Applications Being Taken for Development of Affordable Housing
The process is part of Duluth Mayor Emily Larson's State of the City initiatives
DULUTH, Minn.- Applications are being taken for the development of more affordable housing options in Duluth. The process is part of Duluth Mayor Emily Larson’s State of the City initiatives.
The city and the Duluth Economic Development Authority have identified several vacant lots throughout the city for housing development.
“This is not something that comes off of a template of what many other cities are doing, this is an example of where Duluth is leading”, said Larson.
These 13 sites covering 19 lots around Duluth have been abandoned for quite some time. Now they will soon be home to families in Duluth. People interested in developing these locations will need to submit applications by January 2nd, of 2020.
It’s a one-page application, and potential developers need to include general site and floor plans of the home, as well a concept-level elevation design. Mayor Emily Larson says something like this can make Duluth better than before.
“We have the need for greater affordability; we also have a housing crunch in general. We have a need for more units of housing across many incomes but what we are finding is that we as a city can be a better, stronger, more innovative partner in intensifying housing that is affordable for people”, said Larson.
The intent of this program is to promote innovative design and construction methodologies that can produce affordable quality, architecturally appealing homes in the city of Duluth.
“We are trying to build as we go through this process on the collective knowledge of the city which will help lower some of our construction costs and seek to foster innovation and affordable housing design. We are a city built on the hill, and we have got difficult soil conditions, lots of bedrock and sometimes those things make housing more expensive”, said Adam Fulton, Interim Director of Planning & Economic Development.
If you come up with a good idea for this project, the land will be yours for free. People who are chosen will need to have the home constructed, inspected, and issued a certification of completion by December 31st of 2021.
