Latest news with #StanSuedkamp
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
City of Landfall proclaims independence, celebrates with party
The Brief The city of Landfall on Thursday proclaimed its independence from Washington County. The city, which is the county's smallest with 843 residents, started decades ago as a private property. Washington County bought the property in the late 1990s for about $7 million; the city recently paid off the bond. LANDFALL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The City of Landfall on Thursday proclaimed its independence from Washington County, ensuring that the mobile home park along I-94 will never be sold. What we know The city of Landfall on Thursday proclaimed its independence from Washington County, cementing its place as an affordable housing community and ensuring that it will never be sold. The city is home to hundreds of income-restricted mobile homes. The backstory The city of Landfall started as a private property with affordable housing in the years after World War II. It became a village in 1959 and a city in 1974. In the early 1990s, it was at risk of being sold and redeveloped before Washington County stepped in and purchased it for about $7 million. The city recently paid off the bond, granting it ownership of the property. What they're saying "We're making a proclamation that the park will never be sold," said Mayor Stan Suedkamp. "It means that we have paid the citizens of Washington County who invested that money to buy the park here, and we had the dream with them." Longtime resident Mary Blaylock remembers when the city faced a possible sale. "The trailer parks around the Twin Cities being sold, something else goes up — people have nowhere to go," she recalled. "But we have this now. We've got it. It's ours."
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Landfall Village is about to declare its independence
Mayor Stan Suedkamp moved to Landfall Village in 2002. He was elected mayor of the manufactured-home community near Interstate 94 and Century Avenue in 2016. The city, population 840, has been called the Twin Cities' most affordable community, and it includes amenities such as a beach on Tanners Lake, a community center and after-school programs for kids. Residents own their manufactured homes and pay an average of $300 monthly for their lot, water and sewer and trash pickup. 'It's a great place to live,' said Suedkamp, 83. 'It's a place where lower- to middle-income people can live a good solid middle-income lifestyle.' Later this month, residents will celebrate what city officials are calling the city's 'Celebration of Independence.' First, some history: Landfall was established as a village in 1959 and later incorporated as a city. In the early 1990s, the 53-acre community was in danger of being bought by a developer and razed to make way for a shopping mall or a luxury apartment complex. Instead, the Washington County Housing and Redevelopment Authority purchased it and made improvements. In 1997, the county HRA sold it to the Landfall HRA. Last year, the Landfall HRA finally paid off the $7.2 million in bonds held by the HRA now known as the Washington County Community Development Agency. The May 29 celebration is meant to mark the signing of the deed and give city officials a chance to share the city's vision of the future, said Scott Hildebrand, city administrator. 'It's now its own existing city,' he said. 'Landfall is just a really unique place. There's only, like, two other places like it in the country.' The Landfall City Council is drafting a formal proclamation that recognizes the unique history of the city, thanks those who have helped along the way, 'but also re-dedicates the city's vision for serving low-to-moderate-income families and providing a safe and affordable place to start and live,' Hildebrand said. A draft copy of the proclamation, slated to be signed on May 29, states that the Landfall City Council plans to declare its 'promise to operate in a fiscally responsible manner, to help the residents of Landfall to get a start and to define the city's vision for the future.' The draft also states that, into perpetuity, the park property will never be sold by the city; the city will continue to maintain rents so as to always be considered an 'affordable community'; the city residents will all be homeowners and not allowed to rent out their homes; and residents will always have input into the operation of the city and the park. Minnesota Housing recently gave a $1.3 million grant to Landfall Terrace, the name of the manufactured-home park, to help expand a community building that doubles as a storm shelter. New Jersey-based truck parts rebuilder to close, laying off 6 in St. Paul 'Eyesore' boat abandoned on St. Croix River island is finally gone West St. Paul pastor recalls spending the summer of 1980 in Minnesota with a friend — Pope Leo XIV Federal judge orders immigration officials to free Marshall, Minn., man Citing disputes over fairgrounds, Ramsey County Fair canceled for 6th straight year The community's current storm shelter fits only about a third of the city's residents. The project will replace the storm shelter, as well as address water and sewer system repair, street improvements and sidewalk repair, Hildebrand said. The community partners with a number of organizations that use the community building, including Family Means, the Open Cupboard weekly mobile food shelf and a group that helps people learn English, he said. The expanded shelter means Landfall will be able to 'provide more activities like a basketball court and an expanded food program,' he said. 'It will be a space that people will be able to use and enjoy. It won't be a Taj Mahal, but it'll be a building that will be well-received and nice for the community.' Landfall officials hope to break ground on the project this fall and have it open to the public in spring 2026, he said. Washington County is lucky to have Landfall as a source of affordable housing, said Melissa Taphorn, executive director of the Washington County Community Development Agency. 'Manufactured homes are incredibly affordable,' Taphorn said. 'But a lot of manufactured-home parks have been razed because they take up a good amount of land and are not considered the 'highest and best use' of the land.' The Cimarron manufactured-home community in Lake Elmo has been facing rent increases, but Landfall officials are 'doing the complete opposite,' she said. 'The Landfall HRA board, which is the same as their city council, has been very deliberate about keeping their lot rents flat, and that is incredible for the homeowners because they have certainty on that. It's just a fantastic resource for affordable housing. And it's a beautiful site.' Anyone who moves to Landfall must pass a background check and meet income guidelines: a family of four cannot make more than $47,350 to qualify. But residents can later exceed that income and continue to stay, he said. More than half of the city's 843 residents are Hispanic, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The invitation for the city's 'Celebration of Independence' is written in English and Spanish. Landfall has done a number of community improvements over the past few years, including a new and improved fishing pier, new mill-and-overlay on city streets, the planting of about 80 trees to replace trees those removed because of emerald ash borer, and replacement of city-owned vehicles, Suedkamp said. 'Eyesore' boat abandoned on St. Croix River island is finally gone Unions oppose plan to close the aging Stillwater state prison Stillwater prison to close as part of budget deal reached by state leaders Wisconsin man suffers serious injuries in Denmark Township crash What the EPA's partial rollback of the 'forever chemical' drinking water rule means 'We're in a good school district,' he said. 'We have good neighbor cities like Oakdale, which provides fire, water and ambulance service. We have ready access to public transportation with the new Gold Line (bus rapid transit). We're right on a little lake. We have a small park right on that lake, and a lot of our citizens use it. Those of us who live here really appreciate it.' Residents of Landfall Village will celebrate the fact that the city's bonds have been paid off with a free 'Celebration of Independence' event from 6 to 8 p.m. May 29 at Sunset Park, with an independence ceremony and signing of the proclamation at 7 p.m. There will be free food, drinks, desserts and music.
