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Albert Lea Gets Money to Rehab Foreclosed Homes for Sale

August 13, 2009

The city of Albert Lea has received approval for its plan of acquiring 30 foreclosed homes for sale and rehabilitating them for subsequent sale to qualified first-time home buyers.

According to Jon Ford, head of the Albert Lea Housing and Redevelopment Authority, a total of $610,000 from the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund has been allotted to the HRA. The money will be used to help finance closing costs and down payments.

Ford said the program, which will be carried out over three years, will increase affordable housing units in the city, solve the problem of vacant foreclosure properties and help fulfill the home ownership dreams of lower-income families and first-time homebuyers in Freeborn County.

Councilors Ellen Kehr and Larry Anderson lauded Ford and his team for applying for grants to fix foreclosure properties and for their efforts in carrying out the program.

An existing housing program funded under the Small Cities Development initiative will be helped by the HRA foreclosure rehab program. The Small Cities funds were provided to fix owner-occupied homes in certain neighborhoods in Albert Lea.

Initially, Ford planned to request the council to waive building permit fees for the HRA rehab program, but he later withdrew his request upon realizing the city’s budget problems.

Aside from supporting the HRA foreclosure mitigation initiative, the city council also tackled development issues in the city. Under the leadership of Albert Lea manager Victoria Simonsen, city officials discussed projects that need to be carried out and requests from citizens that need to be approved.

One of the projects approved were improvements on sidewalks along State Highway 13. Simonsen explained the project, which costs $83,000, was included in the 2008 budget, but was not carried out. The city has filed a funding request with the Minnesota Department of Transportation for some help.

Among proposals approved are the extension of the contract with Riverland Community College for the lease of Snyder Field until December 31, the renewal of a lease contract between the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and Riverland Community College and the authorization of three grant contracts with the Minnesota Department of Transportation for improvement projects in the Albert Lea Airport.

Lastly, the council also approved a request from the Grace Christian Church to use the vacant Freeborn National Bank Building for a youth event focused on drug- and alcohol-free programs. City officials hope that the event will spur young people to help carry out downtown development projects.

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