[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 ORDINANCES IN WAYS THAT DISCOURAGED OR

[2:54] OUTRIGHT PROHIBITED SROS. FOR EXAMPLE, SPECIFIC

LIMITS ON THE NUMBER OF ADULTS THAT CAN BE LIVING

[3:01] UNDER THE SAME ROOF, ABOVE AND BEYOND THE MINIMUM

REQUIREMENTS IN THE BUILDING CODE ARE COMMON PARTS

[3:06] OF ZONING ORDINANCES, AND THAT’S TYPICALLY

REFLECTED IN A CITY’S DEFINITION OF A FAMILY.

[3:11] THOSE RESTRICTIONS ARE LIKELY WELL INTENTIONED,

BUT DON’T TAKE INTO ACCOUNT COMPLEX OR UNIQUE

[3:16] RELATIONSHIPS OF PEOPLE LIVING TOGETHER TODAY.

SO IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS, THE PLANNING

[3:21] COMMISSION, THE HRA BOARD, AND THE CITY

COUNCIL HAVE ALL HAD CONVERSATIONS ON

[3:25] THE TOPIC OF SROS AND STAFF HAS MADE

SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS ON A DRAFT ORDINANCE.

[3:30] BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF ISSUES TO CONSIDER,

LIKE HOW TO REGULATE OCCUPANCY LEVELS, AND WHAT

[3:37] STANDARDS TO ADOPT TO MAKE A DEVELOPMENT FUNCTION

WELL IN BLOOMINGTON WHILE MAINTAINING AFFORDABLE

[3:43] RENTS. ON MONDAY THE COUNCIL SUPPORTED STAFF’S

RECOMMENDATION TO ADJUST RESIDENTIAL OCCUPANCY

[3:48] LIMITS TO “SIX OR FEWER ADULTS, OR ANY NUMBER OF

ADULTS WHO ARE ALL RELATED TO EACH OTHER BY BLOOD,

[3:54] MARRIAGE, GUARDIANSHIP, OR DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP

RECOGNIZED UNDER MINNESOTA LAW, TOGETHER WITH

[3:59] MINOR CHILDREN IN THEIR CARE, LIVING IN A SINGLE

HOUSEKEEPING UNIT.” THE SEPARATE OCCUPANCY LIMITS

[4:05] OF THE STATE BUILDING CODE WOULD STILL APPLY AS

WOULD OTHER PROPERTY MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS.

[4:10] THIS MAY SEEM LIKE DEEP IN THE WEEDS STUFF, BUT

IT’S THE TYPE OF SPECIFICITY NEEDED TO ENSURE A

[4:17] BALANCE BETWEEN A SUCCESSFUL ORDINANCE, AND

THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY. THERE WAS ALSO

[4:22] DISCUSSION MONDAY ABOUT PARKING REQUIREMENTS, THE

MINIMUM SIZE OF ROOMS, WHERE SROS CAN BE LOCATED,

[4:28] AND REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMON AREAS.

LIKE EVERYTHING WE DO, THE GOAL IS

[4:32] TO FIND A BALANCE. HOW DOES THE CITY FACILITATE

AND INCENTIVIZE THE INTRODUCTION OF THIS DEEPLY

[4:39] AFFORDABLE HOUSING TYPE INTO BLOOMINGTON’S

HOUSING CONTINUUM, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME

[4:43] PROTECTING THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND WELFARE OF

THE LARGER COMMUNITY? THAT’S THE ON-GOING AND

[4:49] VERY THOUGHTFUL CONVERSATION THAT THE COUNCIL, THE

PLANNING COMMISSION, THE HRA BOARD, AND STAFF HAVE

[4:55] BEEN HAVING. AND IT’S A CONVERSATION THAT YOU CAN

BE PART OF. THERE IS A LET’S TALK BLOOMINGTON PAGE

[5:00] DEDICATED TO THIS TOPIC, AND PUBLIC HEARINGS AT

BOTH THE PLANNING COMMISSION AND THE CITY COUNCIL

[5:05] ARE TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR MARCH AND APRIL.

FINALLY TODAY, ON MONDAY THE COUNCIL HEARD

[5:10] AN UPDATE FROM THE BLOOMINGTON PORT

AUTHORITY STAFF ABOUT THE WORK UNDERWAY

[5:14] TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES IN BLOOMINGTON.

