Rachel Schwankl Selected for Fridley Housing & Redevelopment Authority
October 21, 2019 | Barna, Guzy & Steffen, Ltd.Rachel Schwankl, Real Estate Paralegal at Barna, Guzy & Steffen, was recently appointed to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (“HRA”) in Fridley, MN. According to the City website, “In 1947, the Minnesota Legislature created the Municipal Housing and Redevelopment Act, which authorized cities to create Housing and Redevelopment Authorities (HRAs) charged with improving “substandard conditions” characterized by “dilapidation, obsolescence, overcrowding and faulty arrangement or design of buildings and improvements.”Fridley’s HRA was established in 1965 and today plays an active role in developing and redeveloping the City. HRA projects are designed to enlarge the tax base, create jobs, and create vital, attractive businesses in blighted or underdeveloped areas of the City. The HRA is empowered to carry out housing rehabilitation programs and redevelopment projects that create new housing opportunities. The HRA also makes use of State and Federal programs to provide housing rehabilitation assistance to those that qualify. Examples of State programs include the First Time Home Buyer Program, the Minnesota Fix-Up Fund, and the Home Energy Fund. Federal programs include the Community Development Block Grant Program and HUD’s HOME program. Housing and Redevelopment Authority Services: Business site selection assistance; Local tax structure and tax increment financing districts data and analysis; Guidance on available City programs and other programs for various types of projects;…
Read MoreMinnesota Deed Registry Tax Update
October 4, 2019 | Tammy J. SchemmelThe Minnesota Department of Revenue recently announced a change to how Deed Taxes are calculated, effective for deeds recorded in Minnesota beginning January 1, 2020. While the minimum deed tax amount remains $1.65 for non-exempt transactions, the threshold or minimum net consideration was increased from $500.00, to $3,000.00. See Minnesota Statute 287.21(b). Connect with a professional Real Estate attorney at Barna, Guzy & Steffen in Coon Rapids, MN for all of your real property legal needs.
Read MoreA Practical Look at Arbitration as a Growing Trend
September 27, 2019 | Joan M. QuadeIn the 30-some years that I have been a lawyer, there have been many changes in the way companies do business and in how disputes are resolved. In that same period, however, I have not seen the same depth and breadth of changes in the court system. I have been a litigator representing businesses and individuals in all kinds of cases. I have been an advocate for clients in jury trials both short and long, court trials, mediations and arbitrations. I am also now a mediator and an arbitrator. Companies are now doing business at the speed of email and have global and international goals and inspirations. They have 30, 60 and 90-day business plans. When a company has a dispute, their lawyer must tell them that it will take about a year to get to trial to resolve that dispute, and longer if you are in federal court. It is not surprising that clients find this timetable and its inherit price tag unacceptable. During that year they need representation through a legal process that has been in place in the court system for longer than I have been an attorney. The process involves exchanging discovery documents, responding to Interrogatories, taking and defending depositions, preparing and arguing motions and preparations for trial. It…
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