NeDA has long recognized that when it came to housing, long-term affordability required more than a good mortgage product, the home must be built so families could manage both utility and maintenance costs. As NeDA moved to formalize our building requirements, discussions and pilot programs on “Green” building were taking place on the local and state levels. The Minnesota Housing Finance Agency had been developing a “Green Communities” program that was initially aimed at multi-family housing. The Enterprise Foundation was providing some financial incentives to go “Green,” again, with a multi-family focus. To view 2009 Sustainable St. Paul Awards go to: http://www.youtube.com/user/stpaulgov
We also began to hear about the US Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program or LEED. This was a national program with commercial and multi-family residential components. Now the US Green Building Council was starting a pilot project to incorporate single family homes. Energy Star standards are a prerequisite, and like Energy Star, the program required third party inspections and testing. NeDA thought it would give the program a try.
This is the result. 132 and 134 Winifred Street on St. Paul's West Side. These homes will be sold to families through the Rondo Community Land Trust to maintain long-term affordability. Please contact NeDA's Realtor Debra Sorenson at 651-288-2137 for more information. To here a news story about this development go to MPR.
Information on other home ownership opportunities through nonprofit developers go to www.ownahomemn.org.
