Corridors of Opportunity Policy Board Agenda and Packet for

Transcription

CORRIDORS OF OPPORTUNITY
Our Vision: Transitway corridors will guide our region’s growth, vitality and competitiveness.
Development along transitways will create distinctive places and strengthen local assets while
increasing ridership and expanding access to jobs, affordable housing, and essential services for
residents of all incomes and backgrounds.
SUSTAINABILITY
ECONOMIC
COMPETITIVENESS
EQUITY
OUTCOMES
DEVELOPMENT ALONG
TRANSITWAYS THAT
BENEFITS ALL
ACCELERATE THE
BUILD-OUT OF THE
TRANSIT SYSTEM
GOALS
COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT
INTEGRATED MODEL
OF TRANSITWAY &
LAND USE PLANNING
SECURE AND ALIGN
RESOURCES
STRATEGIES
TRANSPARENCY
COLLABORATION
INNOVATION
PRINCIPLES
Approved March 28, 2012
Corridors of Opportunity Policy Board - September 19, 2012
Page 1
Corridors of Opportunity
Policy Board Charge
Adopted March 30, 2011
1. Ensure the quality implementation of Corridors of Opportunity vision and goals,
particularly including active community engagement and outreach.
2. Establish strategic direction and core principles, then authorize staff to prepare and
implement action plans to carry out the work.
3. Deliberate on tough strategic policy issues.
4. Participate with a spirit of innovation and solution-driven action. Connect the dots
across the region, crossing both jurisdictional boundaries and programmatic silos and
bring other public, private, non-profit and voluntary leaders into the conversation.
5. Bring together the resources of the organizations represented on the Policy Board to
support the implementation of the Corridors of Opportunity vision.
6. Be willing to undertake systems redesign, both collectively and within each
participating organization’s individual programs and policies.
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Metropolitan Council
Chambers
St. Paul, MN
Corridors of Opportunity Policy Board
July 25, 2012
PRESENT: Susan Haigh, Chair, Metropolitan Council; Lee Sheehy, McKnight Foundation; Jim Roth,
Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers; Repa Mekha, Nexus Community Partners;
Elizabeth Ryan, Family Housing Fund; Jim McDonough, Ramsey County; Caren Dewar, Urban Land
Institute of MN/Regional Council of Mayors; Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County; Mary HamannRoland, Mayor Apple Valley; Ann Mulholland, The Saint Paul Foundation; Paul Moe, DEED (for
Commissioner Mark Phillips); Margaret Kaplan, MN Housing (for Commissioner Mary Tingerthal);
Chris Ferguson, Central Corridor Business Resources Collaborative; R.T. Rybak, Mayor Minneapolis;
Jay Cowles, Itasca Project; Laurie McGinnis, ex officio University of Minnesota; Margo Geffen (for
Sandy Oakes, President and CEO Twin Cities Community Land Bank); Louis King, President CEO
Summit Academy OIC; Yvonne Cheung Ho, President and CEO of the Minnesota Economic
Development Association; Colleen Carey, The Cornerstone Group; Paul Williams, Deputy Mayor Saint
Paul;
ABSENT: Nancy Schouweiler, CTIB; Charlie Zelle, Itasca Project; Nancy Tyra-Lukens, Mayor Eden
Prairie; Andriana Abariotes, Twin Cities LISC; Mihailo “Mike” Temali, President and CEO,
Neighborhood Development Center
ALSO PRESENT: Pat Born, Met Council; Nancy Homans, City of St. Paul; Nora Riemenschneider,
Met Council; Mary Kay Bailey, The St Paul Foundation; Janet Guthrie, Ramsey County; Susan Hoyt,
Met Council; Allison Bell, Met Council; Mark VanderSchaaf, Met Council; Will Schroeer, Minneapolis
Regional and St. Paul Area Chambers of Commerce; Ann Steingraeber, Housing Preservation Project;
Carrie Jo Short, The St Paul Foundation; Kathy Bodmer, City of Apple Valley; Russ Adams, Alliance for
Metropolitan Stability; Joe Morneau, Dakota County; Tim Thompson, Housing Preservation Project;
David Frank, City of Minneapolis; Dave Van Hattum, Transit for Livable Communities; Matt Croaston,
Office of US Senator Franken; Ned Moore, MN Center for Neighborhood Organizing; Dan Bartholomay,
Rail-Volution; Mary Karcz, Ramsey County; Janet Jeremiah, City of Eden Prairie; Karen Lyons, Met
Council; Jenna Fletcher, Trust for Public Land; Cecile Bedor, City of St. Paul; Mariia Zimmerman, MZ
Strategies; Brian Pittman, Wilder Research; Clemens Schulz, Chamber; Philip Eckhert, Hennepin
County; Sally Wakefield, Envision MN; Luke Weisberg, Lukeworks, LLC
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Haigh called the meeting to order at 12:37 p.m.
