Redevelopment

of Hibbing’s
Greenhaven
Apartments
Needs
Assessment

NOVEMBER 2020
Center City Housing Corporation

Housing and Redevelopment

Authority of Hibbing
Patty Beech-Dziuk, Patty Beech Consulting

1
Table of Contents
Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................. 4
Purpose ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Background ........................................................................................................................................... 4
Key Findings .......................................................................................................................................... 4
Needs Assessment Purpose, Background, and Methodology .................................................................. 7
I. About the Needs Assessment ............................................................................................................ 7
II. Background ....................................................................................................................................... 7
III. Purpose and Key Questions ............................................................................................................. 8
IV. Methodology ................................................................................................................................... 9
Key Findings ............................................................................................................................................ 11
I. Secondary Data Summary ............................................................................................................... 11
II. Key Informant Interview Summary................................................................................................. 12
Demographic and Housing Indicators .................................................................................................... 18
I. US Census and Hibbing Comprehensive Plan Data ......................................................................... 18
II. Physical Needs Assessment ........................................................................................................... 21
III. Data on Homelessness .................................................................................................................. 22
Coordinated Entry System Statistics ............................................................................................... 22
IV. Public Housing and Section 8 Data ................................................................................................ 24
Hibbing HRA: Public Housing Information ...................................................................................... 24
Virginia HRA Waiting List Information ............................................................................................ 25
Key Informant Responses ....................................................................................................................... 27

2
 Center City Housing Corporation
105 ½ 1st Street
Duluth, MN 55802
http://centercityhousing.org/

Housing and Redevelopment Authority of Hibbing

3115 7th Avenue East
Hibbing, MN 55746
https://www.hibbinghra.org/

Patty Beech Consulting

222 E. Superior Street, #324
Duluth, MN 55802
pattybeechconsulting@gmail.com

3
Executive Summary
Purpose
The Hibbing Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) is partnering with Center City Housing
Corp. (CCHC), a nonprofit affordable housing developer, to plan for the redevelopment of 102 public
housing units, Greenhaven Apartments, in Hibbing, Minnesota. They conducted this needs
assessment to ensure that the project concept for this initiative reflects Hibbing’s housing needs and
the visions and suggestions of Hibbing community members.

Background
The Hibbing HRA and CCHC plan to use HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Program, tax
credit funding, and other state and local sources to rehabilitate or re-build the Greenhaven
Apartments, which have significant deferred maintenance and need substantial repairs.

HUD’s RAD Program allows public housing agencies to leverage public and private debt and equity to
reinvest in public housing. Although the building transitions from public housing, residents receive a
Section 8 voucher and continue to pay 30% of their adjusted income towards the rent.1

Key Findings
Housing and Demographic Indicators

1. Hibbing’s population is decreasing and becoming older. The percentage of households that are
families is decreasing. Hibbing is predominately a White community but is becoming more
diverse.

2. Housing in Hibbing is older than housing in the State of Minnesota as a whole.

3. Greenhaven Apartments were built in 1953. Immediate repair needs (2017) total $11 million.
Uninflated total funds needed over 20 years for capital needs are $13 million, which is
$132,531/unit in 2017 dollars.

1
https://www.hud.gov/RAD

4
4. Hibbing’s median household income is $44,659, and there is a higher proportion of households
with incomes below $35,000 than in the State of Minnesota. Income levels for Black, American
Indian, and Asian residents and people of Hispanic or Latino origin are much lower.

5. One in five residents of Hibbing has an income below the poverty level. Hibbing’s rate of
poverty is higher than St. Louis County and the State of Minnesota and has more than doubled
since 2000.

6. Poverty disproportionately impacts people of color who live in Hibbing. For Black residents, 93%
have incomes below the poverty level, as do 28% of Asian residents.

7. Residents of Greenhaven Apartments have high levels of disabilities (46% of residents). Three-
quarters of the households are single people, but there are 62 families with 114 children under
18. The average income for Greenhaven households is $11,141.

8. Forty-two households are on the waiting list to live in public housing in Hibbing. Of these, 29
households are on the waiting list for Greenhaven (includes waiting for 1, 2, 3 and 4 bedrooms).

9. Nearly half of Hibbing’s renter households are cost-burdened, meaning they pay more than 30%
of their income for housing.

10. As of June 30, 2020, there were 79 homeless households waiting on the Northern St. Louis
County Coordinated Entry System priority list for a place to live. Most were assessed as needing
Permanent Supportive Housing.

Key Informant Summary

1. There is an overall need for housing in Hibbing.

2. Affordable, quality rental housing is in short supply, and more is needed.

3. The Greenhaven Apartments are in dire need of repair, and there is universal support for the
redevelopment of these units.

4. The current location is preferred for the redevelopment or replacement of Greenhaven

Apartments due to walkability, access to public transportation, and proximity to resources
needed by tenants.

5
5. Mixed income rental housing is desirable if it does not take away from units for people with
lower incomes, is well managed, and there is a focus on inclusion and community.

6. There are subgroups of people with unmet housing needs: people who are homeless; people
with criminal backgrounds; lower income seniors; larger or blended families; and people who
need accessible housing due to their age or disability.

7. The newly developed rental units should be high-quality and attractive for the residents, the
neighbors, and the community. They should include features that foster community and
connection between residents.

8. Providing on-site services and links to community resources will address resident needs.
Addressing mental health and substance abuse needs are viewed as critically important, as are
services for youth and seniors.

9. Community partners can help with the redevelopment of Greenhaven Apartments and can
offer resources to tenants. People who were interviewed expressed confidence in the ability of
the Hibbing HRA to successfully complete this project and to meet the needs of tenants. Many
offered ways that their organizations could assist with planning, funding, or providing services. A
lot of ideas for partnerships with service providers were offered.

6
Needs Assessment Purpose, Background,
and Methodology
I. About the Needs Assessment
The Hibbing Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and Center City Housing Corp. (CCHC), a
nonprofit affordable housing developer, are partnering to plan for the redevelopment of 102 public
housing units, Greenhaven Apartments, in Hibbing, Minnesota.

The HRA and CCHC conducted this needs assessment to gather information on housing needs,
community members’ visions for this large-scale redevelopment, and suggestions for a project
concept that will guide funding proposals and development plans.

II. Background
The Hibbing HRA and CCHC plan to use HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Program, tax
credit funding, and other state and local sources to rehabilitate or re-build the Greenhaven
Apartments, which have significant deferred maintenance and need substantial repairs. A Physical
Needs Assessment was completed in 2017 to calculate anticipated capital expenses at Greenhaven
Apartments over a 20-year period. This assessment identified $11,112,774 in critical needs.

HUD’s Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) Program was created to give housing authorities a
powerful tool to preserve and improve public housing property and address the nationwide backlog
of deferred maintenance. RAD allows public housing agencies to leverage public and private debt and
equity to reinvest in public housing. Although the building transitions from public housing, residents
receive a Section 8 voucher, continue to pay 30% of their adjusted income towards the rent, and
maintain the same basic rights as they possess in the public housing program.

The HRA also has 58 Section 8/Housing Choice vouchers that they could dedicate to new housing
units, resulting in a total of 160 new affordable rental units that could be created through the
revitalization of Greenhaven Apartments.

The official name of this apartment complex is Haven Court. Tenants and community members refer
to it as Greenhaven Apartments, due to its proximity to Greenhaven Elementary School, therefore,
this report also uses the name Greenhaven Apartments.

7
III. Purpose and Key Questions
The purpose of this study is to identify 1) housing needs in Hibbing that can be addressed through the
redevelopment of Greenhaven Apartments; 2) the vision for new housing development in Hibbing
that meets the needs of Greenhaven residents and the broader community.

Information collected through secondary data sources focused on the following questions:

1) What are the population trends in Hibbing?

2) What is the age and condition of housing?
3) What are the repair needs and costs at Greenhaven?
4) What are the income levels of people in Hibbing? How do they vary by age and race?
5) How many people are living in poverty in Hibbing? Who are they?
6) Who is living at Greenhaven Apartments?
7) How many people are waiting for affordable housing in the Hibbing area? Who are they?
8) How many people in Hibbing are rent-burdened?
9) How many homeless people live in Hibbing? How many need housing?

Questions asked of Key Informants were:

1) Housing Needs: What are your thoughts about the housing needs in Hibbing that this
redevelopment could address? What populations need housing? (individuals, families,
seniors, homeless households?) And how many units are needed?

2) Location: Where do you suggest that units be located? What are the pros and cons of locating
units at or close to the location where they are located now? What are the advantages and
disadvantages of locating units in an area where there is more land available for new
development?

3) Preferred Physical Features: What features are important to you (and the community) in the
redevelopment of these units?

4) Desired Services and Resources: What services or resources do you think are important to
available to tenants?

5) Suggestions: Do you have any other suggestions for this project?

8
IV. Methodology
Secondary Data Analysis
The following reports and data sources were reviewed to provide an overview of Greenhaven
rehabilitation needs and Hibbing’s demographic and economic trends and housing needs:

• Hibbing HRA Physical Needs Assessment, Based on MHFA 20-Year Capital Expenditure
Template for Haven Court Apartments, May 2017
• HRA of Hibbing Demographic Statistics Report, February 2020
• MN Compass Geographic Profile for the City of Hibbing
• U.S. Census, American Community Survey Five Year Estimates for the City of Hibbing, 2018
• HRA of Hibbing Public Housing Waiting List, September 2020
• Coordinated Entry System (CES) Monitoring Report, Institute for Community Alliances (ICA),
April 1 – June 30, 2020.
• Comprehensive Plan for the City of Hibbing (St. Louis County, MN), December 2018
• Virginia HRA Section 8 Waiting List, September 10, 2020

Key Informant Interviews:

During the spring and summer of 2020, phone calls or Zoom conversations were held with individuals
in the Hibbing area who are knowledgeable about the housing and community needs in Hibbing. Key
Informants were originally identified by staff from the Hibbing HRA based on their knowledge of
community and housing needs. Interviewees were also asked, “Who else should we talk to”, and the
list of Key Informants grew to include these suggestions.

A total of 35 people provided interviews. Others were contacted but did not participate. Interviewees
included:
• Chris Ismil, Development Official, Iron Range Resources and Rehabilitation Board (IRRRB)
• Rick Canatta, Mayor, City of Hibbing
• Angela Neal, Homeless Program Manager, Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency (AEOA)
• Jennifer Krenz, Grants and Contracts Coordinator, Range Mental Health Center
• Jesalyn Sabin, Interim Dean of Academics, Hibbing Community College
• Lauren Peterson, School Counselor, Lincoln Elementary School, Hibbing
• Carrie McDonald, Principal, Greenhaven Elementary School, Hibbing
• Dr. Amy Hilde-Philips, Family Medial Specialist, St. Luke’s Hibbing Family Medical Clinic
• Sue Berg-Pocquette, RN Case Manager, Fairview Range
• Tyler Schwerzler, Deputy Chief of Police, City of Hibbing
• John Schweiberger, Hibbing City Councilor
• Jennifer Saccoman, Hibbing City Councilor
• John Sporer, Superintendent of Public Works/Cemetery, City of Hibbing
9
• Adam Venne, Executive Director, Range Transitional Housing
• Heather Lindula, Housing Advocate, Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota
• Bill Maxwell, Attorney, Legal Aid Service of Northeastern Minnesota
• Mike Jugovich, St. Louis County Commissioner
• Wayne Kangas, Business Consultant, Northeast Minnesota SBDC
• Monica Plombom, Case Manager, Range Transitional Housing
• Miriam Kero, Diversity Officer, Hibbing Community College
• Terri Ferris, Adult Basic Education instructor at Hibbing Community College, AEOA
• Melissa Freeburg, Business Owner
• Doug Freeburg, Hibbing resident
• Rebecca Anderson, Consultant, Wise Elephant Consulting
• Leann Johnson, Indian Education, Hibbing Public Schools
• Beth Peterson, Director of Planning, AEOA
• Carol Bierly, Hibbing resident
• Courtney Lake, Homeless and Basic Needs Case Manager, AEOA
• Mark Anderson, Pastor of Evangelism & Outreach, Chisholm Baptist Church
• Scott Zahorik, Executive Director, AEOA
• Chris DeGroote, Assistant Director, Arrowhead Head Start
• Skip Ferris, Director, Arrowhead Head Start
• Jessica Rikkola, RN, Care Coordinator, St. Luke’s Hibbing Family Medical Clinic
• Seraphia Gravelle, Community Activist
• Dana Hiltunen, Executive Director, Virginia Housing and Redevelopment Authority

10
Key Findings
I. Secondary Data Summary
1) Hibbing’s population is decreasing and becoming older. The percentage of households that
are families is decreasing. Hibbing is predominately a White community but is becoming more
diverse.

