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<br />
<br />GENERAL EXPERIENCE OF HOLMES & GRAVEN
<br />
<br />Holmes & Graven developed much of its housing and redevelopment law experience
<br />by acting as general counsel to the Minneapolis Housing and Redevelopment
<br />Authority from April, 1973 to June, 1981. When that agency was reorganized in
<br />1981, the Minneapolis city attorney undertook the general counsel responsibilities,
<br />and we concentrate on condemnation, various bond issues and redevelopment
<br />contract negotiations. While general counsel, however, Holmes & Graven rendered
<br />approximately 500 formal legal written opinions regarding all aspects of the
<br />operation of a housing and redevelopment authority, all of which have been
<br />retained and cataloged; handled approximately 350 condemnation proceedings
<br />through Commissioner hearings, district court trial and Supreme Court appeal;
<br />hand]ed real estate title matters, including quiet title and torrens proceedings;
<br />negotiated all development agreements, including tax increment, UDAG, EDA, SBA
<br />and CDBG-funded projects; initiated the locally funded commercial and housing
<br />rehabilitation program, the urban homestead program, the single family and
<br />multifamily loan programs, as well as initial implementation of the CDBG, UDAG,
<br />Section 23 and Section 8 programs; litigated all Authority trial matters; and
<br />handled federal and state lobbying activities.
<br />
<br />Our expertise in housing and redevelopment matters has resulted in our current
<br />role as general counsel to the Authorities of Robbinsdale, Columbia Heights,
<br />Chanhassen, Brooklyn Center, Saint Cloud, Dakota County, Washington County,
<br />Stearns County and Northwest Multi-County. We also represent the Minnesota
<br />Chapter of The National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.
<br />
<br />In many cases Holmes & Graven is retained to provide specialized housing,
<br />economic development or redevelopment services to cities. We act in this capacity
<br />in Moorhead, Duluth, Rochester, St. Paul, Hibbing, Aitken, Grand Rapids,
<br />Maplewood, Shakopee, Eagan, Brooklyn Park, Morris, Benson, Stewartville, Dawson,
<br />Winona, Adrian, Austin, Willmar, Bemidji, Bloomington, Buffalo, Coon Rapids,
<br />Excelsior, Fergus Falls, Fridley, Hastings, Olmsted County, Lincoln County,
<br />Mankato, Monticello, Sartell, Savage, Thief River Falls, Waconia, Watertown,
<br />Wayzata and for the Metropolitan Council's Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
<br />While these services are varied, they typically involve the structuring and
<br />negotiating of specific transactions.
<br />
<br />With respect to the firm's ability to represent the City of Ramsey, we believe
<br />Holmes & Graven's experience in representing the private sector is at least as
<br />important as our experience on the public side. Our attorneys have represented
<br />such developers as Laukka & Associates Inc., Winfield Development Companies,
<br />The BoiscIair Corporation, Duraps, Inc., United Properties, Pemtom, Inc., M.A.
<br />Mortenson Company, Anderson-Jordahl Company, The Wilder Foundation, Apache
<br />Corporation, Metro Office Parks Company, Crossroads Development Corporation
<br />and Carley Capitol Group, Darrel A. Farr Development Corp., Richard Miller
<br />Homes, Hoaglan Builders, Rosewood Corporation, and others in housing,
<br />development or redevelopment matters in which local public financial assistance ~s
<br />involved. We believe this has given us a unique opportunity to understand the
<br />strengths and weaknesses of a development transaction from the private viewpoint.
<br />It has, for example, given us the ability to adopt and develop a computer model
<br />which analyzes real estate transactions from the developer's perspective, which has
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