Auditors from Redpath and Company gave the HRA an unmodified (clean) opinion on its 2025 financial statements and found no internal-control or state-compliance issues. They did report one repeat federal finding in the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program: 13 of 25 sampled tenant files lacked a required checklist, and there were payment errors including double-counted utilities and one tenant whose income was understated, totaling $4,184 in questioned costs. Staff attributed the problems to heavy staff turnover in early 2025 and said corrective steps are in place. Commissioners voted 5-0 to accept the audited statements.
Decided: The HRA accepted its 2025 audit, which gave a clean opinion but repeated a federal finding on missing paperwork in Section 8 voucher files that staff say has since been fixed.
Result: Approved, 5 to 0, by voice vote
The meeting video doesn't make clear how each member voted. The city posts official voting results once the minutes are approved.
The HRA voted 5-0 to hire Civil Site Group for engineering and site design at the former St. Mark's property, which the HRA bought earlier this year for affordable homeownership housing. The firm was the highest-scored and lowest-priced of nine bidders, whose bids ranged from $96,100 to $229,300. Staff said the housing mix of duplexes, triplexes and detached townhomes is still being decided, and that a community meeting will come before the final site plan. The chair noted the council's reluctance about triplexes. The goal is to begin building public infrastructure in spring 2027.
Decided: The HRA hired Civil Site Group for up to $96,100 to design the roads, utilities and layout for affordable owner-occupied homes at 8630 Xerxes (the former St. Mark's site), aiming to start construction in spring 2027.
Result: Approved, 5 to 0, by voice vote
The meeting video doesn't make clear how each member voted. The city posts official voting results once the minutes are approved.
The HRA voted 5-0 to award 10 project-based vouchers under the state's new Bring It Home rental assistance program to CommonBond Communities. CommonBond, the only bidder, had requested 20 vouchers for the existing family property. Staff recommended a partial award so vouchers can be issued quickly without displacing current Housing Choice Voucher holders and without tying up the rest of the grant. Bloomington received a two-year, $2.6 million state grant, but voucher use is running below plan, and only one School to Home voucher has been issued. A tenant-based waiting list is set to open in September, and another round of proposals is planned for early 2027.
Decided: The HRA gave CommonBond 10 'Bring It Home' rent-assistance vouchers, half of the 20 requested, for units at its Bloomington Family Townhomes, where families will pay 30% of their income for rent.
Result: Approved, 5 to 0, by voice vote
The meeting video doesn't make clear how each member voted. The city posts official voting results once the minutes are approved.
Commissioners voted 5-0 on each of three resolutions: a preliminary 2027 special benefits levy of $3 million (state statutes 469.033 and 275.065), a preliminary 2027 budget, and a preliminary 2028 budget. The $3 million levy is up from about $2.7 million and below the roughly $3.3 million maximum allowed. Staff project a $3.2 million levy for 2028, with the increases driven by legal, compliance and administrative costs. Much of the budget's growth comes from now counting roughly $9 million in grants over two years, and the budget also draws on fund balance for St. Mark's infrastructure. The levy goes to the City Council on September 14 and can be lowered but not raised before final approval.
Decided: The HRA set a preliminary 2027 property tax levy of $3 million, below the $3.3 million maximum, and approved preliminary budgets for 2027 and 2028 in three separate votes; all three now go to the City Council.
Result: Approved, 5 to 0, by voice vote
The meeting video doesn't make clear how each member voted. The city posts official voting results once the minutes are approved.
Staff announced a new $225,000 Metropolitan Council grant to support development of the St. Mark's affordable homeownership site.
Staff reported that VEP has used up its $125,000 emergency rental assistance contract from the HRA. VEP expects to start using county and one-time state funds in September for Bloomington renters earning below 30% of area median income. The new funds will help tenants who have only received an eviction notice and will waive the requirement to pay 50% of the balance owed.
Staff disclosed problems with change orders at the Heights project and said they are negotiating costs with the condominium association, with more information to come. Applications for an open HRA commissioner seat will be accepted September 1 through November 1, with appointments expected in late November or early December.