2) Housing in Hibbing is older than housing in the State of Minnesota as a whole. Just 5% of
housing units were built in 2000 or later. Hibbing has a high rate of homeownership – 87%.

3) Greenhaven Apartments were built in 1953. Immediate repair needs (2017) total $11 million.
Uninflated total funds needed over 20 years for capital needs are $13 million which is
$132,531/unit in 2017 dollars. The largest areas of critical needs are asphalt, sealcoat,
concrete sidewalks, concrete curbs, and stoops, which are 23.6% of critical needs. Kitchen
and bath renovations in units, including plumbing comprise 16.6% of critical needs.

4) Hibbing’s median household income is $44,659, and there is a higher proportion of

households with incomes below $35,000 than in the State of Minnesota. Income levels for
Black, American Indian, and Asian residents and people of Hispanic or Latino origin are much
lower. Household income for people 65 and older is $26,965.

5) One in five residents of Hibbing has an income below the poverty level. Hibbing’s rate of
poverty is higher than St. Louis County and the State of Minnesota and has more than doubled
since 2000. Children under 18 have the highest rate of poverty – 29%. People 65 and older
have the lowest rate of poverty – 11%.

6) Poverty disproportionately impacts people of color who live in Hibbing. For Black residents,
93% have incomes below the poverty level, as do 28% of Asian residents.

7) Residents of Greenhaven Apartments have high levels of disabilities (46% of residents).

Three-quarters of the households are single people, but there are 62 families with 114
children under 18. Disability payments are the income source for 61% of residents. The
average income for Greenhaven households is $11,141.

8) There are 157 households on the Section 8 Housing Voucher waiting list at the Virginia HRA,
which administers the rent vouchers for the Iron Range. About one quarter, 24%, are from
Hibbing or the surrounding area.

11
 9) Forty-two households are on the waiting list to live in public housing in Hibbing. Of these, 29
households are on the waiting list for Greenhaven Apartments (includes waiting for 1, 2, 3 and
4 bedrooms)

10) Nearly half of Hibbing’s renter households are cost-burdened, meaning they pay more than
30% of their income for housing.

11) As of June 30, 2020, there were 79 homeless households waiting on the Northern St. Louis
County Coordinated Entry priority list for a place to live. Overall, 131 households were on the
Northern SLC Priority List from April – June 2020, and 15 households left the list because they
received transitional or permanent housing.

II. Key Informant Interview Summary

Key informants want the Greenhaven Apartments to be rebuilt or replaced so they are of high-quality
condition with amenities that make it a good place to live and have community with other people.
They want the residents to receive the support they need to meet their basic needs, address
challenges, and take advantage of opportunities, but they want the residents to contribute to
improving their own lives and the community. They also want the development to be safe, secure,
and well-managed. The current location is preferred.

The key informants want Hibbing to provide housing opportunities to people who need them – low
income seniors, college students, young families, and people moving to Hibbing for employment.
They recognize the challenges that people who are homeless, people with barriers in their
backgrounds, people with disabilities, and people with mental health needs have with securing
housing. Many want housing to be created for these populations that have the most difficulty
retaining and maintaining housing.

The people that were interviewed are excited about this opportunity for their community, and eager
to help make it happen.

1. There is an overall need for housing in Hibbing.

Everyone interviewed identified a need for more housing in Hibbing. As one person stated, “In
Hibbing, there is a need for both supportive, affordable rental housing and housing that rents for
the market rate”. Another said, “We need a wider range of housing from seniors to homeowners”.
Housing of a variety of types and for different income levels, ages, and household categories is
desired.

12
2. Affordable, quality rental housing is in short supply, and more is needed.

The need for affordable housing and affordable rental housing was mentioned by most of the people
interviewed. High rents, even for poor quality units, were identified as a concern. Interviewees stated
that the lack of affordable rental units is a challenge for Hibbing’s growing population of people with
low incomes and creates other problems for these households.

“Without affordable housing, it creates so many other problems for a community

and for people with lower incomes”.

Interviewees also described the poor quality of much of the rental housing stock in Hibbing,

“A lot of rentals are substandard when they are available”. The age of housing
and the small size of units were identified as problems.

Key informants were split between recommending that more housing be created for single people or
that additional units be developed for families. A lack of one-bedroom units and waiting lists for
these units were described, and many interviewees expressed a need they saw for affordable units
for families.

Rental housing is needed for the whole diversity of people who live in Hibbing, stated some of the key
informants. They cited examples of Native families, Black residents, refugee students, and other
students of color who have a hard time finding rental housing.

“We need some places to live by a diversity standpoint.”

“We have students of color and they have a hard time finding a place to land”.

3. The Greenhaven Apartments are in dire need of repair, and there is universal support for the
redevelopment of these units.

All the key informants want the Greenhaven Apartments to be improved. Specific challenges were
identified – security, lawn care, garbage, and high density. Others named concerns about property
management and the behavior of some current tenants. Throughout the interviews, people
expressed the hope that tenants could take more pride in an apartment complex that is rebuilt or
repaired to a higher quality.

“I have lived in an HRA building. Something needs to be done.

I hope we can get something better for our City and the residents.”

13
4. The current location is preferred for the redevelopment or replacement of Greenhaven
Apartments due to walkability, access to public transportation, and proximity to resources
needed by tenants.

Key informants enthusiastically supported maintaining the current location for Greenhaven
Apartments. Walkability and access to key resources were consistently identified as reasons to
continue to locate housing units at this site, as the Greenhaven Apartments are within walking
distance to schools, grocery stores, medical clinics and hospitals, parks and recreation opportunities,
pharmacies, and job opportunities. Limited public transportation options were discussed as a critical
factor in maintaining the Greenhaven units at the current location, and interviews mentioned positive
attributes of the neighborhood (safety, nice neighborhood, established utilities, greenspace) as other
reasons to rebuild here.

“Current Greenhaven location fits the bill. It’s all about the best services for the greatest number of
people who have access to services.” “I don’t know that you could move it to a place that is any
better. You would move away from key resources.”

Some people did identify other locations – by Hibbing Community College, by the water-tower, and
by Walmart and some see a benefit to developing rental units at more than one location. Most,
however, identified challenges to these building sites, including: the cost of developing bare land, the
danger of children having to cross a highway, and limited public transportation options. Even in new
locations, the key informants recognized the importance of tenants having access to community
resources and amenities.

“How about the area by the College? There is a little park area, and a preschool. There is a little
shopping center there with restaurants.” “There is property south of Walmart but there are not
good options to make sure kids have transportation to school.
Crossing 169 would be dangerous for kids”.

5. Mixed income rental housing is desirable if it does not take away from units for people with
lower incomes, is well managed, and there is a focus on inclusion and community.

Some key informants felt strongly that the focus for new units should be affordable housing for low
income households, so that there is not a loss of affordable units. They also expressed concerns
about the stigma that people with less money might feel in a development with higher income
households, and they identified challenges with property management at a mixed-unit development.

“Mixed income takes away from what we already have a need for. Don’t take away from existing
units and make higher income units. Poor people take care of poor people”.

14
Many interviewees suggested or were excited about the option of mixed-income housing. Some were
supportive because of the need for market-rate rentals in Hibbing and others envisioned a
development where people of different incomes, ages, and backgrounds could all live together in a
way that builds community between groups.

“I think a mix is really good. No need to tell anyone what they are paying in rent.
It can help people understand each other and bridge that gap.”

6. There are subgroups of people with unmet housing needs: people who are homeless; people
with criminal backgrounds, lower income seniors, larger or blended families, and people who
need accessible housing due to their age or disability.

While all key informants stated a need for new housing units in Hibbing, specific populations were
identified as having greater challenges finding and securing housing.

People with poor rental or criminal backgrounds were mentioned by many interviewees, especially
those who work in the housing or social service fields, as in great need of rental housing.

“There are people who need rental units. They have done some things wrong in the past, but they
can maintain stable housing now. They just can’t find any”.

Interviewees acknowledged that there are few resources for homeless people in Hibbing. There is a
Coordinated Entry System for people without housing in Northern St. Louis County, but few options
for the ninety people who are currently on the list to move to, even though there are resources, such
as Housing Support, that can subsidize their rent. Additional units dedicated to homeless people
were mentioned by many interviewees as a need in Hibbing.

Low income senior citizens are another group for whom a rental housing gap was identified. They are
on fixed incomes and cannot afford senior rental units that have recently been created in Hibbing.
They typically want to live with other seniors and be close to services and resources they need, such
as public transportation, medical care, grocery stores.

“There is a need for senior housing. At the new development,

the units are $800, which is too expensive.”

15
7. The newly developed rental units should be high-quality and attractive for the residents, the
neighbors, and the community. They should include features that foster community and connection
between residents.

Key informants want the new units to be built and maintained to a high standard. They
recommended energy-efficient design, accessibility features for seniors and residents with
disabilities, and safety and security features, such as better lighting, cameras, and key cards.

“If they do it right, it should be the same standards as a nice apartment building.”

Key informants also want the site to be well maintained, with places for people to gather and
recreate, and to store their stuff. They suggested better lawn care and landscaping, improved
sidewalks, and better garbage collection. They value outside play space and playground for children
and youth, and want residents to have adequate, secure storage for their bikes, lawnmowers, and
other outdoor equipment.

To better meet the needs of residents, the interviewees identified the needs for bus shelters, laundry
facilities, internet and wi-fi access, and adequate parking for tenants and guests. To increase
community and connection, they would like to see indoor and outdoor common spaces, community
gardens, and shared green space.

“Make sure residents have other amenities that complement the home we are trying to create.”

8. Providing on-site services and links to community resources will address resident needs.

Key informants would like to see on-site case management, especially for residents dealing with
mental health or substance abuse issues. They stated that mental health services are needed by
many people and if they could be available on-site, it would be beneficial. If housing for seniors is
created, they identified a desire for on-site social activities, including opportunities for spiritual
groups and exercise, nursing services, and help accessing services.

Many interviewees suggested that on-site staff be available to connect tenants with available social
services and community resources, and that existing social service agencies, such as St. Louis County,
have regular office hours at the development.

Activities for children and youth were identified as priorities, and many interviewees noted the high
need for childcare in Hibbing.

“One of the hardest things for people in the poverty-level income is kids.
People that work laborious jobs, their income is such that they can’t find daycare”.
16
Key informants recommended that food and access to health care be available on-site. They
recommended that the development include a multi-purpose room where classes and activities could
be held: cultural activities, resume and job application assistance, parenting classes, and first-time
homebuyer education, for example. This space could be used by residents, social service agencies,
community groups, and cultural organizations.

