Posted: 3/30/06
Belle Haven drug-rehab facility plan has city OK
By Joel Stottrup
Belle Haven, a development that would provide housing for people trying to stay free of addicting substances after they've gone through primary treatment, is closer to having a construction start in Princeton.
The City Council last Thursday approved it as a planned unit development (with some conditions) in the Rivertown Crossing development east of Pine Loft Road.
If the name Belle Haven has a southern ring to it, then it would fit with the main pusher of getting such a facility in Princeton - Brenda Hoffman. Hoffman, who heads the Princeton-based Rum River Health Services, has been working on the proposal for about two years and is working on an intensive fund drive to come up with about $360,000 more to make it possible.
Hoffman, a native of Kentucky, still has the southern inflection in her voice and can tell you about some of the attractions of her native state.
But what is at the top of her agenda now is her Belle Haven plan. It would have 16 residential units, each for a parent or parents or a family in which a parent is trying to reestablish themselves free of controlled substances (drugs/and or alcohol). This includes meth, said Hoffman on Monday, adding: "I think a lot of the rural towns are feeling the stress of the meth epidemic and this gives Princeton something to do about it."
The people that would reside at Belle Haven would stay there for 22-33 months and pay a subsidized rent. A third of the renter's income would have to go toward the rent, she said, adding that the usual progression is that the person trying to stay free of drugs or alcohol, would eventually be increasing their income and be ready to move out.
The people in the 16 units would be local people, said Hoffman. A seventeenth unit at Belle Haven would be for the manager. All Belle Haven residents would have strict rules that no alcohol or controlled drugs could be used or kept on the premises.
Part of the Belle Haven residency is that the residents in Belle Haven would be receiving various counseling services.
The whole idea is for the people to "not go back to the environment that contributed to their problems," she said, and to get them to become healthy and productive. Otherwise it's like a "revolving door," with the person going back right away to where they lived among certain influences and abusing drugs and/or alcohol again, she said.
The cost to build and keep Belle Haven going is $3.9 million, Hoffman said on Monday. She said that a $400,000 grant was received from the Federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the construction and $100,500 from HUD for services. All total, about $3.6 million has been raised for Belle Haven from these sources: HUD, the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency, The Federal Home Loan Bank and the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, according to Hoffman.
"We have to raise at least $360,00 here and we're working hard on it," she said, referring to the fundraising campaign. So far, about $160,000 of that has been raised, she said, which would leave about $200,000.
People can donate by writing a check and sending to RRHS, 209 6th Ave. So., Princeton, MN 55371. A receipt will be sent back to the donor for a tax deduction.
The conditions on the council's approval of a planned unit development for Belle Haven is that the city parks and recreation board has to advise the council on the amount of park dedication fee to be paid by Belle Haven.
Princeton Fire and Rescue Department has also stipulated certain requirements which the council included as conditions.
Hoffman said the planned construction start is this spring and completion is targeted to be in December.
Princeton Union-Eagle
P.O. Box 278
Princeton, MN 55371
Telephone: 763-389-1222
Fax: 763-389-1728