BLOOMINGTON HAS ALWAYS HAD A STRONG BUSINESS

[5:18] COMMUNITY, BUT GENERALLY THE CITY TOOK A HANDS-OFF

ROLE WHEN IT CAME TO DIRECT SUPPORT OF BUSINESSES

[5:24] ESPECIALLY SMALL BUSINESSES. LIKE A LOT OF THINGS,

THAT CHANGED DURING THE PANDEMIC. IN 2020 THE CITY

[5:31] USED COVID RESPONSE FUNDS FROM THE FEDERAL CARES

ACT TO OFFER FORGIVABLE LOANS TO INDEPENDENT

[5:36] CONTRACTORS AND SMALL BUSINESSES. THAT INCREASED

CONNECTION TO AND AWARENESS OF SMALL BUSINESS

[5:42] NEEDS REALLY GOT THE BALL ROLLING ON THIS. SINCE

THEN, THE PORT AUTHORITY UNDERWENT AN ECONOMIC

[5:48] DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS AND IT WAS

CLEAR THAT SMALL BUSINESS AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP

[5:53] SHOULD BE KEY FOCUS AREAS FOR THE WORK OF THE

PORT AUTHORITY. AND THEY HAVE REALLY BEEN WORKING.

[5:58] THE GOALS OF THEIR WORK ARE STRAIGHTFORWARD

AND SOUND. THE PORT IS WORKING TO BUILD

[6:02] RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST; REDUCE DISPARITIES;

CHANGE PERCEPTIONS ABOUT BLOOMINGTON;

[6:07] CONNECT BUSINESSES WITH RESOURCES AND EACH OTHER;

AND OF COURSE, TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN BUSINESS,

[6:13] AND GROW BLOOMINGTON’S TAX BASE AND EMPLOYMENT.

THEY’RE DOING THIS IN A LOT OF WAYS. THE CITY NOW

[6:18] HAS A STAFF MEMBER WORKING AS A DIRECT POINT OF

CONTACT FOR THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY. EACH MONTH,

[6:22] STAFF GETS OUT AND VISITS BLOOMINGTON BUSINESSES,

I’VE HAD THE CHANCE TO TAG ALONG ON A COUPLE OF

[6:27] THOSE VISITS AND THE BENEFITS ARE UNDENIABLE.

THE CITY NOW HELPS BUSINESSES CELEBRATE BIG

[6:32] ACHIEVEMENTS LIKE GROUND BREAKINGS AND RIBBON

CUTTINGS. AND CITY STAFF FROM PLANNING, PORT,

[6:37] AND OUR DESIGN REVIEW COMMITTEE HAVE FORMALIZED

A PROCESS TO IDENTIFY REGULATIONS THAT LIMIT

[6:43] SMALL BUSINESS GROWTH AND THEY LOOK

FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.

[6:47] BLOOMINGTON IS ALSO OFFERING A VARIETY OF DIRECT

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO BUSINESSES THROUGH

[6:52] PROGRAMS LIKE THE SITE AND FAÇADE IMPROVEMENT

PROGRAM AND OF COURSE HATCH BLOOMINGTON. AND,

[6:57] WE’RE NOT DOING THIS ALONE. BLOOMINGTON HAS STRONG

PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE MINNEAPOLIS REGIONAL CHAMBER

[7:02] OF COMMERCE, HENNEPIN COUNTY, THE STATE DEPARTMENT

OF EMPLOYMENT AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND THE

[7:07] MINNESOTA SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER.

FROM A WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVE,

[7:12] THE PORT IS ALSO DRIVING THE BLOOM IN BLOOMINGTON

INTERNSHIP PROGRAM. AND THAT’S A NICE SEGUE TO

[7:17] TELL YOU THAT APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR

THE BLOOM IN BLOOMINGTON INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.

[7:22] THIS IS THE THIRD YEAR OF BLOOM IN BLOOMINGTON,

AND THE BIG HAIRY AUDACIOUS GOAL THIS YEAR IS TO

[7:27] MORE THAN TRIPLE THE NUMBER OF INTERNS PLACED

COMPARED TO THE PROGRAM’S FIRST YEAR. BLOOM

[7:32] IS A FANTASTIC PROGRAM DESIGNED TO EQUIP YOUNG

PEOPLE WITH VALUABLE LEADERSHIP SKILLS, REAL-WORLD

[7:37] EXPERIENCES, AND CONNECTIONS TO LOCAL EMPLOYERS.

THE PROGRAM IS OPEN TO YOUNG PEOPLE AGES 16 TO 24,

[7:44] AND IT’S A PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.

APPLICATIONS ARE OPEN NOW; GO TO THE BLOOM WEBSITE

[7:50] FOR MORE INFORMATION. AND IF YOU’RE AN EMPLOYER

INTERESTED IN BEING PART OF THIS GREAT PROGRAM,

[7:56] CONTACT THE FOLKS IN OUR PORT AUTHORITY.

THAT WILL DO IT FOR THIS WEEK’S COUNCIL

[8:00] MINUTE. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO JOIN

ME. UNTIL NEXT TIME, STAY SAFE BLOOMINGTON.