Many key informants also want residents to contribute more toward the housing community and
their own futures. Some suggested work or volunteer requirements, and some suggested incentives
to entice greater participation from residents. As one interviewee said,

“It is for the community and the residents. It is a huge part of our system. If we can help people to
be productive and bring families back together, how is this not benefitting the community”?

9. Community partners can help with the redevelopment of Greenhaven Apartments and can offer
resources to tenants.

People who were interviewed expressed confidence in the ability of the Hibbing HRA to successfully
complete this project and to meet the needs of tenants. Many offered ways that their organizations
could assist with planning, funding, or providing services. A lot of ideas for partnerships with service
providers were offered.

“Providing quality housing to low income people requires having people in power who
understand what the problems are. They are up to speed on the clientele they house and the
challenges they face. Jackie and the Hibbing HRA do this well because
they have a mission of providing housing to low income people.”

17
Demographic and Housing Indicators
Hibbing’s 2018 Comprehensive Plan and the Minnesota Compass geographic profile provide
important data on Hibbing’s population, income, and trends in these areas. Other data sources
(Coordinated Entry Monitoring List, Hibbing HRA Public Housing Waiting List, and Virginia HRA Section
8 Waiting List) provide information on housing needs in the Hibbing area.

I. US Census and Hibbing Comprehensive Plan Data2

Overall Population
• Hibbing’s estimated population in 2016 was 16,230.
o Hibbing’s population decreased 10.1% between 1990 – 2016.

• Hibbing’s estimated population in 2018 was 16,016.

Households
• There are 7,028 households in Hibbing.
o 61% of households are families; 39% are non-family households.
o The number of households in Hibbing has been declining, from 7,430 in 2000 to 7028
in 2017.
o The number and percentage of households containing families has been declining.
o The average size for households and families are decreasing at a rate that aligns with
the State of Minnesota as a whole.

Race and Ethnicity

• Hibbing is consistently increasing in racial diversity, although it is a predominately White
community.
o 98% of Hibbing residents were White in 1990, compared to the most recent
figure of 93%

22
Sources are: MN Compass Geographic Profile (http://www.mncompass.org/profiles/city/hibbing); U.S. Census,
American Community Survey Estimates (https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US2728790)
City of Hibbing 2018 Comprehensive Plan (http://www.ci.hibbing.mn.us/home/showdocument?id=8868)

18
Age
• 17.9% of Hibbing’s population is 65 years and older.
o Hibbing has a higher percentage of older people than the State of Minnesota, 17.9%
compared to 14.6%.
o Historic trends show Hibbing’s median age increased from 1990 – 2010 while slightly
decreasing from 2010-2016.
o Over the next 20 years, a high number of Hibbing residents will graduate to the 65+
year category, if residents remain in the community and reach life expectancy age.

• 25.5% of Hibbing’s population is 17 years and younger.

o Hibbing has a higher percentage of young people than the State of Minnesota, 25.5%
compared to 23.4%.

• 56.6% of Hibbing’s population is 18-65 years.

o The number of 20-24-year-olds transitioning into the 25-34-year-old category from
2000 – 2016 indicates that 25-34-year-olds are moving into the Hibbing Community.
Income
• 2017 median household income in Hibbing was $44,659.
o Household income in Hibbing is significantly lower than the State of Minnesota’s
median household income of $65,699.
o 43.5% of Hibbing’s households have a household income less than $35,000. For the
State of Minnesota, 25.5% have incomes below $35,000.

• Per Capita income in Hibbing is $25,534 (2018).

o For Black of African American Hibbing residents, per capita income is $15,292
o For American Indian and Alaska Native residents, per capita income is $11,775
o Persons of Hispanic or Latino origin have a per capital income of $15, 006
o Asian residents have a per capital income of $11,775,

• The cost of living for a single person with no children in St. Louis County, in 2019, was
$37,620. (MN DEED, 2019)

• Household income by age is:

o 15 to 24 years: $16,711
o 25-44: $61,648
o 45-64: $ 60,824
o 65 and older: $28,965

19
Poverty
• 19.5% of people who live in Hibbing have incomes below the poverty level.
o Hibbing has higher rates of poverty than St. Louis County or the State of Minnesota
(10.5%).
o Hibbing’s rate of poverty has greatly increased since 2000 (8.1% in 2000 compared to
19.5% in 2017).
o Children under 18 have the highest rate of poverty – 28.7%.
o People 65 years and older have the lowest rate of poverty – 10.5%.

• Poverty disproportionately impacts people of color:

o White: 17.13%
o Black: 92.91%
o Two or More Races: 38.6%
o Asian: 27.5%
o Other Race: 12.5%
o American Indian: 0.0%

Employment
• There are 6,682 people, age 16 and above, who are employed in Hibbing. This is a 19%
decrease from the 8,219 people in the workforce in 2000.

• Median earnings in Hibbing are: $ 36,135. By occupation, median earnings are:

o Management, business, science, and arts: $50,018
▪ 2,052 people (31%) are employed in this occupation
o Service: $20,186
▪ 1,370 people are employed (21%)
o Sales and Office: $ 32,713
▪ 1,536 people employed (23%)
o Natural resources, construction, and maintenance: $59,353
▪ 620 people employed (9%)
o Production, transportation, and material moving: $ $30,805
▪ 1,104 people employed (17%)

20
Housing
• In Hibbing, 5% of housing units were built in 2000 or later. 24.9% were built in 1939 or earlier.
o Hibbing’s housing stock is older than the State of Minnesota as a whole, where 17.5%
of units were built after 2000, and 16.65 were built before 1939.
• 87% of Hibbing’s housing units are owner-occupied.

• In 2017, the median rent paid in Hibbing was $541.

o Rental housing costs less in Hibbing that in Minnesota, where the median rent paid is $
906 (2017 dollars).

Affordable Housing
• 26.9% of all households in Hibbing are cost-burdened, meaning they pay more than 30% of
their income for housing.

• Nearly half, 46.7%, of Hibbing’s renter households are cost-burdened.

o Hibbing’s rate of cost burden is similar to the State of Minnesota, where 27.1% of all
households are cost-burdened and 19.6% of renters are cost-burdened.

II. Physical Needs Assessment

A Physical Needs Assessment was completed of Haven Court/Greenhaven Apartments in 2017 by
Finn-Daniels Architects. The purpose was to calculate anticipated capital expenses at the Apartments
over a 20-year period.

This assessment identified $11,112,774 in critical needs. These are elements that have exceeded their
useful life and are recommended to be replaced immediately.
• Asphalt, sealcoat, concrete sidewalk, concrete curbs, and stoops – 23.63% of Critical Needs
• Kitchen and bath renovations in units including plumbing – 16.63% of Critical Needs
• Steel Siding with building wrap and insulation repair and entry doors – 14.07% of Critical
Needs
• Site utilities with improved storm damage and sump connections – 10.57% of Critical Needs
• Roofing, soffit, fascia, gutters, and downspout replacement – 7.8% of Critical Needs
• Electrical wiring and lighting replacement – 5.74% of Critical Needs
Anticipated costs per unit over the 20-year period is $132,531 (in 2017 dollars).

21
III. Data on Homelessness
Coordinated Entry System Statistics
The Coordinated Entry System (CES) is St. Louis County’s method for organizing and providing housing
services for people experiencing homelessness in the County.

The Coordinated Entry process uses central entry points and a coordinated referral process. It is
designed to ensure that individuals and families with the highest vulnerability, service needs, and
length of homelessness receive top priority in housing placement because there are not enough
resources for everyone who becomes homeless.

• As of June 30, 2020, there were 79 homeless households on the Coordinated Entry Priority List
in Northern St. Louis County.

• Housing Placement: For the quarter ending June 30, 2020, 15 households from the list (11%)
were housed in Transitional Housing or Permanent Housing.

• Vulnerability (VISPDAT) Score and Housing Need:

o Ninety households (69%) were assessed as needing Permanent Supportive Housing.
o Forty-one households (31%) were assessed as needing Transitional Housing or Rapid-
Rehousing.
o A higher percentage of Adults without children scored in the range for Permanent
Supportive Housing (70%) than did Families with children (65%).

• Race: Of the 131 households on the 80% 72%

priority list: 70%
o 28% were Black/African 60%
American, Indigenous, or 50%
Multiple-Race households 40%
o 72% were White households 30%
20% 12%
10%
10% 5%

0%
White Black or American Multiple
African Indian or Races
American Alaska Native

22
• Household Type:
o 72% were adults without children, with most being one-person households.
o 28% were families with children
28%
• Age: For heads of household:
o Age 13-17: 1 (1%)
o Age 18-24: 15 (11%)
o Age 25-34: 32 (24%) 72%
o Age 35-44: 39 (30%)
o Age 45-54: 27 (21%) Families Singles/Couples
o Age 55-61: 15 (11%)
o Age 62+: 2 (2%)

• Subpopulations:
o Veteran: 7 (5%)
o Fleeing Domestic Violence: 14 (11%)
o HUD Homeless (Literally Homeless): 38 (29%)
o Chronically Homeless: 19 (15%)
o Long-term Homeless: 51 (39%)
o First Time Homeless: 35 (27%)
o Any disability of long duration: 117 (89%)

Number of Priority List Households in each Subpopulation

140
117
120

100

80

60 51
38 35
40
19
20 14
7
0
Veteran Fleeing HUD Chronically Long Term First Time Any
Domestic Homeless Homeless Homeless Homeless Disability
Violence of Long
Duration

23
IV. Public Housing and Section 8 Data
Public housing was established to provide decent and safe rental housing for eligible low-income
families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) administers Federal aid to local housing agencies (HAs) that manage public
housing for low-income residents at rents they can afford.3

The housing choice voucher program (commonly known as Section 8) is the federal government's
major program for assisting very low-income families, the elderly, and the disabled to afford decent,
safe, and sanitary housing in the private market. Housing choice vouchers are administered locally by
public housing agencies (PHAs). The PHAs receive federal funds from HUD to administer the voucher
program.

A housing subsidy is paid to the landlord directly by the PHA on behalf of the participating family. The
family then pays the difference between the actual rent charged by the landlord and the amount
subsidized by the program.

Hibbing HRA: Public Housing Information

Waiting List
• 29 heads of households are on the waiting list for Greenhaven (includes waiting for 1, 2, 3 and
4 bedrooms)
• 13 other heads of households on the waiting list for all other properties
• 42 names total for waiting list across all properties.

General Information
• 252 households live in public housing, representing 401 total people.
• The average household size is 2.
• 39% of residents have lived in public housing for more than 5 years.

Families with Children

• There are 62 families with children living in public housing. (25% of all households)
• There are 114 children under 18. (28% of all residents)
• The average child’s age is 7.

3
https://www.hud.gov/topics/rental_assistance/phprog

24
Seniors
• There are 67 public housing households that include a senior (age 62 or above). (27% of all
households)
• The average age for a senior head of household is 73.

People with Disabilities

• 46% of public housing households include a member who is disabled.

Income4
• 61% of residents have Social Security/Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/Pension income.
• 23% of residents have income from wages.
• 22% have income from a public source
• 11% have no income.
• The average household income is $11,141

Virginia HRA Waiting List Information

As of September 10, 2020, there were 157 households on the Section 8 Waiting List in Virginia, which
manages the Section 8 Housing Voucher program for all of Northern St. Louis County.

Income
• 91% (143 hhs) had incomes at or below 30% of the Area Median Income (AMI). For a
family of three in St. Louis County, 30% of AMI is $26,200 (2020).
• 6% (10 hhs) had incomes between 30% and 50% of AMI ($34,600).
• 2% (3 hhs) had incomes between 50% and 80% of AMI ($55,350).
• One household had an income about 80 of AMI.

