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In this Issue
A critical element of planning for the METRO Green Line was capacity
for economic growth and the line’s ability to increase opportunity for
residents along the route. Studies conducted across the country demonstrate that
transit investments strengthen economic vitality in corridors and communities.
The neighborhoods that contain the Green Line are culturally diverse parts of
our community that should be preserved.
Although better transit access supports community development
and improves improve residents’ quality of life. One aspect of this impact is
rising home values for homeowners, and pressure for increasing costs for renters.
A community priority, which I share and have represented at the Council, is
working toward a broad range of housing choices in our neighborhoods. Many
residents wish to remain in and move to the neighborhoods along the Green Line,
and I feel a responsibility to help the Met Council play a role in
accommodating each part of this local market.
Although the Council has a number of roles it plays in the
regional housing landscape, one of our key statutory responsibilities is to
administer the Livable Communities Act (LCA) funding program. The LCA was
enacted in 1995 and funds community investment that revitalizes economies,
creates affordable housing, and links different land uses and transportation
together. We administer four types of grants through this program aimed at
redeveloping existing properties and investing in new development. Since planning
began on the METRO Green Line in 2006, 103 LCA grants have been administered to
70 projects totaling $46.4 million along the route. A majority of these grants helped
fund affordable developments along the line including the recently opened
Hamline Station Project for Pride in Living (PPL) development and the currently
under construction Model Cities BROWNstone project at Victoria Street Station.
As a regional partner, I have been excited to see recent
implementation of innovative programs aimed at increasing the supply of
affordable housing. One in particular that I would like to highlight is the
recently approved pilot by the City of Saint Paul, which allows garages, attics
and additions to be converted to “mother-in-law” units for residents within a ½
mile of the METRO Green Line between Emerald Street and Lexington Avenue. Ideas
like this one are helping our community grow while also maintaining the
existing cultural and generational balances that make University Avenue great
in the first place. I commend the City of Saint Paul for its continued work and
investment to maximize community benefits produced by the METRO Green Line and
its effects.
The Metropolitan Council has awarded more than $5.8 million in grants supporting affordable housing, job creation, and economic development along transit corridors. The Livable Communities grants are tools the Council uses to promote prosperity and livability throughout the region.
The six grants are expected to help:
- Support the creation of 878 affordable and 163 market-rate homes,
- Create 93 permanent and 1,200 part-time jobs,
- Increase the net tax capacity by $1.2 million, leverage nearly $230 million in private and other public investment, and
- Clean up five acres of polluted land for redevelopment.
Some of the projects awarded funds will focus on new affordable housing along both the METRO Green and Blue lines. They will also support housing in Minneapolis to benefit men who have struggled with homelessness and unemployment.
Another is the first transit-oriented development project in Coon Rapids, which focuses on development within the Riverdale Station area.
"When the public invests in transit, the benefits are broad - whether creating local jobs or encouraging millions more in private development. These are the benefits we can continue to expect from continued expansion and improvement of our region's transit system,” said Council Chair Adam Duininck.
Grant awards
- Lexington Station Apartments, Saint Paul - $800,000 for site acquisition to support the city’s partnership with development companies to create a new transit-oriented community next to the Wilder Foundation. It will include 243 units of affordable/workforce housing with connections to transportation options and new safety features on Lexington Parkway.
To see the other four awardees, please see the full article on the Council's website.
Ride for $1 per trip – including transfers – until April 10, 2017
Qualified low-income residents of the Twin Cities: Ride more for less through the new Transit Assistance Program (TAP).
How the pilot program works
- Household member ages 13-64 – not including college students, seniors or persons with disabilities – are eligible to participate in the test program that will offer discounted transit rides, on any bus (express or non-express) or train at any times of day. For those not eligible, other programs may apply.
- Ride all regional buses and light rail for $1, transfers included.
- On Northstar, your card will deduct $1 for the first $3 of the fare. Additional surcharges will be deducted based on distance.
- You can add value online, at any Go-To Card outlet (including all Cub Foods stores) or any rail ticket machine.
NOTE: Discount does not apply on Transit Link or Metro Mobility buses.
This pilot program will run for six months (one card per certified ID).
Learn more about the TAP program.
Riverview Corridor Policy
Advisory Committee - Oct. 13, I attended the Riverview
Corridor Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) as the Met Council appointed
representative. This month, the PAC voted on a number of items including preferred mode, trunk routes, the Ford site alignment and Mississippi River crossings. These PAC meetings are open to the public and I encourage you to
attend if you would like to learn more about the study and possible future
transit along the corridor. Ramsey County Regional Railroad Authority will be hosting an open house and update on the Riverview Corridor Study on November 3 from 5-7pm in St. Paul. If you are interested in learning more about the study and possible transit options for the corridor, I encourage you to attend. The next PAC meeting will be held on Nov. 10 at Union Depot in St. Paul.
Rail~volution - On Oct. 9-12, myself and seven of my fellow Council Members represented the Council and the Twin Cities
region at the annual Rail~volution conference
in San Francisco. The five-day conference shared best practices and
cross-pollinate ideas from across the country. There were over 40 representatives from our region at the conference including
a number of Met Council staff. The conference was a
great opportunity to learn from other regions, but to also share the innovative
projects and programs we are implementing here in Minnesota.
Election Day - A reminder that election day is Tuesday, Nov. 8 this year. I'll be exercising my right to vote and I encourage everyone else to participate, as well!
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