Work is progressing on the Ridge View Court Townhomes on Spruce Street in Paynesville. The first set of buildings in the new apartment complex should be ready for occupancy by Sept. 15.According to Raquel Wolff, INH marketing agent, she will be taking applications starting July 15. “We have already been getting a few people inquiring about the apartments. The second complex should be ready by Oct. 1 and the final complex will be ready by Nov. 1.”
The Ridge View Court Townhomes consist of 20, two-story, two and three bedroom units with single car attached garages. The units range in size from 944 to 1,100 square feet for the two- bedroom units from 1,094 to 1,264 square feet in the three-bedroom units.
The units include a private entry, dishwasher, refrigerator, storage area, and mini blinds. The complex includes a playground and community laundry.
Rent would cover heat, hot water, electricity, phone bills, and cable hookup. The landlord covers cold water, sewer and garbage pickup.
Dave Bell, Freedom Development and Consulting, St. Cloud, started planning the proposed project in 1996. By early 1997, the townhome project was looking more and more like a reality. Bell had been working on the project for three years.
His application to the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency for low income housing tax credits started in 1995. The first proposal was for the townhomes to be half senior citizen and half family units. The application was revised and turned down a second time, because the state said there wasn’t a need for more housing in rural Minnesota.
Bell’s third application stressed the townhomes were for moderate income families with children. He had letters submitted from local manufacturers explaining the need for affordable housing in the Paynesville area. The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, finally gave the project its blessing in July 1997.
“Persistence paid off,” he said, after the application was approved for $123,075 in low income housing tax credits. The use of tax credits helps make the project more feasible and enables the contractors to keep the rent lower.
Bell said they are targeting medium income families for the units.