Geographic Location
• 18% (28 households) have a Hibbing Address.
• 6% (10 households) have an address in areas surrounding Hibbing (Chisholm, Nashwauk,
etc.)

Race
• 67% of households on the waiting list are White.
• 13% (21 hhs) are Black/African-American.
• 13% (20 hhs) are American-Indian/Alaska Native

4
Some households have multiple sources of income.
25
 • 2% (3hhs) are Asian.
• 3% are Mixed Race.
• 2% (3 hhs) report their race as “Other” or declined to report

Senior Citizens and People with Disabilities

• 6% (10 households) on the waiting list are elderly.
• 38% (59 households) have disabilities.

Household Type
• 57% of households on the waiting list are singles (90 people).
• 43% are family households (67 households)

Bedroom Size
• 57% need a one-bedroom unit.
• 29% need two bedrooms.
• 12% need three bedrooms.
• 1% (2 households) require four bedrooms.

26
Key Informant Responses
1) What are your initial thoughts about the housing needs in Hibbing that this redevelopment
could address? What populations need housing? (individuals, families, seniors, homeless
households?) And how many units are needed?

More housing is needed in Hibbing, of all kinds.

There is a need for it. Has to be available so people have places to stay.

It is hard for people to get nice affordable housing.

There is an overall need for housing for all populations.

We need housing from the low income to middle class.

We need a wider range of housing from seniors to homeowners.

There is a definitely a need for a lot of different types of housing in the Hibbing area.

Habitat for Humanity is building as fast as they can.

Within Hibbing, trying to find a house is next to impossible. The market is cheap but the
quality is crap.

Very few units that will fit a medium-sized family.

In 2016, when we were looking, it was very very hard to find a house.
• Lack of space for what people are looking for in a house.
• Lack of infrastructure – no water, sewer, power.

Now there are two brand new neighborhoods.

There is lots of low-income housing, but more housing is needed.
Housing is needed for everybody. We could use more.
There is an inadequate level of housing.

In Hibbing, there is a need for both supportive, affordable rental housing and housing that
rents for the market rate.

27
There is some demand for rental units and building new units.

There is a big need for apartments in general.

Hibbing lacks affordable housing.

There is a huge problem with affordable housing in Hibbing in general.

There is a huge need for affordable quality housing. If you know you like in a good place and
you know your landlord is going to take care of you, you will do better.

I live in market rate housing, but I can’t save a dime. With public housing, you wouldn’t be so
stretched.

There is a need for 160 units.

It is easier to get low income households into public housing in Virginia and Hibbing than it is
to get households into housing owned by Thies & Talle.

People are renting out garage apartments. The rents have really gone up - $700/month.

It can be cheaper to purchase a home than to rent a home. If you don’t have equity, you are
stuck.

There are very few vacancies. The Community Survey shows that the vacancy rate is 11%, but
this information is screwed up due to short-term rentals.

Hibbing’s population has changed drastically. We have more low-income people and they
need housing.

Without affordable housing, it creates so many other problems for a community and for
people with lower incomes.

I am glad that there will be vouchers to keep it affordable.

Need for affordable housing.

Definitely need affordable housing.

We desperately can use units.

28
Garage apartments and apartment in Virginia are cheaper. Virginia has a greater drug and
transient problem. It is less desirable, so it is cheaper. More crime. Rent is a lot less.

There is a rental housing need.

There are lots of hidden people who need housing.

For the less fortunate, there is a need for more rental housing.

We have more people in the low income population than people realize.

Utilities are very expensive in Hibbing. Can go up to $300 for electricity in the summer.

Even if they can afford the rent, they can’t afford the utilities.

Much of the rental stock in Hibbing is in poor condition.

Rental stock is crap. Private rental units are terrible.

There is no incentive to fix up units because the demand is great.

A lot of rentals are substandard when they are available.

We have a lot of old, smaller structures here: they are older and smaller.

Public housing is crummy.

Some slumlords are out there.

There is a lack of market rentals.

People at Delta call center cannot find quality rental housing.

There is a lack of adequate quality housing.

Across the Iron Range, condition of housing is not good. Housing is very old. The majority of
vouchers are in use between Hibbing and Virginia.

I have to transport kids home when families don’t have transportation. I see some very
unlivable conditions
29
Renovating and upgrading is needed. Aging housing stock is a problem.

Greenhaven Apartments need to be repaired.

Whole space needs to be bulldozed and developed with a mixture of market rentals and
subsidized housing on edges and community space in the middle.

My preference would be to demolish and rebuild the current units. Then rebuild at a lower
density at the current site and have a second location for the remaining units.

This project needs a lot of work. For the neighborhood, it can be hard to drive by these
properties that have challenges – bedsheets, not curtains; lawns not mowed, garbage blowing
around; bikes and other things outside.

Current place gets worse and worse and worse.

I’m all for updating things at Greenhaven.

It is called “the projects”. Has a bad reputation.

Needs to be fixed up so people can take pride in their homes.

I hope she can get this done. Need to either tear down or rebuild in a new spot or extensively
remodel.

Residents need better security. Stronger doors. If people are trying to move up in the world
and go to work, people break in and steal their stuff. There are no security cameras.

Housing there is flop housing. People rent units and sublease to other people.

Currently a burden to the community - - the bad people who are living there.

I have lived in an HRA building. Something needs to be done. I hope we can get something
better for our City and the residents.

Demo would be the way to go, given the conditions at those buildings

Wonderful opportunity.

30
Rental Housing is needed for Singles and Families

There is a need for housing for both singles and families.

We see more singles but there is a need for both.

Seems to be enough affordable housing for families. More is needed for singles. They can’t
find apartments, so move in together in rental homes. Parking is an issue and they end up
with angry neighbors.

More units are needed for singles and families. We also have a very large senior population.

There are gaps for single people and for families that need three or more bedrooms.

Rental Housing is needed for Singles

Virginia HRA always has a long waiting list for 1-bedroom units.

Seniors/people with disabilities need one-bedroom units.

Typically, we have smaller households looking for housing at the Virginia HRA. Once in a
while, you get a large family.

Stover House in Hibbing is privately owned but horrible. People pay $300 for a single room
and there are community bathrooms. People who live there are not trying to go through
treatments. They are opening doing drugs. Some are on the waiting list for better housing.

Hibbing is unique. We have one landlord who has a monopoly. If we have people going from
HRA units to the other landlord, this could be challenging.

The HRA does have 1st Avenue Apartments which is 1 bedroom. These small units are more
prevalent.

A lot of it is single people. Lots of mental health. Lack of support. Their family might have the
same challenges.

There are many singles who are discharged from the ICU who need assistance with housing
and services. A lot of people have some kind of mental health challenge. Some are
manageable like depression or anxiety. Some have major mental health problems like
schizophrenia, PTSD. Some have housing and lose it because they can’t manage to comply
31
with regulations or re-certify. Some have friendships that are the “what can you do for me”
kind. They may have lost their family connection.

More need for singles.

We just don’t have enough housing for single people.

I know of 30-45 clients who receive Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) who need housing.
Many have mental health issues.

Housing for Families is Needed

We need housing for families. They need a park and outside areas.

We had a single mom with 4 little kids. There was only 1 unit available and it had one
bedroom.

Our community should provide housing for families.

Always like to see more housing for families.

Family housing is a big need.

We have housing for seniors already. I would prefer younger families, some who are coming
back to settle in Hibbing. They need rental housing first.

We are seeing more need for families.

At Head Start, we have about 120 families in Hibbing. Housing is a key issue and we definitely
have families at Greenhaven. They are all low income.

We see more families in Hibbing that need housing. Lately we have been seeing bigger
families. One family had 5 children and one had 7 children.

Single parents need housing – Moms and Dads – to have a new, safe place.

Families need housing for sure.

There is a lack of 3-bedroom units. One family looked for 8 months.

32
We need multiple sizes – 2,3,4, bedrooms.

There is a need for housing that can accommodate blended families – mom has kids; dad has
kids.

There is an unmet need for housing for mixed families – multiple adults and kids/mixed
generations.

It is low income here. Even people who go to college leave the area. The whole community is
not up to par as far as income goes.

I work with women going into nontraditional careers. We have to help them with bad rental
housing situations: asbestos, poor insulation which leads to extreme utility bills. We helped
them move and paid first month’s rent and security deposit. One student couldn’t find a
rental unit until she paid much more than she could afford. Our students need first month’s
rent, last month’s rent, security deposit. We have a program called Empower that helps
people.

If new rental units were built, families could move from substandard housing to new units.

I know a Mom who makes $500 too much for Section 8. She pays $600-$700/month for rent.

Young people starting out live in Chisholm or Gilbert because there is more affordable rental
housing. There may be a market for this group in Hibbing if there are new units there.

Biggest thing I see is there are lots of families with lots of kids.

There are lots of blended families that have trouble finding housing.

There are needs for the OB population. Girls are in terrible relationships. They are dependent
on the guys, and this skews what a relationship looks like.

Lot of families!

We have single moms on the OB floor. They are unmarried or all alone. The father may be in
jail. Majority are not couples now – it is a whole different ballgame. We see a lot of
substance abuse. And more mental health problems. Generally, these Moms are connected
to the County, WIC, cash assistance.

33
Housing for 60+ is needed.

We need some rental units for people in their early 60s. They need access to the same things
as other renters.

We need some housing for the senior population. This demographic group is growing more
than others.

With seniors, it is good to have them together but also good to have them around other age
groups.

What I hear from older people is: They are aging. They can no longer stay in their own homes.

For people 65-85 there are very little housing options.

Biggest need for seniors is safe and affordable housing. Youth move out and don’t come back.
I know one lady, 68, who has been looking for 3 years.

Biggest need is something for seniors.

Both affordable senior rentals and other senior units are needed.

Real Life Cooperative is available, but it is too expensive.

Cooperative housing only works if you are selling a house and have equity.

The HRA units that are available for seniors are not as safe.

Many elderly patients at the Hibbing Family Clinic are on the waiting list for Section 8 Three
are in the Androy and the rent keeps going up.

One senior patient is at the Androy. Her income is 900 per month. Her rent is 600 and she also
has a car payment. This leaves less than $200/month for all other expenses. I helped her get
onto Medical Assistance and now she is moving to live with her daughter. When she first
moved there, her rent was $400.

There are apartments that are close to Lees and to the Cinema. Many seniors live there, and
something happened when the apartments became Section 8. They don’t like the direction
the housing has gone. They don’t feel as safe as they once did.

34
At 7th Avenue Apartments, I see the same thing. It is known as the Drug Den. I know two
addicts that that live there. By trying to accommodate younger people with disabilities, it
does not work well. Mixing the different type of populations is not good.

There is a niche for senior affordable housing. They don’t want to be mixed with other
people. Rent would need to be around the Fair Market Rent. It would likely need to be
subsidized.

There is a need for senior housing. At the new development, the units are $800, which is too
expensive.

In our community, we have a lot of seniors, but not enough low-income rents.

If more senior housing is created, it could free up housing units (and maybe public housing
units).

It is sad and scary to think of people who work so hard paying $160 or $200 for Medicare.
This doesn’t cover everything, so they are trying to save for additional expenses. Then people
are paying the supplemental.

Some people may be able find a cheaper place, like a garage apartment, but senior don’t have
this choice as they don’t have the mobility to get into a garage apartment.

There is enough housing for seniors.

We have a lot of senior housing.

For elderly, we have quite a bit.

Housing is needed for People of Color and Indigenous People.

Need some places to live by a diversity standpoint.

