Kingfield Neighborhood Association

Grocery Distribution Event for All Households In-Need

Organized by Incarnation Church/Sagrado de Corazon

38th & Pleasant (SW corner)

If you are experiencing, or anticipating, a shortage of grocery staples in the coming week, please know you are invited to participate in the Incarnation/Sagrado de Corazon Grocery Distribution Event. Intended for low-income households, or those that have difficulties accessing food, there is no cost to participate. Enough groceries will be available to provide food-security for the coming week to 1200 families. Zip codes will be collected at the event to allow for increased food distribution at this location in the coming weeks.

Participants are asked to arrive by car, if possible. Four lanes will be formed and be directed to enter the parking lot from Pleasant Avenue. Boxes of groceries will be placed directly in your car by volunteers. Each box contains enough calories of food to feed a family of four for an entire week. Much of the food is dried or canned so will be shelf-stable. There is also a walk-up and bike lane.

If you are interested in supporting this outreach you can make direct financial donations to the Incarnation COVID-19 Food Shelf at this link: http://bit.ly/IncarnationFoodShelf

Virtual Public Safety Town Hall

Hosted by Ward 8 CM Andrea Jenkins

This virtual town hall meeting is an opportunity to engage with Chief Arradondo about the status of MPD and its protocol for responding to gun shots and violent crime in the area and how we transition to other forms of response, particularly for nonviolent offenses and preventing violent crime, that don’t perpetuate further harm in our communities from MPD. We have invited the Director of our Office of Violence Prevention, Sasha Cotton, for this purpose. Sasha’s office is increasing its funding, capacity and work of violence interruption outreach workers.

How to Participate:  You can join online or by phone.

KFNA Redevelopment Special Meeting regarding 4207 Nicollet

On Zoom (To get the code to attend the meeting please email and put ‘4207 Nicollet Meeting’ in the subject line. A link will be sent to you within 24 hours of the meeting date.)

The Kingfield Neighborhood Association Redevelopment Committee had the opportunity to review the developer’s multi-unit housing proposal for 4207 Nicollet Avenue South, and the committee is holding a special committee meeting via Zoom to allow interested neighbors to learn about the project and ask questions of the developer, Alex Gese.

From the developer: Proposed is a five story, 82 unit building on the southeast corner of 42nd and Nicollet; currently home to Curran’s restaurant.  Our goal in designing and developing the building was to recognize and adopt the principles of the City’s 2040 plan, which includes guidance for more housing density in this location, among others throughout the city.  The building will consist of a mix of units ranging from studios to three bedroom units, with a current mix of 29 studios, 37 one bedrooms, 10 two bedrooms, and six three bedroom units.  The developer supports the City’s new inclusionary zoning policy, and is working with the city to determine which of the various affordability options is the best fit, 

In any case, we have a goal of delivering a building to the marketplace with rents that are more competitive than typical “market rate” buildings, in order to be financially accessible to as many people as possible.  The building will have a community room and fitness/wellness facility, and possibly a small retail component aimed at providing a convenient food and beverage to-go service to both building tenants and the neighborhood.  Construction is planned for a spring 2021 start, and late spring early summer 2022 conclusion.  Architects are Tushie Montgomery Architects, and the building will be constructed by LS Black Constructors.  Both are locally based companies.

KFNA knows that the community is currently very interested in affordable and increased housing options in our community. Although it would be the committee’s preference to hold this meeting in person, due to COVID safety procedures and a lack of meeting spaces open that will allow for social distancing at this time, this virtual meeting will need to suffice.

Please submit project questions BEFORE the meeting so we can ask him, and the project architects, to cover them in the presentation. For questions, please email and put ‘4207 Nicollet Meeting’ in the subject line. To get the code to attend the meeting please email and put ‘4207 Nicollet Meeting’ in the subject line. KFNA will respond and email you the link to join the meeting within 24 hours of the meeting date. If you have emailed questions about the project as outlined above, we will be sending you the meeting link as well.

Special KFNA Redevelopment Committee Meeting regarding Development of 3916 Blaisdell

Photo: Volunteers building a rain garden at a different CLCLT home in Kingfield about 10 years ago.

Background: The Kingfield Neighborhood Association Redevelopment Committee and Board of Directors have been in direct conversation about the development of 3916 Blaisdell for a dozen years. About one year ago, KFNA requested that the City of Lakes Community Land Trust (CLCLT) look at the site to see if they could design a home to fit on the vacant parcel since they focus on single family affordable housing creation. After many design iterations and conversations with the city and with funders, we believe that all parties are ready to move forward with construction on this site.

Project Details: The CLCLT will be developing and building a new, single-family home with an accessory dwelling unit at 3916 Blaisdell Ave. The house will be two stories and have total of 2 bedrooms and 2 baths. Construction will adhere to Enterprise Green Communities and Energy Star standards. After construction is complete, the home will be available for sale through the CLCLT, which facilitates long-term affordability to individuals and households at or below 80% of Area Median Income and requires the home to be owner-occupied. KFNA has committed a $20,000 grant to this new housing, as well as a loan of $10,000 with zero percent interest if the house can be built within one year. Additionally KFNA will be setting up a fundraising campaign and asking interested neighbors to contribute directly to buy down affordability even more for this property.

Meeting Purpose: We know that the community is currently very interested in affordable housing options. A direct invite has been sent to the closest neighbors but KFNA also invites you, and the broader neighborhood, to a special KFNA Redevelopment Committee meeting via Zoom to  learn about the project and ask questions of the developer’s representative, Staci Horwitz, CLCLT Operations Director.

Meeting Reservations: Due to COVID safety procedures and a lack of meeting spaces open that will allow for social distancing at this time, this virtual meeting will need to suffice. The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 23 from 6:30-7:30 PM. To get the code to attend the meeting please email and put ‘ 3916 Blaisdell Meeting’ in the subject line. KFNA will respond and email you the link to join the meeting about 24 hours before the meeting begins. If you have emailed questions about the project as outlined above, we will be sending you the meeting link as well.

 

KFNA Board Meeting Tonight

Held online at Zoom

Join KFNA for their monthly Board meeting tonight online on Zoom. The meeting will begin with Board introductions and Community Forum; please feel free to email if you have an item you would like to raise at the meeting. Depending on the number of interested speakers, we will determine speaking order and notify you of how much time you are allotted on the agenda…or feel free just to join the meeting to listen.