Hennepin County Grant Helps Brooklyn Park Eviction Study

Hennepin County says there are two zip codes in Brooklyn Park that have the highest eviction rates in the county. They gave Brooklyn Park $15,000 to study why. The city decided previously to conduct a one-year study to determine what is causing evictions. The study will also include how to increase housing access and reduce racial disparities.

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Brooklyn Park is considering launching a study of renter eviction rates in the city. At an economic development meeting Monday, city staff pitched commissioning a study from the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs. The study would look at what one report cites as a high tenant eviction rate in Brooklyn Park. Concerns about safety in large apartment communities would also be on the table.

Troubled apartment complex Huntington Place got special mention during the meeting. That community is under scrutiny by the city council for its unusually high crime rate.

Staff said Huntington Place is costing the city a lot of money. The study could find ways to reduce that cost.

“We certainly probably are approaching the 200 or more thousand dollars a year (in) city services,” said the city’s Kim Berggren, referring to Huntington Place.  “Certainly I think our objective here is to come up with strategies and policy solutions that can bring those costs down over time.”

The issue is tabled until the next EDA meeting to allow staff to gather more information to answer some commissioners’ concerns.

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