People come here; many are Black and they cannot find rentals. They can pay $1000/month
for rent. They come from Atlanta or places that are much more expensive. Some want to stay
here because it is nice and affordable. If they can stay, others will stay.

I work at the Youth Center in Virginia. I see a lot of Native parents. Have some parents in the
trailer park by Kerry Lake. It is awful and should be safer. I have been bringing crayons and
markers to the kids.
35
Need culturally appropriate housing.

Encourage diversity. Provide housing for refugees who are students in the nursing program at
Hibbing Community College. Focus on positive diversity.
At Hibbing Community College, we have dorms. We are always full. We are trying to find
housing. We have students of color and they have a hard time finding a place to land.

Professional also have a hard time finding rental housing.

For homeless people, there is a great need for affordable, quality rental housing.

We can’t find units for people who get Homelessness Prevention assistance.

There is a big need for good rental units. Both Bear Den Apartments and trailer parks are very
concerning.

There is a shortage of housing period. There is a lack of 1-bedroom units.

Bear Den is terrible.

Hibbing has been a desert for homeless people. We are barely scratching the surface of the
need with the few resources for homeless people in Hibbing.

We need rental housing units for people who are qualified for Housing Support. We have
people qualified and can’t find units. We have 12 people who are qualified but can’t find
units.

We need units for homeless people.

Need more housing for homeless.

Units for homeless people would be good. We have lots of homeless people who meet the
chronic homeless or long-term homeless definition who are on the Coordinated Entry System
priority list and need housing.

We have around 90 homeless people on the Coordinated Entry Priority List on the Iron Range
right now.

36
AEOA is seeing a lot of homeless people in the Hibbing area. They are providing shelter at a
couple of rental units and at a local hotel. At the hotel alone, 65 people were sheltered last
year and in need of rental housing.

Need some homeless units - as long as services are adequate.

There is absolutely a need for housing units dedicated for people who are homeless.

Housing is needed for people who are homeless and people who are victims of domestic
violence.

There is a need for quality homeless units. People get housed and end up in a crappy unit.
People who come out a shelter take what they can get.

We don’t even have a homeless shelter in Hibbing.

It would be easier to get people off the Coordinated Entry System (CES) if there weren’t as
many restrictions. We have to put them in our program first.

There is a bigger need for housing for people who need subsides.

There are 89 homeless people on the Coordinated Entry list in Northern St. Louis County who
need rental housing. Lots of single and families.

Most singles are in the shelter unit that is in the Stover House. It has a bad reputation. If
people have a drug history, etc.., they don’t want to live there, even though they are doing a
lot of cleanup. When I get people in there, they have felonies, etc., and other barriers and it
is hard to find housing.

Housing for College Students is needed.

Definitely have students who need housing.

Students are hard to house with Section 8 if they are not considered independent.

We need more student housing.

We partnered on Westgate. There are LTH units there. We have also partnered on the Ivy
Manor in Virginia.

37
We have a lack of housing for someone coming in for their 2-year degree. They rent in
Virginia but come into Hibbing. It would be good if they could live in the community – shop
here, etc.

Housing for People with Disabilities is Needed.

We don’t have places that are fit for physical disabilities.

We have one apartment building for people with physical disabilities, but it takes 2-3 months
to get people into the units.

Focus on Affordable, Not Mixed Income Housing.

Don’t create mixed income housing. Hibbing needs affordable units. Very few people can
afford market rents. Three-bedroom units can rent for over $1000. This is too expensive and
the last thing we need.

Mixed income takes away from what we already have a need for. Don’t take away from
existing units and make higher income units. Poor people take care of poor people.

I grew up in public housing. One thing I have learned is that people take care of each other.
It is a community. In order to improve those communities, it takes more than just a nice
building.

In theory, mixed income housing is good. In reality, I’m not sure. The philosophy is that
mixed income housing can blend people into a community. But the reality is that people who
pay more in rent look down at others who have subsidized rent. This builds animosity. In
addition, there are different rules for people who have subsidies and people who don’t, for
example in the ability to abate rent for repairs. In practice, creating mixed income rental
projects can get a little ugly.

Property management for a mixed-use development would be hard.

Concept of mixed income is good. In reality, it could be challenging.

All the units should be for people with low incomes. This will provide more opportunities for
others with low incomes. And you might not be able to attract people with higher incomes if
the other units are trashed. Separate the units by income if you can.

With mixed income, some may see the disparity and feel “less than”.

38
Mixed income would be hard. People with higher incomes probably wouldn’t want to live
there. It’s a different culture. Lots of drama.

Mixed Income housing is desirable.

To a degree, if you can get a mix of incomes it is better to have that diversity.

I think a mix is really good. No need to tell anyone what they are paying in rent. It can help
people understand each other and bridge that gap.

Need some market housing.

Hibbing may need more of a mix and has a potential diversity of incomes to draw from.

Mixed income can work.

House a mix of people. A little bit of everything.

I think mixed income can work. We need more market rate housing.

Really like the idea of mixed income.

I like the idea of having the mix of incomes and getting rid of the stigma that this is a low-
income project.

Develop a nice project for multiple incomes/uses (like Beacon Hill in Grand Rapids), rather
than building another section of town for tenants that people consider “those people”.

Four years ago, a new apartment complex was built. It was completed booked in under 3
months, and the rents were $1,200 - $1400 without a garage. They were full and still are full.

There could be modeling of positive behavior.

Could allow for mentors

I don’t like the way that one particular subgroup is concentrated. Their identity is identified by
the place that they live.

Mass concentration of everyone with a voucher is not the preferred way that people want to
live.
39
Let’s look at a new model that truly develops a community that mixes socioeconomic groups.
Fundamentally, when you look at issues of black community, indigenous communities, a lot of
issues go back to socioeconomics.

It is valuable for those who are not struggling with barriers for them to engage with others
and change their perspective.

Mixed income would be good for seniors, if they had some young people in the complex who
could help them.

It is nice to have a mixed-age community to bring back relationships.

If having mixed income allows tenants to have a nice space with nice neighbors, that could be
good. If there is more money invested in the building than we can take better care of the
building.

Rebuild with mixed income.

Mixed income wouldn’t be a bad thing.

Poor Rental or Criminal Histories are major barriers to securing rental housing.

Biggest problem for renters in Hibbing is barriers: background checks, rental history checks.
People I work with don’t qualify. If people come through CES and have barriers, they can’t get
in. If they have criminal or rental history issues that are less than 10 years, I don’t even have
them apply. Section 8 has lower barriers than public housing, so the option to turn these
units into Section 8 vouchers could be good.

Thies and Talle properties have stricter guidelines so it is difficult to get low income people
into these rentals.

Biggest housing need is for people with a criminal history. Even if they have domestic assault
that is not a felony, they are disqualified. Or an assault from a bar fight in your 20s. We help
with appeals, but some people don’t want to go through this process. For people with
barriers, the only place they can get housing is with Range Transitional Housing.

There are people who need rental units. They have done some things wrong in the past, but
they can maintain stable housing now. They just can’t find any.

40
If you have a criminal record, you cannot get into housing. Some women in domestic violence
situations get a criminal record because they are trying to protect themselves.

Housing is needed for people with criminal histories. It is hard for them to find affordable
housing. Then they have to conduct criminal activity to get money to pay for their housing.

A lot of the homeless population are people who came out of the criminal justice system.
They just can’t get ahead.

Due to criminal histories, families have to split up. Once parent can get into public housing.
The other can’t because of criminal history. So, a two-income family becomes a one-income
family.

When people have paid their debt to society, we don’t let them move on. People get out of
prison and want to do better, but it is almost easier to stay in prison.

Because of drug use here, it is hard for people to move ahead. Something has to give. This is
one of the biggest needs. People who have come out of the criminal justice system need some
kind of housing.

This is predominately people coming out of the criminal justice system who can’t get a let
underneath them.

Take those extra 50 vouchers and create a place for people coming out of the criminal justice
system.

Range Transitional Housing works with landlords to get people with barriers housed.
Range Transitional Housing is the only low barrier housing around.

Stigma

I support this effort to break down barriers. We all live together.

We need to change thoughts about “projects”. This project is a great idea. It can work.

We are breaking down the stigma.

People in Hibbing are not as accepting of low-income people.

People in our area are not open to living next to “affordable” housing.
41
The term “public housing” has put a bad taste in peoples’ mouths. It is not a distasteful thing.
It is not a stain on the community. But to change it, it takes more than just putting up a new
shining building. It takes resources.

Number of units needed

Do a minimum number of units of what our capacity is.

If we get just one shot at this, it would be wonderful to help as many people as possible.

Jackie knows what the needs are. Jackie knows what will work.

It is hard to know if there is a need for rental housing.

There are challenges with Section 8.

We have a Section 8 program and units owned by private landlords don’t pass inspection.

People have to give up Section 8 vouchers because they can’t find rental units that take
Section 8 or rent at the Section 8 levels.

We can’t find apartment for people with Section 8 vouchers.

Of vouchers given out by the Virginia HRA, only 30% find housing. This has been the rate for 5
years.

We have people at Pine Mill Court (public housing) who get a Section 8 voucher who don’t
move out because they can’t find anything better.

Section 8 is always confidential. It always remains confidential.

Sometimes when you have Section 8, when you have a building that is not taken care of, then
you don’t care as much.

We have seen a big influx of people that are not tied to this area because of access to Section
8.

42
Concerns about loss of tenant protections

Tenant protections under public housing are a lot greater than Section 8. In my experience, I
would have lost a lot of housing cases, if the Section 8 rules were in place and not the public
housing rules. I would prefer that this project stay as public housing.

At the Virginia HRA, Section 8 is a little easier than public housing to get into. We have the
same type of policy in terms of what we look at. If you are a risk to others, you will get denied.

Challenges with moving off of public housing

It is very difficult to get out of housing like that. Most of the time I was paying top market
rent. I didn’t have any money left over.

I was almost stuck. There were no resources to help me expand or to find a house.

Didn’t have to pay utilities there. It was hard to move because

Miscellaneous

We know that the people living at Greenhaven have some of the highest barriers. AEOA
partners with the Hibbing HRA for food distribution. So far this summer, 1,460 boxes have
been distributed at Greenhaven. They are on the list with the highest needs.

Hibbing Public Works Department works well with the Hibbing HRA so we can address issues.

Residents should prove that they are attempting to do better with their lives.

Hold people accountable to care about the property.

People can see others with a higher standard.

43
2) Where do you suggest that units be located? What are the pros and cons of locating units at
or close to the location where they are located now? What are the advantages and
disadvantages of locating units in an area where there is more land available for new
development?

Locate close to services and shopping

Having something centrally located is good because not everyone has transportation. It is hard
to access services and shopping if transportation is a barrier.

Transportation is tough outside of Hibbing.

Transportation access is key. We give bus passes to our HCC students.

The ability to get transportation to the epicenter of jobs is key.

Key is how close it is to services. Residents need to get to grocery, county buildings, stores.

Site is convenient to certain areas within our city. If redeveloped, it would be an asset at that
location: grocery, medical, schools.

If redeveloped differently, this would be an excellent location.

Hibbing is a spread-out town. Largest in the state, by area. There are many rural areas of
Hibbing.

If a grocery store is in walking distance, this is crucial.

Close to shopping. When people can shop local, it can help local businesses.

Can walk to stores.

There must be a central location for people who don’t have a vehicle. There is Dial a Ride,
which isn’t always convenient.

We don’t have as great of transportation system.

Important to be close to things and resources for low income people.

Other locations are out by the mall because it is too isolated. These would not be as good
because of transportation.

44
Easy access to food, store

Locate close to food, county, sexual assault services, mental health services, head start, and
early development training.

