Vista 44

Project Background

Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative (Vista 44 Housing Limited Partnership) received site plan, rezoning and planned unit development (PUD) approvals to allow construction of a 4-story, 50-unit multifamily apartment building on a one acre portion of the parking lot for St. Joseph Church and Chesterton Academy. The development will be located on the green space portion of the parking lot and will not reduce the amount of parking available to the church or school. 

According to the applicant, the Vista 44 development will provide rental housing to families earning 50 percent or less of the area median income (AMI) and will be financed by federal low-income housing tax credits allocated by the State of Minnesota along with various loans and grants from other national, state, local public and private philanthropic sources. There are no City funds supporting this project. 

Although Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative is a non-profit 501(c)3 tax exempt organization, the development will not be exempt from property taxes. In addition to property taxes that will accrue to the state, City of Hopkins and the school district (estimated to be about $50,000 annually), the development will also pay permitting and utility fees estimated to be over $300,000.

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