Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA)
Fiscal Year 2023
Department Overview
The Owatonna HRA mission is to create sustainable affordable housing communities and partnerships that encourage self-reliance, growth, and optimistic futures.
The HRA General Fund has a two programs as follows:
HRA Housing Assistance Fund has one program, so the fund and program details are one and the same.
Accomplishments
• Added numerous new participating landlords to our assistance programs.
• Added the new Mainstream voucher program to the HRA, we’ve increased assistance to 24 new households from 5 households in 2021.
• The HRA assistance waitlist has decreased to 130-150 clients from over 200 last year.
• Along with MN Prairie Alliance, the HRA Board voted to begin an application for a housing trust fund from the state of Minnesota.
• Continued quarterly ZERO INCOME reports
• Attended HUD’s Family Self Sufficiency class
• Revised and updated HRA website
• HRA fully administers 3 counties for the Bridges state grant program
Goals
• Continue to seek and promote new assistance programs which would allow our clients qualify for assistance based on their specific financial circumstances
• Continue to reach local providers and businesses to assist the HRA with additional housing opportunities for our clients
• Promote new homeownership programs with HUD’s assistance
• Continue to promote self-sufficiency and financial independence to our clients
• Encouraging rental assistance in areas that have better quality housing in Owatonna and the surrounding towns.
• Transfer all HRA files from paper to electronic