Environmental Response Fund (ERF) grants fund the assessment and cleanup of contaminated sites in Hennepin County. These funds help revitalize sites by providing funding to assess and clean up contamination. The grants reduce barriers to site improvement or redevelopment caused by the added costs of environmental cleanup and lessen the risk to human health and the environment posed by the contamination.
Projects supported by ERF grants provide various community benefits, including creating affordable and moderately priced housing, supporting economic development, developing green space, and making infrastructure improvements. Many ERF grants address environmental contamination in communities with significant disparities in health, including low-income areas and communities of color. Some of these sites become a catalyst for new development in neighboring areas, which can help address racial disparities in housing, employment, and income.
Eligible applicants for ERF include municipalities, economic development agencies, housing and redevelopment authorities, other local public entities, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit businesses. ERF grants are not available to non-local government responsible parties.
Applications for the fall grant round are due by November 1, 2022, at 3 p.m.
Prior to applying for an ERF grant, contact brownfields@hennepin.us to discuss your project and funding needs.
Application materials will be available through the Supplier Portal.
Questions? Visit Hennepin.us/brownfields
In 2019, six suburban cities partnered with Hennepin County for a new response to mental health emergency calls—embedding social workers in their police departments. This collaboration allows for a tailored assessment and response to people having contact with the police because of mental health and substance use issues.
In 2022, we have expanded this work to 22 social workers across 23 police departments, 911 dispatch, and group homes, serving 35 cities across Hennepin County. There are a total of five embedded social workers in District 6. The Edina Police Department participates in this partnership and is one of the recent departments to go from sharing a social worker with another department to a full-time social worker.
Edina Police Department's Embedded Social Worker Donna Nelson said, “One of the successes in my work with the Edina Police Department was working with a woman experiencing homelessness who was also reported as missing. We were able to help her apply for the RentHelpMN funds to pay for her back rent, apply for survivor’s benefits, find affordable housing and part time work. After moving to affordable housing, being able to pay her bills, and working part time, she reported her mental health improved and she felt more stable. She continues to do well, and has reconnected with family members.”
Eden Prairie Police Department Police Chief Matt Sackett said, "Having Donna work in our office provides an opportunity for our officers to discuss cases with her and collaborate on helping those in need. Working closely together, our staff can provide care to in a timely manner and reduce system gaps that have previously existed. We are very pleased with the work Donna has been doing in our community."
This week, U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary (U.S. DOT) Pete Buttigieg toured the Lake Street corridor along with key staff from Hennepin County, City of Minneapolis, Metro Transit and the Lake Street Council to acknowledge the award of a $12 million grant from the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) program to improve safety and travel time reliability on Lake Street (County Road 3).
Hennepin County, the agency responsible for Lake Street, is collaborating with the City of Minneapolis and Metro Transit on the improvements. The three organizations have shared goals to enhance safety for people walking and rolling, improve transit times and reliability, reduce crashes and enhance the overall user experience for everyone along the corridor. The improvements will allow for Metro Transit’s B-line service to be up and running in 2024.
The City of Minneapolis’ guidance and support has also been instrumental in this project successfully meeting its goals and receiving federal recognition. The Lake Street Council, an organization that has a long history of supporting the success of the area, also participated in Secretary Buttigieg's visit.
Tomorrow, the City of Eden Prairie is hosting a community Fall Recycling Drop-Off Event for residents of Eden Prairie. This event is a great opportunity to get rid of appliances, electronics, and other power equipment. Recovery Bike Shop is also accepting bicycles at this event.
Find more details here.
By Neal St. Anthony, Star Tribune
The 18 awardees were selected from 47 applicants by a multiagency panel from Hennepin County, Carver County, and Local Initiatives Support Corp. (LISC) staff.
As part of the same Hennepin County reinvestment plan, $9 million in community investment funds went last year to the county's three-year Elevate Business HC small-business support program developed with the Minneapolis Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The county earlier dispensed $70 million in small-business grants and $27 million for housing the homeless. In all, the 2021 ARPA bill provided $245.9 million to the county.
Access the full story here.
By Sonya Goins, CCX Media
Hennepin County is on a mission to stop the spread of invasive species in its lakes. Tuesday morning, 10-year-old Lofton Reiger is an avid fisherman and likes casting his lure in Weaver Lake.
“There’s really good fish here like there’s a bunch of big basses,” he said.
Hennepin County officials want to ensure area lakes and streams are clean and safe so people like Lofton can continue enjoying their outdoor activities.
“We got 200 lakes in Hennepin County. They are worth protecting,” said Tony Brough, the county’s invasive species prevention program coordinator.
Last August, the county launched the Lake Pledge Pilot Program at Weaver, Cedar Island, and Fish Lakes in Maple Grove. This year it’s been expanded to any lake in Hennepin County.
Access the full story here.
Are you interested in learning more about how Hennepin County serves your community? Join me at the Hopkins Library on September 10 at 10:00 a.m. for an informal conversation over coffee. Whether you follow Hennepin's work closely or not, these monthly 'Coffee with the Commissioner' events are open to all District 6 residents.
RSVP here.
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners consists of one commissioner from each of seven districts. I am proud to represent Deephaven, north Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, northern Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata and Woodland.
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Chris LaTondresse
Commissioner
6th District
612-348-7886
Jessica Oaxaca
District Director
612-348-6885
Kyle Olson
Policy Director
612-348-3168
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