City Council Authorizes Use of Tax Increment Financing for a Housing Project

The Litchfield City Council authorized the use of Tax Increment Financing Monday evening for a housing project on South Hubbard Avenue. Haven on Hubbarb will be a 30-unit apartment building with underground parking and an elevator.

Mayor Ron Dingmann says there will be 7 one-bedroom apartments, 13 two-bedroom, 6 three-bedroom and 4 four-bedroom apartments. He says the city’s TIF contribution is just one of the parts of the financing package that the Litchfield HRA is putting together.

Mayor Dingmann says a public hearing will be required for the TIF and there will be several other steps that the project will have to go through before it can be constructed at 502 South Hubbard Avenue. He says the City also received another request to purchase the property at 1002 South Armstrong Avenue, and the Council decided to open it up for bids, and that process will also include a public hearing.

Mayor Dingmann says the Council approved of a 2-year rental agreement with the MN Dept. of Public Safety for a room at the Litchfield Area Recreation Center – $600 a month – which they use for driver’s education; approved of wage increases for part-time employees at the Liquor Store; and approved of a variance request for his property at 808 South Marshall Avenue to continue an 8-foot privacy fence on the south side of his property.