St. Louis Park is offering an olive branch to affordable housing with its updated 4d affordable housing incentive program. Under the program, rental property owners can snag property tax reductions if they commit to keeping at least 20% of their units at affordable rates for five years. On top of that, financial grants for energy efficiency improvements and building upgrades are also up for grabs, and now, even one-family houses and duplexes can get in on the action. Owners looking to apply have until Feb. 14 to submit their applications via the City of St. Louis Park website.
Next on the calendar for St. Louis Park rental property operators is the 2025 lineup of SPARC meetings. The St. Louis Park Area Rental Coalition is all about creating a hub for sharing best practices and maintaining quality residential digs within the community. Attendees at these quarterly in-person events can network, and get the lowdown on city resources and programs from various city department reps. Mark your agendas for meetings on Feb. 6, May 8, Aug. 7, and Nov. 13. Specific deets on times and locations will be announced through SPARC's e-newsletter and will, be posted on the city's website.
There's also mandatory rental license training on the slate for St. Louis Park property magnates who've never taken the course, and it's a condition of the rental license ordinance. Current license holders need to renew their training every three years, and they can do so at the upcoming free virtual sessions—served up in two half-day installments on March 25 & 26 and Oct. 21 & 22. Keep an eye out for registration intel in the SPARC newsletter, or check out the city website for the nitty-gritty.
Adding a little more heart to housing matters, the city's hosting the third annual National Day of Racial Healing on Jan. 20. It’s a joint effort with St. Louis Park Public Schools, St. Louis Park Community Education, and Benilde-St. Margaret’s. The event promises to be an eye-opener into the myriad cultures, perspectives and stories existing within St. Louis Park. Kids, teenagers, and neighbors are all invited to join the confab from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Westwood Hills Nature Center. It's free, but you’ll need to register before you go. Interested parties should hit up the city's event page for the full scoop.
For additional queries, St. Louis Park Housing Authority is all ears. You can buzz housing specialist Katie Kline at 952.928.1314 or shoot a mail to [email protected]. For HCV specialty talks, Cassi Reissmann-Doring is the go-to at 952.924.2571 or [email protected].
