In this Issue
Welcome to my inaugural quarterly newsletter.
The
Metropolitan Council was created by the Minnesota Legislature almost 50 years
ago to make sure that the Twin Cities metro maintains a high quality of life.
On the Met Council, I chair the Community Development Committee and am a member
of the Management and Litigation Review special committees.
This
month I’d like to talk about housing. When the Minnesota Legislature created
the Met Council, it gave us the mandate to assist communities
in the seven county metropolitan with their planning. We provide planning
resources and assistance to 181 cities in the region so they can make good
planning decisions for the type of growth that will benefit them locally and the
region as a whole.
Our Community Development
Division works closely with developers and local communities on housing and
economic development projects that accomplish important priorities set by local
leaders. One program helps clean up contaminated and polluted sites to make way
for new businesses and affordable housing.
However, the Met Council does
not, and cannot, make housing decisions for communities. Our role is to help facilitate the planning
and development process. One example of this is a project we’ve funded in North
Minneapolis called “Let’s Talk”. This was a series of three conversations about housing stock amenities and difficiencei
An
area where we do have a direct impact on housing is providing low income
housing assistance directly to qualifying families. For many smaller communities in the region,
the cost of administering low income housing programs is too expensive to be
practical. So the Met Council has taken
on this responsibility. We provide funds
for housing vouchers which provide shelter to 7,200 families including 9,500
children.
Recently,
we published the 2040 Housing Policy Plan that articulates and clarifies the
Council’s housing policies, the first in over three decades. Through the
Livable Communities Act (LCA) Local Housing Incentives Account, we now
contribute $2.5 million to affordable housing projects in communities
participating in the LCA. This money is used to provide incentives to create a
full range of housing opportunities and assist development or redevelopment
that mixes incomes of residents in housing. I highlight one district project in
the District Spotlight section of this newsletter.
Since
the LCA was enacted in 1985, LCA grants have helped create or preserve over
20,000 affordable housing units and leverage billions of dollars in additional
public and private funds.
If
you have any concerns for me regarding housing or other areas where the Met
Council may be involved, please don't hesitate to contact me!
Sincerely,
Gary
Met
Council District 7 (North
Minneapolis, downtown Minneapolis, south-central Minneapolis and Robbinsdale)
The Metropolitan Council is inviting
community members to apply for openings on several advisory committees. The
application window is open for terms beginning in January 2017. Our district, District D -- includes the central and eastern
portions of Minneapolis.
We have openings on the following committees/commissions:
We currently have an opening for District D on
the Metropolitan
Parks and Open Space Commission (MPOSC), MPOSC helps the Council develop
long-range plans for the metro area’s renowned system of regional parks, park
reserves and trails. To apply, visit the Secretary of
State’s website – there is both an online and paper application available. The
Chair position is also open. The priority
deadline for applications is Nov. 29.
There is also an opening for District D on
the Transportation
Accessibility Advisory Committee (TAAC) which advises the Council
on management policies for public transportation services in the region from
the perspective of riders with disabilities. The committee has 16 members: a
chair appointed by the Council, seven members selected by groups that advocate
for seniors and people with disabilities, and eight community members who
represent geographic districts in the region. The position is a two-year term.
The Chair position is also open.
To apply, visit the Council’s
website and download the application for appointment. (Some committees
may also require applicants to answer supplemental questions.) For more
information, or to submit your application, contact the Appointments
Coordinator by email, U.S.
mail or phone: 390 Robert St. N., St. Paul, 55101 or 651-602-1806
Apply today – priority will
be given to applications received before Nov. 29.
Qualified low-income residents of the Twin Cities can ride for $1 per trip - including transfers. The Transit Assistance Program (TAP) is a pilot program which has been extended through April 10, 2017.
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.
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
- Great River Landing, Minneapolis - $638,500 primarily to help with site acquisition and preparation and stormwater improvements for redevelopment of an underutilized lot in the North Loop neighborhood. The development, Great River Landing, will be an apartment building with on-site support services for up to 72 men, most of them fathers, who have struggled with challenges of homelessness, unemployment and previous incarceration. Tenants will have a home, job and access to services promoting health and recovery.
To see the other four awardees, please see the full article on the Council's website. |