APPROVAL OF PAST MINUTES: Chair Haigh called for approval of the May 23, 2012 minutes.
Ryan motioned approval and it was seconded by Williams. Motion approved.
DISCUSSION
Discussion: Thrive MSP 2040 and Corridors of Opportunity (p. 10-12) - Sue Haigh, Metropolitan
Council & Mariia Zimmerman, MZ Strategies
Goal: Engage and provide input, particularly on topics of transitways, housing and economic
development, to Thrive MSP 2040, the long-range plan that creates the vision for the seven-county metro
region. This is the first opportunity for input in an ongoing process.
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Key discussion questions:
a. What does our region need to thrive? What kind of region do we want for our children? For our
children’s children?
b. What decisions can we make today that will set us on a path toward achieving that vision?
c. Based on your experience implementing the Corridors of Opportunity, what should be included in
Thrive MSP 2040?
d. What principles, policies and goals should be included in Thrive MSP 2040 to implement and
institutionalize the Corridors of Opportunity priorities?
e. How might the broader discussion around Thrive MSP 2040 inform the Corridors of Opportunity?
Haigh provided brief context and noted that the Metropolitan Council is (by law) engaged in a long term
plan – called Thrive MSP 2040. This long range plan is the ‘fundamental’ base for all of the Council’s
work. She stated that today’s discussion is to seek input from the Policy Board in guiding the
development of this plan. The Council’s System Statements are derived from this plan for our systems:
transportation, wastewater, regional parks, and housing. In addition, the sustainable communities plan
will be incorporated into it. The shift is to have a single sustainable communities plan. She discussed a
task force (sub-group) with folks from this group to work with Council members to develop this plan.
She listed members of this sub-group – Jay Cowles, Yvonne Cheung Ho, Repa Mekha, Ann Mulholland,
Elizabeth Ryan, and Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. She noted that this is an 18 month commitment.
Haigh reiterated that today, we are looking for input from this group, as a whole, as well as ongoing input
from the sub-group.
Haigh introduced Mariia Zimmerman who gave a presentation discussing making this one planning effort.
She discussed the key questions (listed above) and began with the first question.
McLaughlin asked what key elements of the plan have been used. Zimmerman discussed the trends that
she’s seen – strong emphasis on benchmarking – where are we at and where are we headed. Another
component she noted would be a ‘regional table’ and implementation strategies within the plan with
specific action items and responsible parties. Zimmerman talked about thinking of ThriveMSP 2040 as
“the region’s plan” not just the Metropolitan Council’s plan. She stated that the implementation of the
plan would not solely be Met Council’s work, but that of many partners. She also suggested taking full
advantage of social media to communicate the plan.
Rybak stated there is a need for balance between development and open space and that we should not be
neutral about where development occurs.
Kaplan discussed looking at location efficiency – what places are naturally efficient and to what degree
are we talking advantage of this.
Williams discussed places that have prospered where people did not. He noted job opportunities and
access are needed for this region to thrive. Economic opportunity is key.
Haigh discussed system plans that people thought were so important in 1967 – may need some changes
now. She reiterated that Thrive MSP 2040 should not be the Council’s plan, but the region’s plan.
Sheehy asked for more discussion on the Chicago model. Zimmerman stated if you think about
transportation, it exists to support people, economy, etc. She noted that Chicago and Denver are great
models to work from as we think about how these systems can advance our goals.
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Mulholland stated she thinks about the ‘how’ as well as key goals. This is an opportunity to state where
we are today. We are a very different community of people than we were a decade ago. She feels there is
a real opportunity to challenge all our systems that drove us to this plan. She feels there is an opportunity
to rethink about our systems – as we have a new reality around climate change and greater changes in
population diversity.
Hamann-Roland noted that infrastructure helps to shape our region and this is an opportunity to get our
business community to be a part of the conversation.
Zimmerman asked what it means for transportation/infrastructure to thrive. Hamann-Roland thinks about
millennials and the way they want to move around. We need to get them involved. This is their future.
She feels they desire public transit.
Zimmerman stated that there is exciting work going on engaging the youth.
Hamann-Rolland suggested making it a place that is ‘easy’ to get around.
McDonough stated there needs to be a conversation about what do investments look like for bus rapid
transit, light rail, etc.
Dewar stated that ULI Minnesota had their first Reality Check 2.0 meeting. They talked about more
intentional connections between infrastructures.
Cheung Ho discussed the need to build more minority businesses of larger scale.
