A pair of tri-plexes being proposed in small community

Contributed photo
A senior housing project is being planned for the city of Dalton.

By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

The county board of commissioners, on July 25, heard details of a housing proposal for the town of Dalton in southwestern Otter Tail County. The development is referred to as North Fields of Dalton, an affordable senior rental housing development to be located at Court Street in Dalton. 

If all goes well, construction could begin in the fall of 2023.

Two tri-plexes are proposed to be constructed, with four 2-bedrooms and two 1-bedrooms. One member of the household must be 55 or older. 

This is part of a pilot program for constructing additional affordable senior housing in communities across Otter Tail County. 

Funding options included a tax-exempt bond or an inter-agency loan. A committee concurred with the recommendation to proceed with discussion of a loan to the Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA). 

A 2 percent rate is appropriate to the size of the project. The estimated amount of the loan from the county to the HRA is $882,815, which is about 55 percent of the total construction and development estimates. 

The term of the loan is 20 years. Interest payments from the HRA to the county will total $189,028 over 20 years. County staff is working with the selected contractor and architect to finalize a construction estimate. 

The project met with support from County Commissioners Wayne Johnson of Pelican Rapids, Dan Bucholz of rural Perham, Bob Lahman of Parkers Prairie, Kurt Mortenson of rural Underwood and Lee Rogness of Fergus Falls. Johnson currently serves as chairperson for the county board.