Who we are: The Brainerd HRA is a Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and public agency that is a department of the City of Brainerd.  The Brainerd HRA staff administer affordable housing programs and developments within the City of Brainerd and Crow Wing County.  The Brainerd HRA is governed by a six member Board of Commissioners.  Five of the Board of Commissioners are appointed by the Brainerd Mayor.  The other Commissioner is a Public Housing resident or a Housing Choice Voucher recipient. 

 

What we do: Many HRA's were created in the 1960's and 1970's by cities and counties to administer federal housing programs, including Public Housing and the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program.  The largest two program areas of the Brainerd HRA are the management of affordable rental housing in Brainerd (323 units), and the administration of the Housing Choice Voucher program (320 Housing Choice Vouchers) in Crow Wing County.  HRA's can use their redevelopment authority to redevelop blighted properties into new projects for housing, economic development or general public use.

 

Who we serve:  The Brainerd HRA provides programs and services to primarily low and moderate income households in the City of Brainerd.  We serve lower income households throughout Crow Wing County with the Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance program.

 

What is an HRA?  An HRA is a unit of local government.  Housing and redevelopment authorities (HRA's) have the ability to do many different things to benefit the city or county they serve.  Generally, HRA's develop, own and manage affordable rental housing, and administer affordable housing programs, including the Housing Choice Voucher program (formerly called HUD Section 8).  HRA's can also create tax increment financing districts, issue bonds for housing development or rehabilitation, establish revolving loan funds, and create programs that reduce or eliminate slum and blight.   Cities and counties are given the authority by Minnesota state statute to establish HRA's to serve their communities and constituencies.

 

Office location:  The Brainerd HRA office is located at 324 East River Road, in Brainerd, Minnesota.  Our office is in Downtown Brainerd on East River Road, near the Brainerd Police and Fire Departments.  Our main office is in a one-story office building immediately north of the 12-story North Star Apartments on East River Road.  The office is open to the public Monday through Thursday, from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.