OpenPublica

Accountability starts with access.

© 2026 · Filed for the public record

Use casesAboutAPIPrivacyTermsLinkedIn
Home/La Crosse, Wisconsin/Common Council & Committees
OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

La Crosse ECDC Meeting: Rehab Proposals, HOME ARP, RFP - Oct 28, 2026

Common Council & Committees — Wednesday, October 28, 2026
BodyLa Crosse, Wisconsin
SessionCommon Council & Committees
DateWednesday, October 28, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
Meeting Thumbnail
⇩ GET FROM SOURCE

STREAMING COPY IN PREPARATION — RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Original source
Transcript — Verbatim

Speaker numbers apply only to this recording. Names come from transcript evidence. “Possibly” marks uncertain attribution.

Speaker 1

0:17

Yes, it was.

0:20

So

Speaker 2

0:20

why are

Speaker 1

0:21

you going to be

Speaker 3

0:23

able to

Speaker 1

0:25

do any reassignments?

0:43

You know what the thing is just.

Speaker 4

1:24

Yeah,

Unassigned speaker

1:24

I

Speaker 4

1:24

can't want to find the remote.

1:26

I can just tell you I heard it.

1:28

But I didn't tell you the room.

1:33

I'm not presenting it as that.

1:39

Nobody is to say whatever.

Unassigned speaker

1:50

All

Speaker 5

1:50

right.

1:51

Hello, folks.

1:51

We're going to call this meeting to order at 301 PM on Wednesday, October 28th.

1:58

All commissioners are here.

2:00

One is excused.

Unassigned speaker

2:04

So

Speaker 5

2:05

we'll move to the approval of the minutes.

2:09

Move by Commissioner Lee, second by Council President Dickinson.

2:12

Any discussion or corrections?

2:16

Seeing none, all in favor, please signify by saying aye or a thumbs

Unassigned speaker

2:19

up.

Unassigned speaker

2:22

And

Speaker 5

2:23

that motion passes.

2:24

We're going to do things a little out of order.

2:27

We're going to pull our last item up first.

Unassigned speaker

2:30

So

Speaker 5

2:30

we'll start with item 26-1020, annual development agreement compliance report and determination for MSP for the driftless apartments and town homes.

Speaker 6

2:42

Thank you, Mayor.

2:43

This is the last development agreement compliance that you'll have for this year.

2:47

So this is for MSP at River Point District, the Driftless, which is the senior affordable housing project and the family town homes.

2:55

It was our first project at River Point District to be to start and to be completed.

3:10

And so after that amendment went through a month or two ago, now bringing this forward to you with those changes.

3:17

So one of them was the tax-based guarantee year.

3:19

So looking at having that tax guarantee of 9.6 million by tax year 2027.

3:25

So what we would expect to see during the next year's annual compliance review.

3:29

And then excuse me, also use including land in the value as that's what how our assessed value had been based on that.

3:38

And then also there was some language that was clarified as to how the pilot would be distributed.

3:43

So if MSP were to not meet that minimum guaranteed value, they would pay a payment in lieu of taxes, and then that would count towards what their actual payment would be, their total payment.

3:52

So this is for the calculation for the last two years for 2024 and 2025.

3:57

This is a memo that was done with the legal department, finance department, and planning.

4:01

So we do these compliance reviews every year.

4:03

So typically this is something Julie would have bought brought forward to you.

4:07

And so the recommendation is to disperse payment to the developer as outlined in the memo that was attached to the legislation.

Speaker 5

4:16

Thank you.

4:16

Any questions for staff?

4:22

All right.

Speaker 4

4:25

I'll make a motion that this moves forward to disperse.

Speaker 5

4:29

Motion is made.

4:30

Is there a second?

4:33

Second by Commissioner Miller.

4:35

All right.

4:36

Any other discussion?

4:38

CNN, all in favor, please signify by saying aye or raise another

Unassigned speaker

4:41

hand.

Speaker 5

4:43

All right.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing█████████████████████████████████████████████55%
Procedural████████████15%
Housing███████████14%
Public Market Redevelopment████████10%
Disability Rights██3%
Homelessness██3%
Summary of Proceedings

La Crosse ECDC Meeting Summary - October 28, 2026

The Economic and Community Development Commission (ECDC) of La Crosse held a regular meeting on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, called to order at 3:01 PM and adjourned into closed session at 4:47 PM. All six commissioners were present (Erin Goggin, Gina Miller, Linda Lee, Nicholas Padesky, Shaundel Washington-Spivey, Tamra Dickinson). Vicki Markussen was excused.

Consent Calendar

  • The minutes of the previous meeting were approved by a unanimous vote of 6-0.