Close to recovery services would be good.

Developer needs to be thinking about access to medical, dental, grocery, and schools.

Having places to live in center of community is key. People run though; people pass through.
Keep it a PART of the community.
If there is a way to overlap resources with housing, it can reduce barriers for people.

Center resources and housing

Maintain current site

Greenhaven is a good location. Putting people on the edge of town where they aren’t
services won’t work well.

Greenhaven is a good location. Moving too far away from services without transportation
would not be good.

Greenhaven is ideal for transportation. Kids can walk to school. There is a park nearby.

Greenhaven is really good – the way that it is made. It gives you a feeling of having your own
home. You have 3 floors, including a basement and yard. This is really important.

Centrally located where residents can meet their basic needs is probably the best spot.

Current location is great! It is the heart and pulse of the community

Current Greenhaven location fits the bill. It’s all about the best services for the greatest
number of people who have access to services.

Current location is better than other low-income housing complexes.

Whoever chose the current location chose well.

I like current location.

45
People in Hibbing don’t like change.

If the buildings were fixed up, it would be nice.

Finding another place like this would be difficult.

It is in the best spot right now.

Established and Nice Neighborhood

That area is already established. It has roads, garbage, and works for snowplowing.

Current location is established.

It is tucked into the neighborhood, and the neighborhood is nice all around it.
Beautiful, tree-lined streets.

Really nice neighborhood.

Redevelopment would be nice. There are nice neighborhoods next to Greenhaven and
they would appreciate something nice.

Current location is better. Foundation has been set. Utilities are there.

Greenhaven is a beautiful area. It is a good place. Nice hockey rink.

There is a nice recycling center there.

Where they are is really nice.

Close to things needed by residents

So close to grocery, library, clinic. So nicely located. It is within walking distance to

things people need. The laundromat is nearby.

The other side of the beltline is all residential.

Convenient

46
What I like:
• Project Care Free Clinic
• Medical Campus – one block
• Grocery Store
• Even if walking or taking a bus, things are close.

Current location is good. People have access to everything

What I like about Greenhaven:

• Close to school
• Close to parks
• Close to medical
• Lots of walking
o L& M
o Grocery
o Walgreens

Great location. Right by: schools, hospital, drug store, grocery store. Everything is right
there. It is a good central location. Walking distance to gas station, Walgreens, Thrifty
White. Elementary is right down the road. Can easily get milk. Really central.

I don’t know that you could move it to a place that is any better. You would move
away from key resources. People on disability need access to these kinds of things.

May not be the most ideal location, but it is located next to amenities.

Where it is is accessible to the few shopping options that there are. It is close to
groceries.

Close to First Avenue if they need to obtain work. Could work at L & M, Walgreens or
other places.

Food is Accessible

The existing units are not far from Super One grocery store.

Accessibility to food is key. SuperOne is by Haven Court

47
Works well for People who Walk or Take the Bus

Walkability is key.

With the transportation issue, in town is better. Can catch a bus easier. Still within
walking distance of the clinic.

Close to medical, schools. People don’t have transportation

Greenhaven is a good place for families that don’t have transportation. They can get to
the store pretty easily.

Location selection depends on the type of housing. If I am a low-income tenant

without transportation, I may need to be able to walk and to use public transportation.
I may need to be close to the grocery store.

Hibbing bus system can take 1-2 hours to get somewhere.

Close to Medical Care

Access to medical is close.

It is close to hospital and pharmacy.

Close to Schools

Greenhaven School is right there. High school is a walkable distance.

Very good location for schooling.

Close to high school and other schools.

Close to schools.

We have two K-2 schools in Hibbing. All the Greenhaven apartments kids go to our
Greenhaven school. Students from Jefferson Apartments go to Washington School.
It works well to have the kids from these large apartment complexes go to two
schools.

48
 Keep kids in the Greenhaven bussing area. They are close enough to walk to school,
but most don’t.

. It is safe for children.

When I run there, kids are playing ball. Speed bumps are good. Keep this up. Maintain
this level of safety and don’t locate by a major road.

Kids now can be independent without crossing a major highway.

Crossing highway would not be good.

Centrally located. Doesn’t require crossing a major highway.

Good location for Seniors

From a senior perspective, the close proximity of the Greenhaven units to the hospital
and clinic is good.

Seniors want to be close to medical and grocery services.

Some seniors drive. Some taxi. Some take medical vans.

We have Arrowhead Bussing. Seniors call for a pick-up and sometimes it takes a while
to get there.

Clinics are right by the SuperOne. Seniors get groceries while waiting for their ride to
come.

For seniors, Lee Center is great because people can walk to clinic. Lee Center is
Assisted Living.

7th Avenue Apartments is nice because patients can walk to medical appointments.

Medicare will not pay for transportation to appointments. Seniors have to pay for a
taxi. Bus has a long wait and big steps.

Some seniors like to downtown. There are units (Androy) that are age-restricted, but
downtown Hibbing is not what it used to be.

49
 We have senior patients who don’t drive.

For seniors, be close to Clinic. Be close to transportation.

There are elderly people who could walk from Greenhaven

New Location

When people see the complex, maybe a scattered site would be more easily accepted by the
community.

If some units at the current location are market rate, a lot of marketing will be needed.

To give it a fresh start, a new location might be nice.

Put new housing/residential at the current spot. Good for the tax base. Value of property
would go up.

Spreading them out would probably be good.

Where Greenhaven sits is low ground. A newer location would be a better site.

The City has a bus line. People with special needs have a new building out by the airport and
they can take the bus. Even if you were further out, it wouldn’t hurt, as there are bus options.

Current site has a lot of traffic, a lot of roads.

If the property is going to stay like it is, I would like to get it gone and built somewhere else.
With the condition it is in now, it should be separate from the neighborhood. Move the
housing to a different spot. Have new housing that fits the area better

Multiple locations, including Greenhaven

If feasible, do something at Greenhaven too. There are lots of separate buildings there.
Maybe some could be saved.

If you can do more than one location, that would be good.

Do less units there and put some somewhere else. Less density would be more desirable.

50
There is lots of NIMBY. It is a struggle to get over.

Sometimes it is better to reduce stigma to build somewhere else, but eventually the stigma
returns.

If there could be a mix of locations, that would be good.

Other Location Options

The area up by Real Life Cooperative is nice.

Behind the cemetery is another apartment building, so busses already go there.

For Hibbing Community College students, location isn’t a huge deal. College gives them bus
passes. The problem is when we have students living outside of the City limits.

City of Hibbing would have the best information on what land is available.

Rebuild at the area where there is a trailer park by Kerry lake.

Androy

Androy is also a possible location, but parking could be a challenge.

Androy needs to be repurposed as well.

Water Tower location

A better space would be on the mine near to water tower. It is still close to grocery
store, hospital, clinic, Careerforce, and college. Still have to cross the highway, but
City should make an opportunity for people to cross over or under the highway. This
space is an Opportunity Zone. It could draw investment. It could be much larger.

Most things are walkable if you chose the water tower location. It is close to grocery
store, hospital, clinic.

Up by the water tower, that area is totally undeveloped. It would be close to SuperOne
though.

51
Outlying Areas

Market rate housing would work on the outskirts where people have resources.

If moved to a different location, an outlying area might work. There are opportunities
to go to outlying areas. But this would need more costs for utilities. It depends on how
much you want to invest.

Put housing just outside of town, down the beltline by the roundabout. Its is an
accessible area.

Other open land might be privately owned or areas owned by mining companies.

When people try to develop on bare land, they have to pay to get in water and get in
septic. It can be exorbitant to get services to new areas. This would make it hard.
Anything that is available is very pricey.

Area by Walmart

There is a big area for development over by Walmart if the City is willing to sell some
of that land.

The Walmart area is quite a distance away. All you have there for tenants is the
Walmart.

There is property south of Walmart but there are not good options to make sure kids
have transportation to school. Crossing 169 would be dangerous for kids.

Near Hibbing Community College

Over by Hibbing Community College would be nice. It would be a good location for
people who want to back to school, people who want training, and current HCC
students. There is a little shopping center there.

Head Start Centers are in this area, in the shopping center by the College. We have 4
classrooms and 20 staff. We provide bussing so transportation is not an issue, except
sometimes when parents have to come in and pick up kids who are sick, etc.…

How about the area by the College? There is a little park area, and a preschool. There
is a little shopping center there with restaurants.
52
3) What features are important to you (and the community) in the redevelopment of these
units? Examples could include: energy efficiency, safety, integration with neighborhoods,
access to community facilities, access to transportation, etc.?

All these are good.

Safety and Security

Safety and security are critical. Need a secure building.

Security cameras.

Have key cards to entrances to limit hallway access.

Make it safer. More solid doors.

Make it more secure.

Safety is key. There are too many roads cutting through the Greenhaven location. This is a
safety issue. There are lots of kids and bikes. More of a campus would be better. This would
be better for safety.

Integration with neighborhood and safety.

When cops are constantly there, it makes neighbors uneasy and other people who live there,
too.

Make it easy to move in.

How about gated? Security to see who is coming and going?

Have authorized visitors.

Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency is important. It helps the owner sustain the building financially and it makes
the building more comfortable for the tenants.

Walls are currently thin. It is not energy efficient. This create high utility bills for the tenants.

53
Use good windows.
Energy efficiency is super important. As an owner, you need your funds to go the farthest
that they can.

Energy efficiency would be good.

Energy efficiency is important. Get the utility bills as low as possible.

Design of Units

If you create a lot of family units, lean toward a townhome model. Elderly people might be
attracted to this style too.

If single units are created, low-rise units would be better. They are easier to maintain and
more efficient to operate, cost-wise!

Focus on curb appeal.

I want it to be revamped and look good.

Need a sign. Have some pride in the building. “When you pat somebody on the back, they
usually do better”.

Carpet is not a good idea. They do allow therapy pets. HRA is not replacing or cleaning
carpets which are in bad shape.

Use flooring that is easy to maintain.

Have a lobby, but you need security.

Include a cul-de-sac for easy drop-offs and pick-ups, especially for seniors.

Make it nicer for the neighborhood. Even if it is affordable, it can be nicer.

If they do it right, it should be the same standards as a nice apartment building.

“We lift people up and provide them with the best.”

Make sure residents have other amenities that complement the home we are trying to create.
Demolish and rebuild would be better.
54
New siding. New windows.

Make it look nice. Make people want to care for it.

Go up. Have higher buildings.

Have multi-use footprint in the space.

Use land for a park next to it, rather than sprawling out.

Build higher.

A person’s environment makes such a difference in their life.

Include window coverings with the apartments.

Accessibility

ADA accommodations.

Handicap-accessible units.

Right now, the property is not very handicap accessible. Few ramps. Steps to get in. No
elevator.

Look at the accessible apartments. Are they really accessible? Are the shelves low? Can a
person in a wheelchair reach the microwave?

Keep it accessible.

Handicap Accessible!

ADA compliance is important for senior and people with disabilities. Need wider hallways,
and rails. Include the option of stairs to allow for walking. Many senior walk hallways and
stairs as their fitness routine. This helps them maintain their stability and reduce the risk of
falling.

Accessibility. Get elders in and out of housing safely.

Accessibility to the rest of their lives and to their basic needs.

55
Handicap – Accessible
• Larger doors
• Minimal or no stairs.

I work with young people in their 30s and 40s who were disabled at work. They need
accessible places to live.

Lighting

Current florescent lighting is terrible. Make lighting more welcome and warm.

Lighting is bad. It is really dark.

If there was more security lighting, there would be less police calls.

Better lighting. It is very dark in the hallways.

Better lighting.

Within the apartments, keep them open and bright. This helps with mood.

