skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Friday, March 29, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Market Challenges Persist, But MN Keeps Affordable Housing Solutions in Sight

play audio
Play

Thursday, December 22, 2022   

Amid a challenging housing market, Minnesota has released annual funds to provide more affordable homes around the state. It coincides with efforts in different regions to boost options which will not price out those searching for housing stability.

This month, the Minnesota Housing board of directors approved $165 million it said will create and preserve more than 2,000 homes, apartments and other units. At the community level, the Neighborhood Development Alliance continues to work with low-income Latinos in Minneapolis and St. Paul to boost homeownership.

Karen Reid, executive director of the group, said the individuals they serve face big challenges right now.

"They're competing against other prospective homeowners, and they're competing against investors, and they have the least amount of resources to compete," Reid pointed out. "We're trying to get products that can help them compete better."

The Neighborhood Development Alliance, with support from organizations such as the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, offers services such as financial counseling. But Reid noted it is responding in other ways, too, including soon offering low-interest loans to help clients chip away at their debt and qualify for a mortgage more quickly.

Elsewhere, the city of North Branch, with its growing population, has a lot of more affordable older housing, but officials said people are opting to stay in those homes.

Renae Fry, city administrator of North Branch, said it is why rental developments, such as one from 2017 which included 48 townhomes with stable rent prices, have been a lifeline.

"I do believe that they're achieving the goals," Fry contended. "In that they're actually serving the needs of 48 families who might not have been able to afford housing anywhere else."

But she acknowledged the complex has no availability, indicating there is still a great need. The city said it is trying to work with developers of single-family homes to be more flexible in terms of lot sizes, to keep prices lower.

Back in the Twin Cities, Reid noted the challenge is not just about getting approved for a home, but being able to stay in it. She added groups such as the housing alliance continue work on foreclosure prevention and assisting with deferred maintenance for more affordable older homes.

"We're looking at that, you know, do we come in right away with a rehab loan after a purchase?" Reid stated.

As for this year's round of state funding, officials say many of the housing developments selected include more than three bedrooms to accommodate large families.

Disclosure: The Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation contributes to our fund for reporting on Education, Health Issues, Human Rights/Racial Justice, and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


get more stories like this via email
more stories
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments this week about the popular abortion pill Mifepristone and will weigh in on whether the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was correct in how it can be dosed and prescribed. (Ascannio/Adobe Stock)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Missouri residents are worried about future access to birth control. The latest survey from The Right Time, an initiative based in Missouri…


Social Issues

play sound

Wisconsin children from low-income families are now on track to get nutritious foods over the summer. Federal officials have approved the Badger …

Social Issues

play sound

Education advocates are calling on lawmakers to increase funding for programs to combat the teacher shortage. Around 37% of schools nationwide …


A 2022 report finds failing to speed up transmission beyond the current pace will increase 2030 U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by 800 million tons per year. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

New York's Legislature is considering a bill to get clean-energy projects connected to the grid faster. It's called the RAPID Act, for "Renewable …

Health and Wellness

play sound

A recent report examined how some rural Tennessee hospitals have managed to stay afloat despite financial challenges. The report includes interviews …

Many factors affect a customer's bill amount, including energy usage, weather, and the number of days in a billing period, according to Arizona Public Service. (Jason Yoder/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Earlier this month, a new Arizona Public Service rate hike went into effect and one senior advocacy group said those on a fixed income may struggle …

Social Issues

play sound

Michigan recently implemented a significant juvenile justice reform package following recommendations from a task force made up of prosecutors…

Health and Wellness

play sound

Medicare and Medicaid are key sources of health coverage for many Americans and some people qualify for assistance under both programs. With lagging …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021