The Ramsey County Board of Commissioners approved eleven projects totaling $4,075,000 of the 2023 HRA levy funding to further Ramsey County’s Economic Competitiveness and Inclusion (ECI) strategies related to affordable rental housing and owner-occupied housing. Of the approved funding, Model Cities received $490,936 to complete a preservation project at 833 University Ave. An additional $167,000 of CDBG funds were awarded to Model Cities from the City of St. Paul to support the project.
Model Cities owns this 6-unit Permanent Supportive Housing building located at 833 University. In the summer of 2022, Model Cities discovered that the stucco exterior was allowing water to seep into the interior of the building, primarily at the southwest corner of the building and severely impacting one of the vacant units. Further exploratory work revealed water damage in other units as well. This request for Ramsey County ARPA funds will repair the water damage throughout the building and preserve this important permanent supportive housing development for current and future low-income residents.