Discussion Items

Item 26-1020: MSP Driftless Apartments and Townhomes Compliance (Considered First)

  • Staff presented the annual development agreement compliance report, covering the 2024 and 2025 review periods. The report included a $9.6 million tax base guarantee by 2027 and clarifications on PILOT distributions. The motion to approve the staff recommendation and disperse payment passed unanimously (6-0).

Item 26-1127: CDBG Housing Rehabilitation Proposals

  • Staff detailed the history of the city's housing rehab program (over 1,300 homes renovated since the 1980s). Two organizations presented proposals for the $250,000 annual allocation.
  • Habitat for Humanity (Kaya Fox, ED): Proposed 8-10 households per year. Highlighted a waiting list of 79 income-eligible homeowners in La Crosse (350 across five counties) and a general contractor's license with licensed staff.
  • Couleecap (Ashley Lesenski): Proposed assisting up to 14 homeowners over two years. Budget breakdown was $415,000 for direct client activities and $85,000 for administration (83% direct). Has three HQS inspectors and offers housing counseling.
  • Commissioner Goggin moved to refer the item for 30 days; the motion failed for lack of a second. The commission then unanimously voted to move into closed session. Upon reconvening, a motion was made and passed (6-0) to approve the item contingent on city staff approval of the final agreement terms.

Item 26-1128: HOME ARP Supportive Services Funds

  • Staff reported that the original awardee, Coruna Inc., had dissolved. Staff requested guidance on reallocating funds and recommended a 30-day referral. The commission voted unanimously to refer the item.

Item 26-1124: Housing Rehabilitation Loan Subordination Request

  • A request was made to subordinate a $30,000 city rehab loan (first position) for a $100,000 home equity loan. Staff recommended denial based on program guidelines. The commission unanimously voted to deny the request (6-0).

Item 26-1129: RFP for 713 St. James Street (Former Community Policing Center)

  • Staff presented a draft RFP. Commissioners discussed including language for potential residential rezoning (R1/R2) to align with the comprehensive plan. Commissioner Padesky commended the city's proactive approach to repurposing city-owned vacant properties. No formal action was taken; staff will finalize the RFP with feedback.

Key Outcomes

  • Item 26-1020 (Driftless Compliance): Approved (Unanimous 6-0).
  • Item 26-1127 (CDBG Proposals): Approved, contingent on city staff approval of terms (Unanimous 6-0).
  • Item 26-1128 (HOME ARP Funds): Referred for 30 days (Unanimous 6-0).
  • Item 26-1124 (Loan Subordination): Denied (Unanimous 6-0).
  • Item 26-1129 (RFP for 713 St. James): No formal action; direction provided to staff.

Meeting Transcript

Yes, it was. So why are you going to be able to do any reassignments? You know what the thing is just. Yeah, I can't want to find the remote. I can just tell you I heard it. But I didn't tell you the room. I'm not presenting it as that. Nobody is to say whatever. All right. Hello, folks. We're going to call this meeting to order at 301 PM on Wednesday, October 28th. All commissioners are here. One is excused. So we'll move to the approval of the minutes. Move by Commissioner Lee, second by Council President Dickinson. Any discussion or corrections? Seeing none, all in favor, please signify by saying aye or a thumbs up. And that motion passes. We're going to do things a little out of order. We're going to pull our last item up first. So we'll start with item 26-1020, annual development agreement compliance report and determination for MSP for the driftless apartments and town homes. Thank you, Mayor. This is the last development agreement compliance that you'll have for this year. So this is for MSP at River Point District, the Driftless, which is the senior affordable housing project and the family town homes. It was our first project at River Point District to be to start and to be completed. And so after that amendment went through a month or two ago, now bringing this forward to you with those changes. So one of them was the tax-based guarantee year. So looking at having that tax guarantee of 9.6 million by tax year 2027. So what we would expect to see during the next year's annual compliance review. And then excuse me, also use including land in the value as that's what how our assessed value had been based on that. And then also there was some language that was clarified as to how the pilot would be distributed. So if MSP were to not meet that minimum guaranteed value, they would pay a payment in lieu of taxes, and then that would count towards what their actual payment would be, their total payment. So this is for the calculation for the last two years for 2024 and 2025. This is a memo that was done with the legal department, finance department, and planning. So we do these compliance reviews every year. So typically this is something Julie would have bought brought forward to you. And so the recommendation is to disperse payment to the developer as outlined in the memo that was attached to the legislation. Thank you. Any questions for staff?

SUMMARIZED BY OPENPUBLICA AI
TRANSCRIPT VIA PUBLIC VIDEO
openpublica.com