New hire in community development department

The Woodbury City Council voted at its June 25 meeting to approve the appointment of a new staff member to the city’s community development department.

Karl Batalden was chosen by administration to fill the new position of housing specialist/ associate planner. The position was created as a part of the 2007 budget but was not immediately filled, said community development director Dwight Picha.

Batalden has a background in community development as he most recently worked as a community relations officer for Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity. He earned his master’s degree in urban planning from the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota.

Batalden will work specifically with the city’s Housing and Redevelopment Authority the city created in 2006. An HRA has the ability to levy funds for affordable housing and redevelopment. Picha said Batalden's first tasks with the HRA will be to develop a renovation loan program and a program to assist homeowners with foreclosure issues.

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