Affordability is a complex issue, involving the much-tossed about number of $183,000 as the average home sale price in Grand Marais, as well as available jobs, income levels, age of population, seasonality, taxes, growth projections, and cost of living. The Cook County Housing Study completed last November looked carefully at all of these factors as well as separate studies of Schroeder, Tofte, Lutsen, Grand Marais and Grand Portage before reaching some conclusions and recommendations. The Housing Study deserves to be studied by everybody who has a stake in the affordability game before coming up with any more proposals. Even better, in fact, would be a task force or steering committee to develop a county-wide affordability proposal based on the Study recommendations.
True will be looking at how these issues inter-connect. For example, take the average home in Grand Marais. Is it comparable to what $183,000 would buy in the Cities or Duluth. Just drive around town and you will realize the answer is no. CRP reported after a "windshield survey" that 71 percent of the 28 Creechville neighborhood homes is in need of minor or major repair, and five are possibly beyond repair. Another older neighborhood, North Broadway, with 219 homes has 78 percent either Sound or needing only minor repair, 20 percent needing major repair and two percent possibly beyond repair. We are looking at housing stock of fair to moderate condition. and generally a fairly small footprint.
Now, what makes these homes so valuable? It is the value of the surrounding seasonal properties that are newer and larger and to some of us tastelessly vulgar in their amenities and their footprint on the environment. The owners who raise our property values have incomes double, triple or even ten or 20 times the average Cook County resident.
The ten NCLT units are admittedly only available to the high-end of those needing affordable homes--in fact those at 80 percent of the Cook County median income, about $32,000 for singles and $45,000 for a family of four. Still, as we said, it is a start. Next the county urgently needs to address those most in need: the 2,000 residents living in households below that line.
As a helpful start, we will be offering in-depth study of current economic and housing conditions in future posts as well as some specifics of the Study's findings and recommendations. Knowing that some community leaders may not have found time to study this remarkable document True is pleased to make it more accessible.
Among the many valuable findings are a number of sources the city and county might look to to meet the projected housing needs.
In Grand Marais:
- CPR recommends 70 to 80 new housing units during the next five years, 15 to 18 "affordable," and 10 t0 12 town homes, with half of these being affordable.
- During the same period, CPR recommends 12 to 16 market rate rental units, 12 to 16 senior rental units, and 12 to 16 subsidized affordable units in addition to the existing four: Birchwood, Harbor View, Grand Marais Apts. and Sawtooth Ridges which offer 93 general occupancy units for 30 percent of household income.
- Adding up all the affordable or subsidized units brings the total to as many as 40 needed in the next five years alone, and only in Grand Marais. True believes this is understating the need; CPR has no way of knowing that our school enrollment is declining because young families can't afford to live here. It's time to stop arguing and start building. It's time to stop fighting over resources and start seeking out new ones--grants, scattered-site subsidies, and government aid, to name a few.
1 comment:
True,
Not so fast, if you please. Let's not move on just yet, not without some clarification and fact-checking regarding NCLT and affordability.
Some of the attacks made against the EDA/NCLT deal aren't exactly factual or are at best fudgy. You invite opinions, that is your mission. But you can also help to sift the so-called facts published in the papers. Opinion reported as fact (even words spoken in a public meeting) can do great harm; just look at the MSM justification for the war in Iraq and its deadly consequences.
To mention a few points: the land trust model is based on the ability to keep units affordable over time; duh, that is why the land is held in TRUST. Ditto for the agreement on limited resale value. You can't have it both ways; either it is market rate or it is protected as affordable. If people have no other way of buying a home it is still a great deal for them.
Re local contractors: NCLT has agreed to accept bids from local contractors who claim they can make a profit if offered the chance and also provide the same or better quality housing. Good luck! NCLT does not "make" profits but rather holds any surplus in trust. Can a for-profit contractor claim as much? Still, if locals can meet the strict specs for the housing, they have the same chance as anybody else to win the low bid.
Finally, regarding the "reneging" on the original deal: this is sort of a fiction. NCLT realized they are not equipped to provide for-profit or market-rate housing; it is outside of their mission. The ruckus about the land giveaway is just a bunch of hot air: anybody who got this contract would be required to hold the land in trust exactly as NCLT.
It's basically folks who don't respect the "trust" model who are opposing it. But, they have also been spreading rumors presented as facts.
Okay, now, True, let's move on from here.
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