By Rich Larson, KYMN News
The Northfield City Council has officially taken on the responsibilities of the city’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA), marking a significant shift in how the community approaches housing development and preservation. The transition was discussed during the council’s work session Tuesday night, directly following its first meeting operating as the HRA.
The move, according to City Administrator Ben Martig and new Community Development Director Scott Wopota, is intended to accelerate housing initiatives outlined in Northfield’s strategic plan. Those goals include adding 50 single-family homes, 50 multi-family units, and preserving 30 existing units annually. Put simply, Martig said, the move is intended to put more focus on housing, and the members of the City Council feel that they are the right people to do that.
“A number of our council members, if they weren’t already sitting on the HRA, bring different skill sets where they’ve got some experience in different areas [with housing] in their professional life or in their work, where they’ve had some experience in it. It’s one area that they really wanted to lean into, really kind of ignite, really get it more activated.”
The HRA meeting served as an onboarding session for council members. Wopota, who himself brings extensive housing expertise to his new role, emphasized the authority’s unique tools and financial capacity to drive redevelopment and preservation. Their responsibility, he said, is to find ways to achieve the city’s housing goals in a challenging market, noting the importance of balancing incentives with economic realities.
One key opportunity discussed is leveraging city-owned properties for housing projects. Northfield controls several parcels, including downtown parking lots and land on the city’s edges, which could provide “easy wins” for development. The council also reviewed progress on a major project at Fifth and Washington, signaling its commitment to activating underutilized misutilized sites.
While the transition isn’t unprecedented—other cities have similar structures—Martig said the council’s direct involvement reflects its strong interest in housing. “We want to set the private sector up for success and use public resources strategically,” he explained.
With a renewed focus and clear targets, Northfield’s leaders hope this change will spark meaningful progress in addressing the community’s housing needs.
Rich Larson is the owner and general manager of KYMN Radio. Contact him at rich@kymnradio.net
