HRA board talks working with municipalities and evaluating future senior housing needs

Kirsten Wisniewski | November 26, 2025

The Cook County Housing Redevelopment Authority board met on Nov. 19. Executive Director Jeff Brand told WTIP, “Winter is a good time for planning meetings.” As winter approaches, the board is focused on deciding how to move forward with senior housing needs, evaluating options for a workforce housing development in Tofte, and working more closely with the municipalities in Cook County.

Senior housing

The board identified addressing senior housing needs as one of its top strategic priorities earlier this year. As part of that effort, Brand has suggested partnering with the Cook County Economic Development Authority (EDA) to commission a study identifying specific gaps in the current landscape and opportunities for development.

Brand said that a study on the subject was done about ten years ago as part of an potential assisted living development being considered at that time. Brand said that because housing conditions and other resources in the county have changed since then, an updated study would be helpful for any future developers.

The newly proposed study would be conducted by Wipfli, a business services company with an office in Duluth. The study would cost $14,500, which Brand said he is hoping the HRA will be able to split with the EDA. While the study would focus on housing, Brand said that the EDA would also have an interest in understanding the opportunities for senior housing, and the implications of that type of development for the community.

The future of the Birch Grove property

`As the HRA considers what a future development to meet the needs of seniors might include, they are also back to the drawing board on a property next to the Birch Grove School. Brand said that after conversations with the Tofte township board, he knows they remain committed to building workforce housing on the parcel. The goal he specified is to create homes that could be sold for between $190,000 and $300,000.

Brand added that the HRA is weighing several options for how to encourage development on the property, including potentially taking on some of the utility or infrastructure costs that could be a hurdle for a future developer. He said that removing roadblocks could be the key to speeding up a future development process.

While there was disappointment from the HRA board when the Temperance Trail project planned for the site fell through, Brand is framing it as an opportunity. “I think that maybe this is just a blessing for us to look at different ways of doing things,” Brand said. “All the options are on the table right now.”

No matter what a future project on the site ends up including, Brand said he expects that nothing will be built until at least 2027.

Working with local leaders

In addition to looking at options for specific projects, Brand has also been looking to work more directly with municipalities across the county. “They’re our partners, and we are tremendously lucky to have people who want to work together on projects,” he said.

He said that getting a better sense of what goals the leaders in different parts of the county have will help the HRA bring the right projects to the area.

Brand, a former member of the Minnesota State House, also said he hopes that he will be able to use his experience to help Cook County municipalities access funding sources at the state and federal levels.

WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with HRA Executive Director Jeff Brand following the November HRA board meeting. Audio of that interview is below.