Garbage Pick-up

Easy access to garbage receptacles. Currently tenants have to hike to where the garbage
place is.

Improve garbage collection. Garbage pick-up system is not good. There is one dumpster for
100+ units. When it gets emptied, it is full again the next day. There is no gate around the
garbage area.

Keep it clean. Have tighter rules. Help people respect their apartments and their area.

Give tenants an incentive to do lawn work, etc. Provide a cut on their rent if they do this.

Indoor and Outdoor Storage

How about storage spaces for outdoor equipment? A little 10x10 shed for bikes and seasonal
things.

Residents need sheds.

56
Idea: for each unit, have storage.

One of the biggest struggles is storage for people who are trying to get ahead. Bikes get
stolen or stripped down if they are left outside. Each unit needs storage. If you are trying to
get ahead, you need more space. If I lived there, I would always be in fear: “Should I buy a
computer? I would always have to have it on me to keep it safe from theft”. It is so defeating.

If you go to basement, there is storage, but it is not very secure.

Handicap-accessible units that are on one level may need more storage space, as they don’t
have a basement.

Useable basement. Need a place for storage – camping gear, etc.

Lawn care, Ground, and Maintenance

Include lawnmowing, and don’t make residents mow their own lawns. It shouldn’t be on
residents to mow their own lawns and shovel. Residents don’t have any storage for lawn
tools.

Grounds and Maintenance

Better lawn care and landscaping.

Offer tenants $ off their rent to move lawns, clean up the outside areas, etc. People would
want to help.

In winter, maintenance is terrible.

Sidewalks

Sidewalks!

Sidewalks in Hibbing are not flat.

Front Porches. This builds community. Sit and visit. Need this space.

Reputation is that it is “sketchy”. This is because these are bare bones buildings. There is no
landscaping, and lighting is bad. Fix these things to make it better.

57
Parks, Open Space, and Green Space

Parks, ice rinks, sidewalks.

Park space for kids to grow and learn outdoors.

The only way to make the whole community vibrant is for everybody to have access to parks.

Make sure the park stays there. It is important.

More open space and trails would be good.

Outside play space for kids

Playground is important.

Safe outdoor play space for children.

Fenced in outdoor area for kids.

Really nice playground.

Green space and playground that is designated!

Playground is important.

Green space. Get your feed in the grass.

Trees

I want to see more green space and common spaces in between buildings for kids to hang out.
Green space – outside.

Area for kids to play. Needs to be updated.

I like the idea of having a community garden and playground that are centrally located.

Playgrounds – safe from traffic.

Green Space.

58
Pet Area/Pet Friendly

HRA is good at working on therapy pet issue.

Dog-walking area

It is hard to find a spot for dogs.

Pet-friendly

How about a certain area where dots are allowed?

Lots of people with mental health issues. Their pets are very helpful to them.

Privacy

Privacy from current neighbors. Privacy fencing.

Activities for Children and Youth

There are lots of kids with nothing to do, so they hang out with each other. They can be
preyed up on by predators, so supervision and good lighting is key.

Indoor area for kids. Like an indoor playground. With good security cameras.
How about computer/seating area nearby. Adults could go on wi-fi while kids play. This would
have to be staffed. There could be a window for adults to see play area.

We want kids to be well taken care of.

Basketball courts.

Laundry

Have to have laundry!

Laundry

Free laundry.

Better laundry facility.

Laundry
59
Laundry facilities within their own unit. Keeps place cleaner. You can wash your own
bedding. You don’t have to wait for your paycheck to go get laundry done.

Laundry

Bus Stops

We have a Dial a Ride bus stop.

Keep bus stops.

Need school bus stops. Need a structure for sheltered bus stops for school kids and for others
using public transportation.

Keep bus transit centers.

Bus Shelter

Transportation access is key.

Bus transportation access.

Internet/Wi-Fi Access

Good Wi-fi. We had to get hot spots for families who were doing online school. Include the
cost of wi-fi in the rent.

Internet

Wi-Fi

Wi-Fi

Parking

How about covered parking?

Parking! Enough parking. Good and accessible parking. Parking for visitors. Figure out how
this will work.

60
Parking is terrible. People take each other’s parking spaces. Then you get a ticket.

Quiet

Some families in Greenhaven are exasperated with the amount of noise, as they try to
practice good habits, like bedtime, with their children. The disruptiveness of the
environment there is hard. People who don’t have healthy parenting tactics are disturbing
those who are trying to have healthy parenting practices.

People with PTSD can’t be around a lot of people. Need smaller units away from others.
Greenhaven is good for families. There are a lot of people, lots of traffic, siren noises.

Community Room/Community Space/Community Center

If new building is developed, include a community room to help build a sense of pride.

Buildings like these often don’t have these rooms.

If there are units for seniors, some kind of community room.

Little center/community center for the residents.

Maybe a community center for birthday parties and community meetings.

If we have a community center, we would need memberships. We already have 3 fitness

centers. How would a new community center affect them? We need a feasibility assessment
before a community center.

Common Spaces

Need: safe, inclusive community spaces

Common spaces are critical - - like coffee shops. Where do I get a quick coffee or bagel on my
way to work? Let’s embed these into housing developments.

Common spaces

Community art.

61
Community Garden

Community garden space in common areas and yards. Let people have raised garden beds in
their yards, which is not currently allowed in public housing.

Community garden.

Community garden

How about a community garden? This will assist in food issues and help residents make
healthy food choices. And add a social component when residents use the spaces.

Have a common courtyard, with small balconies on the floors above the courtyard. It would
be open space but feel protected. Plant flowers and let seniors have gardens.

You get people together! Community garden – flowers or veggies and fruits. It is relaxing.
People can take pride in growing something.

Access to Transportation

Transportation. There is terrible public transportation in this city.

Add a shuttle service, not the AEOA bus. The housing development needs its own shuttle
service.

We need affordable senior transportation. Medicare does not cover transportation and we
need it the most. A trip to Duluth is $250- $300/trip.

One of the biggest issues is that Arrowhead Transportation is not reliable and most tenants do
not drive.

Access to Services

Location is crucial. Access to services!

Location! Transportation availability is key.

We have amenities here. Need to make them accessible to everyone.

62
 A community center in Hibbing would be god. A lot of people aren’t aware of services in the
area.

Computers/Office Space
Computer rooms get used a lot. Helps with communication with people.
Office area, where someone with a home-based business could meet with clients.
Have computer labs as not everyone has computer or Wi-Fi.

Pet Care

Elders and people with mental health issues have pets that are mental health pets. How can
we make sure this goes well? Help them manage their situation. Provide free shots for pets
and neutering/spaying.

Management

A lot of improvement is needed in management.

Want HRA to better police themselves. Get people out who are abusing the system.

Use local Labor

Local labor is key! Or at least prevailing wage. It is never good to start a building project out
with a picket line.

Maintain the units as Public Housing

My preference is that it stays under the protection of public housing.

4) What services or resources do you think are important to available to tenants?

Services for Seniors

Housing support services, like housekeeping services, mental health supports, medication
check-in.

The social aspect for seniors is crucial. Need exercise (classes like Silver Sneaker, Bone
Builder) and other interactive activities (games, art, etc). Deal with isolation to ward off
depression and chemical use.

63
Seniors need:
• someone to lead exercise, balance, flexibility classes. Maybe a physical therapist.
• Chaplain - once or twice/month to lead prayer services
• Nurse - once or twice/month to take blood pressure, do respiratory assessments. Nurse
visits could be a way to tag things that are going on, like unintended weight loss.
• Help navigating resources.

Social Service office on-site for income assessments, SNAP benefits, access to MFIP and GA.
There used to be a Family Investment Center with services available.

Activities for people in senior buildings

Case Management

People who are homeless, long term homeless, chronic homeless will need case management
services.

Recovery services. Treatment programs in the area are full. A rehabilitation/recovery

program is needed. There is nothing in Hibbing, and people have to go to Duluth or Twin
Cities. Treatment is a huge need in our area.

Case management services that help with CD and Mental Health without a doubt. And not
just for the homeless units. It is bad on the Iron Range. CD use has shot through the roof.
Drugs are highly in use. Totally out of control. Need to understand people. Catch them
before they go down a hole where they are going to be evicted.

Supportive housing services that keep people engaged. Catch them before they fall off the
wagon.

Have case management services that are not associated with any one program.

Unified look to care is nice.

Some have county case manager. Some have Clinic case manager. Sometimes case
management focuses on just one aspect of a person’s life. Case managers are needed that
can help people juggle services. We have people who have:
• County social worker
• Mental health counselor
• Doctor
• Specialists
64
• ARMHS worker.
Need a case manager on-site to help people manage all of this.
General case manager. Makes them feel like they are working toward something.
Need connection to help people connect with a therapist or to find a new one.

Tenant Resources/Connect Tenants to Resources

Extra kind of emotional support/human touch/checking in.

“Tenant Resource Person” who can help people with issues that could cause them to get
evicted. Often we see:
• CD or MH issues cause people to lose their housing and become homeless
• It becomes a revolving door for the HRA
• Multiple turns of units is costly for the HRA
• The household won’t get into public housing again, losing a critical resource.
It will be important to have someone on site who can help connect people to resources – a
Tenant Assistant. There should be someone on-site besides the person/people who collect
checks.

Services are available in the community. Tenants at these apartments need the same
amenities as everyone.

Have staff onsite and engaged.

Connect housing workers with county workers and landlords to get wraparound support.

All we have is Free Clinic. That was where the Resource Center was. When she died it went
away.

Need a lot of resources in Hibbing.

Need information posted in a central location about available resources.

Connections to County.

Mental Health Services

Having mental health service onsite would be good.

Tough to have onsite services, but there is a free clinic.

65
Perpich Apartments are nearby, where Range Mental Health has their services.

Mental health care.

Mental health services are needed.

Mental health, especially

Mental health services access. Especially this!

Mental health

Mental Health would be key.

ARMHS worker, Targeted Case management.

At Westgate, there are ARMHS workers and case managers to help them get to services.

More Mental Health services. All we have is Range Mental Health. We have Fairview but
people think it is too expensive.

ARMHS workers.

Child Care

Childcare! Childcare is hard in Hibbing.

Affordable, accessible childcare is critical.

Childcare.

Need childcare. One of the biggest childcare centers is across the beltline.

Daycare is a huge need around the area.

Daycare is a big problem.

If we can get housing that is affordable, families can afford childcare.

66
How about an Early Head Start center? This would be for children 0-3. Kids would be learning.
There would be family wrap-around services.

One of the hardest things for people in the poverty-level income is kids. People that work
laborious jobs, their income is such that they can’t afford daycare.

Childcare. Moms have kids who need care.

Activities for Children and Youth /Support for Parents

There are a lot of students who are single moms with kids. The dream to me would be:
community center/Y concept with child care and have other resources.

Afterschool activities. Something for kids to do.

They need some type of afterschool program.

People in the community are willing to do this, and they do do this.

Afterschool programs take care of “idle hands” with kids.

I remember going to the YMCA afterschool as a kid. It was such a fun time. Get funds for
services like this.

Youth program. Reclaim our youth. Give them something to do. Get kids involved in lawn
mowing. It will give them incentive and a really good feeling inside of them. Shoveling, too.

Kids need to feel a part of community and have that pride.

Family-focused activities. Bring a more positive vibe.

Provide something for youth enrichment for kids ages 11-15. They don’t have much to
engage in, especially in the summer. Partner with YMCA or 4-H or similar organizations. This
age group is old enough to be home alone but too young to have jobs.

