Community support for Viking Terrace continues to grow
Community leaders are uniting to support the owners of manufactured homes in Viking Terrace. 
On Sunday, the Emmaus Justice Initiative held what was called the “Viking Terrace Support Team Meeting” at Emmaus Church, bringing together 50 community leaders to support the work of Brian Kopack of Growing Up Healthy.
Growing Up Healthy helps Rice County children and families of immigrant communities access educational, social and financial resources. Kopack joined the organization this May as the Mobile Home Rehabilitation Coordinator.
The residents of Viking Terrace have been at odds with the company that bought the park, Lakeshore Management, since they took over last April. Recently, Lakeshore did offer some concessions to the residents on a long list of new rules and regulations it had tried to install, but residents now report the lines of communication have gone silent for several weeks.
Kopack said even before Lakeshore Management bought Viking Terrace, there was already great need in the county for manufactured home rehabilitation support, but now the situation is even more urgent.
“The last thing we want,” he said, “is to see this corporation push out people that don’t have any other option for housing.”
Residents are concerned that Lakeshore pressures homeowners to spend money on aesthetic home changes, instead of addressing health and safety concerns.
On average homes in Viking Terrace are 38 years old. Many need repairs, but homeowners report difficulty in finding contractors willing to work on manufactured homes. Repairs can also be expensive and some homeowners face language barriers.
Kopack is requesting community support because of the great need and the time sensitive nature of some repairs. Contact information was collected from the residents of the park, who also identified their areas of need. Support committees will be formed around several areas: Everyday Volunteers, Skilled Workers, Fundraisers, Financial & Bank Financing, and Receiving and Distributing CAC Funds.
Members and pastors of several churches, representatives from Rotary, the CAC, Cannon Valley Friends, and St. Olaf and Carleton College attended the meeting. Also present were Mayor Rhonda Pownell, City Councilor Clarice Grabau, Housing Coordinator Melissa Hanson, and Community Development Director Jake Reilly.
This meeting continued the grassroots organizing of Neighbors United and Viking Terrace residents and reinforced the idea that many in the community are committed to supporting their neighbors in manufactured housing for the long haul.
After five years, Spring Creek II will break ground tomorrow
As the city continues to address a major housing shortage, a long-planned development is finally about to break ground. 
The Spring Creek II project will be built on the Southbridge site, in the southeast section of the city. It is a project the Northfield Housing and Redevelopment Association (HRA) and Three River’s Community Development, a non-profit organization that works to establish affordable housing projects, has worked on for nearly five years.
“This started as a concept extension of Spring Creek I back in 2017,” said Melissa Hanson, Northfield’s housing coordinator. “After a few setbacks— the first tax credit application was denied, pandemic, a complete rebid of the project for a new general contractor—we have made it to the moving dirt phase!”
The Northfield HRA provided about 2 acres of land and a forgivable loan of just over $500,000 to the project. The Northfield City Council approved tax increment financing for $689,000.
Spring Creek II will be complementary to the existing Spring Creek project. The new site will include 32 townhome units for modest income families with children—8 two-bedroom units, 22 three-bedroom units and 2 four-bedroom units, including 2 accessible units.
Of the 32 units, 24 families will be at or below 60% of the area median income and 8 families will be at or below 30% area median income.
The project will include 4 units for local families that do not have stable housing. Three Rivers has partnered with South Central Human Relations Center, who will deliver on-site support services and rental assistance and aid.
The project will also include 4 units of housing for people with developmental disabilities. Three Rivers has partnered with Rice County Adult Services and Laura Baker Services Association to identify potential tenants and coordinate services for these units. Rental assistance for these units will come from the state and county housing support programs through LBSA.
Construction will begin this week with the project complete by late summer 2023. A public groundbreaking ceremony is set to be held tomorrow.
Council will continue edibles discussion
And the Northfield City Council will meet tonight in the Council Chambers in City Hall. 
The council’s agenda tonight will include an update and budget request from Age Friendly Northfield, a budget request for the addition of office space and security improvements at the street maintenance facility, and further conversation regarding the licensing and sale of cannabinoid edibles.
As always, the city and the council are asking to hear opinions and comments from the public. Anyone who wishes to do so is invited to come to the meeting and address the council on any topic they see fit. Those wishing to voice their opinions without addressing the council should email their councilors directly or post a comment through the eComment button on the “Agendas” section of the City Council website.
Tonight’s meeting will begin at 6:00.
Rich Larson is the KYMN News Director. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
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