduled to be discussed with Planning and Zoning Commission o Examine guidelines for buffer areas - Scheduled to be discussed with Planning and Zoning Commission [!J Foster communication and cooperation between the City, neighborhoods, schools and the business community. o Develope a neighborhood outreach program and Neighborhood Advisory Board - NAB established and . have held 12 meetings ,n . o Improve communication between City and School District - City Manger, Council and City staff involved in School and Community in Partnership (SCIP), Family Resource Center and projects such as Westbrooke Community Connections o Coordinate active distribution of "new resident packets" - Currently redesigning the "new resident packetlt to appeal to a wider audience including apartment complexes, Realtors, etc... o Closely examine impact on neighborhoods when considering changes in City services - Citizens involved in modifying the garbage collection system through survey techniques and individual choice . . . RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CONTINUED ACTIVITIES o Continue to implement the recommendations of the Strategic Plan for Economic Development and the Housing Analysis for the City of Hopkins PROPOSED NEW INITIATIVES o Consider adoption of BOCA National Housing Maintenance Code . o Consider amending rental inspection program to include inspection of 2+ unit properties o Design acquisition/demolition program with the goal of one acquisition in 1994/1995 o Implement legislation authorizing City to create Residential Service District for Westbrooke neighborhood o Investigate possible special legislation to encourge rental property improvements o Through Communications Coordinator, develop and implement a marketing and public relations plan for the City. Participants in the planning include the City, NAB, HBCA, Property Manager's Coalition and School District. .