In the current housing development, there are a lot of children who are not being watched.
And there is no indoor play space. Some are wandering around town by themselves. How
about a program where residents don’t get paid, but they help with the kids. They could
receive a stipend which could go to a saving account so it doesn’t affect their Social Security.

67
We need parenting classes. Help young mothers improve their lives.

Summer program! Use the space there. Have activities.

They were doing a lunch program for a while. All the kids could be fed. The kids would be
with other kids.

Access to Health Care

Access to health care.

Access to health care. School staff sometimes use school transportation to get students to the
doctor or hospital if their family does not have a car.

Locate close to medical services.

Access to Food

Access to food.

Food distribution.

Groceries

Maybe food shelf or Ruby’s pantry… so people don’t have to travel.

Food insecurity is a huge need. AEOA gives away 570+ 17# boxes of food in the Virginia area,
and 300+ in Hibbing area. Also in Tofte and Two Harbors.

If units are not located in an area by a food provider, this will be important too.

We have senior dining coming into senior buildings and into public housing.

Keeps things available that are currently available – like Meals on Wheels.

The more resources you can make available the better.

Food Shelf

68
Shared Space for Classes, Presentations, Gatherings
Adult Education had been located there at one time. It would be nice to have space for
services that can come in. Or to use for birthday parties and family gatherings. These
common spaces are always in use. It is a way to bring all the income levels together. Could be
used for social services or by residents. Requires on-site management.

Have a very secure TV in the community space. Do classes, presentations.

Have a community education classroom on the property and teach GED. Teach about
different cultures and traditions. Write a grant and offer something each month.
• Need a place to do these kinds of cultural classes.
• Have 1854 treaty authority come and talk.
• Indian DNR will come up and give a talk on wild rice.
• Teach people different crafts and knowledge
• There are a lot of people who could teach these classes. One woman has 5 kids but she
sews and makes regalia.
• Indian Astrologer came to Paulucci space theater and we had 90 people come.
• People are hungry for this.
What happened to on-site classes?
• Educate people of color about their rights as citizens.
• Education is the key to breaking the cycle of teen pregnancy.
• Have classes on housekeeping, parenting and nutrition – what do people do with produce
you get in the summer?

Offer First time homebuyer class. Help manage money.

Center for classes. Get a GED or work towards a trade.

Classroom/tech space.
• Job and resume skills classes
• Parenting classes

Workforce and Career Services

Career Services. Career exploration services. Embed them into the community. This will be
important to ALL the tenants. People need to know about the services and get to them.
Workforce/Education. Have a community room that could also be a training room.

What about connecting with Workforce Center? I wanted them to come onsite, and teach
things like, “How to do a resume”.

69
Get people educated. Urge them to get a GED. Get Careerforce involved.
Employment services would be on my list.

Self-help/Require public service

With Section 8, there is no requirement that tenants complete public service hours, but with
public housing there is. This could be one good thing about going to Section 8.

Help people to better themselves: “If you get into these apartments, you get three years max.

You have to look for work if you are capable of working”. Let’s help you move forward with
your life. Then get a job and move out. Seek out grants for education.

Have incentives to encourage good behavior. Create savings accounts.

Have someone contracted to meet with tenants. Require so many education hours and so
many community service hours. Meet with tenants to help them go over budgets and help
them plan. Do this in person, where someone sits down with residents, not just a youtube
video.

Have stricter rules for the tenants.

It is for the community and the residents. It is a huge part of our system. If we can help
people to be productive and bring family back together, how is this not benefiting the
community?

This is perpetuation of people who are not engaging their employability. Find a program that
they would need to participate in to live in the building. Give initiative for people to help
themselves out rather than rely on the system.

Hold tenants accountable. Require people to do something to contribute. Look for job, go to
school, work on stuff.

Have a time-limited lease:

1) Get used to it.
2) Start working on things
3) Start moving on.
If you give them the opportunity to make a change and they don’t take it, it might not be the
place for them. Make the opportunity available to others.

70
Access to Transportation

Make transportation affordable within our community. You could go and get to work. Work
give a purpose and the more people working the better.

Transit it key to elderly, people with disabilities, and some people with low incomes.
Have public transportation able to go in and out of there regularly. Keep it coming throughout
the day.

Access to transportation.

Volunteer drivers

Community Ownership/Input

Create opportunities for community ownership. Work WITH the people who live here. Let
people build equity which they could cash out to make a significant purchase - car, high
education, home ownership. Focus on “long term gratification”.

I had ideas for building community. My ideas got shot down.

Do more to keep the community together. Have a bbq.

Welcome wagon! Let people know what is available, with phone numbers.

Get involved in neighborhood watch. Pick individuals to keep an eye on the place.

We focus on infrastructure, so people do not have to worry about that: sewer and sanitation,
plowing, etc…

Keep Free Clinic.

Project Care Free Clinic. Look to this model to learn lessons about co-location of services.
Free Clinic is a good service to have.
They have a Free Clinic. This is good.

Access to Co-located services.

County

71
Advocates for Family Peace

Shared Offices for Service Providers.

Have rooms that are available as shared spaces. Social Service providers could rotate their use
of these rooms to meet with tenants on-site. There could be different services on different
days.

Offices for St. Louis County.

Private meeting rooms for organizations like Advocates for Family Peace or Legal Aid.

Needs of college students

If college students live in these units, they need:
• Internet access
• Childcare
• Food
• Transportation
5. Do you have any other suggestions for this project?

Re-locate HRA Offices.

Move the Maintenance office somewhere else.

Move HRA garage and HRA offices. Have professional property management staff on-site.
Break the stigma.

Have to change the culture. Maybe it is time for the HRA office to move out of there. Change
the image of it being an HRA office and income dependent. Make it more like an independent
property management office.

Have to change the mindset of why people want to live there. Need a professional office, not
an HRA office.

Partner with others.

County needs to be an integral part of this.

72
County is willing to help out with tax-forfeit land. The County can be a player.

AEOA will help in any way we can.

The County will do anything we can do. We need affordable housing. We can give money for
the development. Use the County as a resource because we understand the need and we
can do our part. We can partner with IRRB. We have access to CDBG and HRA resources.

IRRRB could pay to tear down the existing buildings. We can do site prep work, too. Call when
you need help.

IRRRB can also help IRAs on the Iron Range build capacity to address the needs of all of these
under-resourced public housing and affordable housing developments.

IRRRB can put $ into new development. It has been 7 years since we invested in a rental
development. We would look at occupancy statistics to determine need.

City is not good at redevelopment. We have not supported redevelopment.

Support Inclusion

We have to do a better job as a community to help everybody be an integral part of the

community.

Diversity! Everyone is integrated. Move forward with that. Heal from it.

Dispel stereotypes about Native Americans. Take those myths and bust them. Provide
community education, such as beading classes to the residents. Residents could teach each
other classes about their cultures.

Income should not limit geographic opportunities.

We are going to have to change the culture and mindset. Who is better than Jackie to do this?

Some people will say, “It is fine for them” (current residents).

Maintain protections for tenants.

I understand the need to secure money for improvements. I have strong concerns about
protections for tenants. There are people legal aid has represented that, had they not been in
public housing, would have been evicted and become homeless.
73
The Hibbing HRA or other new owner could model policies in their leases that follow public
housing guidelines.
Resident and Community Input is important.

When I deal with private developers, they only conduct informal hearings by phone or do
things in writing, which is not the best way to work with the population that lives in public
housing.

It is good that you are calling around to get feedback and suggestions.

I want this to work! Talking points and speaking to the community will help.

Bring residents together to take ownership of the development. People should be allowed to
make suggestions and have pride of ownership.

Buy-in is important. Need common speaking points: “This is what this project will do to
improve our community”. This is about “everybody has the same opportunity”.

Hibbing HRA has Skills to Develop and Manage Housing.

Providing quality housing to low income people requires having people in power who
understand what the problems are. They are up to speed on the clientele they house and the
challenges they face. Jackie and the Hibbing HRA do this well because they have a mission of
providing housing to low income people.

How this new project is set up is critical. It may work well and be a good place for low income
tenants because Jackie is in charge now, but what happens when she leaves?

Homelessness in Hibbing should be Addressed.

There is also a need for more emergency shelter in Hibbing. There are housing navigation
services available through Coordinated Entry, but it is hard to help people find housing when
they are living outside or in another homeless situation. It is so much easier when they are
staying in a shelter unit or shelter bed.

People call 211. They do not believe it will work. They say it is worthless. 211 Texting never
worked.

I try to help people who are homeless. Every avenue I would take would come to a dead end.
74
If I can’t do it, how can people who are homeless?

We take homeless people into our home. They have nowhere to go.

We got someone a room in Grand Rapids. A shelter room. Our person was so happy.

It would be helpful to have some transitional housing in Hibbing.

Some kind of transitional housing would help people get into affordable housing.

There are homeless shelter units above RTH. These people and units struggle because they
don’t have enough services. I think City should put money toward shelter.

AEOA provides prevention, assessment, and shelter in Hibbing. There are two small shelter
units in Hibbing – one 3 bedroom and one efficiency apartment that has to share a bathroom.

When people leave the shelter, we can typically find housing for them. Families typically find a
program like Range Transitional Housing.

There are, on average, 20 turnaways from the Hibbing shelter each month. With COVID, the
number has gone down to about 8-10/month due to the eviction moratorium. In the summer
months people will go camping rather than stay at the shelter.

Address Barriers to Help People Get into Housing

Help people pay past due bills to get into housing. A woman with 4 kids could not get into
public housing because she owed money. The place she lives not is horrid. Landlords in
Hibbing are slumlords. They do the bare minimum.

Biggest barrier is getting people into rental housing. Make background check less restrictive
by having fewer restrictions for past criminal history and evictions. Have a liaison to check in
with people who have these barriers, i.e. check in for the first year. Some renters need to be
taught how to be renters.

Provide Better Management at Greenhaven.

Serve the people of our state first. Focus on our community.

Better policing of the development.

75
They need to set up a program that helps these people to move along from affordable
housing. Some people don’t want to look for a job. They have it too easy. They can stay there
for $65/month.

Suggestions for the Development Team

When the time comes, and they end up doing demolition, use local workforce.

Need a good planning team to look at data, decide what needs to be done.
A good development team is key. Get the right people. Address “NIMBY”.

Don’t make the development fully dependent on government funding because it will only be a
portion of what it should be.

Try to access local wealth. But, more importantly, use resources available through the
Opportunity Zone. Need to pitch to private equity. They want to know what the social
incentive is but focus on the tax incentive.

Could there be one unit for people receiving medical treatment? They could pay rent. It could
be a partnership with Fairview. There would be buy-in from the local medical community.

If you create housing for seniors, don’t require people to be 65 to live there. There are people
who are in their 50s, but they act older due to health needs. Base eligibility on needs not age
and focus on people who are not thriving independently at home.

If they do apply to Minnesota Housing funds, they should create LTH units, and we (RTH) can
be the service provider for those units.

There is Workforce Shortage in Hibbing

Hibbing had jobs, but we do not have enough people. By 2025 if people don’t move to the
Iron Range, we will be short 40,000 people. More people are leaving the workforce than kids
are entering school.

76
5. Do you have any questions?

Where would residents live while the apartments are being built or rebuilt?

How did Virginia HRA rehabilitate Pine Mill Court? What were the funding sources?

Who will be the eventual owner?

What will be included in the rent? Utilities?

If the HRA vacates the current units, what becomes of them? If a private landlord buys them,
they will be marginal units that will barely pass inspection.

Are the standards different between public housing and Section 8? What would be the
difference between public housing and Section 8 housing? We need to have a full
understanding.

Jackie works hard and cares about all the tenants. I hope we can move forward with this
project. Hibbing really needs housing. We need some really good housing for all populations.

77