[0:05] HELLO BLOOMINGTON. I’M MAYOR TIM BUSSE AND THIS  IS THE COUNCIL MINUTE FOR THE WEEK OF JANUARY 26.  [0:10] ON MONDAY NIGHT, THE COUNCIL HAD A VERY  GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT POSSIBLE CO-LIVING   [0:15] AND SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY HOUSING OPTIONS IN  BLOOMINGTON. THE COUNCIL, THE PLANNING COMMISSION,   [0:21] THE HRA BOARD, AND STAFF HAVE ALL BEEN  WORKING ON THIS TOPIC SINCE LAST SUMMER,   [0:26] AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT TODAY TO BE SURE  THAT YOU BETTER UNDERSTAND THIS COMPLEX ISSUE.  [0:32] ALL ASPECTS OF HOUSING; THE COST, THE  AVAILABILITY, THE TYPES OF HOUSING, IT   [0:37] ALL CONTINUES TO BE A DIFFICULT ISSUE TO ADDRESS  NOT ONLY HERE IN BLOOMINGTON OR IN MINNESOTA,   [0:43] BUT ACROSS THE COUNTY. YOU’VE HEARD ME TALK  BEFORE ABOUT HOW HERE IN BLOOMINGTON WE’VE DONE   [0:47] A GOOD JOB OF ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING HOUSING  THAT IS AFFORDABLE TO HOUSEHOLDS THAT EARN 60 TO   [0:53] 80 PERCENT OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME. AREA MEDIAN  INCOME IN THE MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL/BLOOMINGTON   [0:59] REGION IS ABOUT $118,000 FOR A FAMILY OF  FOUR, SO THAT’S HOUSEHOLDS MAKING $71,000   [1:05] TO $94,000 DOLLARS A YEAR. THOSE ARE FOLKS  IN OUR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY OR OUR HIGH-TECH   [1:11] MANUFACTURING BUSINESSES OR TEACHERS. WHERE  BLOOMINGTON AND OTHER CITIES ARE STRUGGLING   [1:16] IS TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSING FOR PEOPLE  AT LOWER INCOME LEVELS – HOUSEHOLDS AT 30 TO 50   [1:23] PERCENT AREA MEDIAN INCOME. PEOPLE LIKE RETIREES  OR PEOPLE WORKING AT MINIMUM WAGE OR ANYONE WHO   [1:29] NEEDS TRANSITIONAL HOUSING IN THEIR LIFE. SO ONE OPTION THAT MANY CITIES HAVE BEEN   [1:34] LOOKING INTO IS THE CONCEPT OF CO-LIVING  OR SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY DWELLINGS.  [1:40] SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY, OR SRO, REFERS TO A  TYPE OF HOUSING WHERE INDIVIDUALS RENT SMALL,   [1:46] SINGLE ROOMS WITHIN A BUILDING, WITH ACCESS TO  SHARED KITCHENS AND OTHER COMMUNAL LIVING SPACE.   [1:52] THINK A DORMITORY OR A FRATERNITY OR SORORITY  HOUSE KIND OF SETTING. ESSENTIALLY, EACH PERSON   [1:57] HAS THEIR OWN PRIVATE ROOM BUT SHARES COMMON  AREAS FOR COOKING AND OTHER FUNCTIONS WITH OTHER   [2:02] RESIDENTS IN THE BUILDING. SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY  HOUSING PRESENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE BASIC,   [2:09] DIGNIFIED, INDEPENDENT HOUSING THAT’S AFFORDABLE  AND ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO CAN AFFORD MODEST   [2:14] RENTS WITH LESS PUBLIC SUBSIDY NEEDED. SOME QUICK BACKGROUND HERE; FOR A VARIETY   [2:21] OF REASONS, SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY HOUSING EARNED  A BAD REPUTATION IN THE MID 1900S – SOME OF IT   [2:26] JUSTIFIED, SOME THE RESULT OF DISCRIMINATION. AND  I WANT TO BE VERY CLEAR, IF APPROVED, SROS WOULD   [2:33] BE SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS  OF THE CITY OF BLOOMINGTON RENTAL HOUSING PROGRAM.   [2:38] BLOOMINGTON’S ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH STAFF WOULD  DO PROPERTY MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS AS WELL AS   [2:43] CONDUCT ROUTINE INSPECTIONS OF HOUSING UNITS. BUT THE REPUTATIONAL ISSUES CAUSED MANY CITIES,   [2:48] INCLUDING BLOOMINGTON, TO WRITE CITY CODE OR  ZONING ORDIN…