The Winona City Council Tuesday held a public hearing to get feedback about the city's Core Neighborhood Rehabilitation program.
                  
The council recently voted to accept a $600,000  grant for continuation of the program, which will be used for deferred loans to a minimum of 25 homeowners in the area between Lake Winona and the Mississippi River to help pay for improvements.

Richard Harding, who lives on Grand Street, told the council the loan he received from the program in 2010 paid for new windows, and he said working with the city staff was a good experience.

Community Development Director, Lucy McMartin, read a pair of letters people had written praising the program.

Winona is one of 31 cities across Minnesota to receive housing grants from the state.  

In other business, the council unanimously approved a 1-point-2 percent increase over the 2012 levy on a proposed budget of 38-point-5 million dollars in expenditures. The council scheduled the annual "Truth in Taxation" public hearing on the budget for December 3rd.