King discussed the process – reflecting the wisdom of the last decade. He stated we need to look at the
past plan – what was good, bad, etc. He discussed equity, the impact of energy, and climate change. He
noted specifically that the region is aging and ‘browning.’ Many communities of color have been
economically and socially isolated and it will be a matter of necessity to change this.
Zimmerman asked King for more discussion from a Thrive concept. King stated that we need to put the
threats on the table as well as the things that we need to put up for consideration. He noted that one major
shift is the recent statewide move from 11% minority participation in state funded projects to 32%
minority participation. With the money that we spend, we can help to build the expertise of the future.
Will the future workforce have the education and skill set to be prepared for work?
Hamann-Roland stated there is an opportunity to look at education and skills training in this area and a
need to capitalize on Minnesota work ethic.
Carey stated the plan needs to think beyond bricks and mortar. We need to think about a sense of place,
and possibility and opportunity. We need to think collaboratively about how creativity, jobs, education,
and entrepreneurship – things that are outside of one organization’s domain – can be part of the vision.
McLaughlin discussed Pittsburgh – and how they redefined themselves from being about making things
to a new vision. He asked if the Council needs to go beyond past ‘systems’ and who should be
responsible.
McGinnis discussed the need to maintain or strengthen higher education and retain graduates. She would
like to see a role articulated for the University.
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Mekha stated he feels infrastructure, development, land use, etc. are all on point, but we must ask in the
face of changing demographics, who is at the table? We need to engage decision-makers of the future.
McDonough discussed setting the foundation or road to the 2040 plan that isn’t affected by changes in
administration.
Zimmerman discussed the shared vision. She stated that in thinking about thriving as a region, there are
things that are unique to different parts of the region and we need to keep this in mind.
McDonough asked what kept Portland so focused. Zimmerman stated part of it was it really was a result
of collaboration. She noted that their civic infrastructure is amazing. They have a lot of citizen
participation. Hamann-Roland added she believes the business community and people worked in
collaboration.
Ryan stated this is an opportunity to inspire. She discussed the concepts of safety, public realm, density
and the importance of access. Density and amenities can create a tax base. She emphasized the
importance of including young people in the process – people born in the 1980’s will be 60 in 2040.
They see things in a different way—including race and transportation. She discussed social media and
the opportunity to engage people.
Zimmerman asked the group to dig deeper thinking about principals, goals, etc. What are you expecting
or want/hope to see in the plan.
Williams stated there’s a model of collaboration here. There are lessons of how this group works together
that should be noted. He also discussed a second community engagement piece.
McDonough stated the region has two ways to go. “Drive until you qualify” or “pull back – can’t afford”.
He stated we need to figure out what we need to supply in order to meet demands.
Dewar discussed domestic migration – more people are leaving than are coming. The recession has
changed everything. She stated that regions throughout the US are facing the same problems that we are.
Sheehy felt this discussion has been very good. He cautioned that this group goes away in 24 months.
The group should have clarity in the beginning about what partners will own/write specific pieces of the
Plan. What civic partnerships can carry the work forward? He suggested the need to think about an
investment chapter for the use of federal and state resources and put policy choice on the table that tie the
vision to resources. This group has vision. He cautioned implementation may be carried out by a new
administration. He discussed failures in past plans, i.e., too regulatory.
Zimmerman asked the group to consider what the cost/economic value is so you’re making your business
case for your vision.
McLaughlin stated in regards to other systems that the Met Council controls, the need to build political
consensus in this process. He stated the need to make it resilient – engaging the business community.
Haigh noted that water supply is a very important issue. She discussed the workforce and how businesses
manage and keep their best workers. She stated how people work – 30 years from now – is something we
need to think about as it is changing. She asked how this will figure into our land use plan.
McDonough stated we need to continue to challenge ourselves to ‘walk the talk’. Zimmerman agreed –
this is so important. Without trust you have nothing.
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Ryan stated that in thinking about how ideas stick (the ability to try something), affordability is about
housing plus transportation costs.
Zimmerman discussed the last question regarding pieces of Thrive that go beyond Corridors of
Opportunity.
Dewar stated that CoO is very ‘real time’. Thrive is setting the stage for the next 30 years – and it lives in
the comprehensive plans.
Zimmerman stated this will unfold.
Cowles commented that the Met Council is fundamentally an infrastructure organization. He appreciated
Sheehy’s comments and noted it is very important to get leaders. The real legacy is what remains in the
minds and all the lessons learned. He discussed the degree of anxiety among white community vs. nonwhite and that the isolation of communities of color has clouded a lot of relationship building. He feels
we need to think in terms of concentric circles—so that we bring in other “tables” working on the issues
that are important to the region, rather than duplicate these efforts. Need to trust ourselves – that puts
community engagement in a much better position. The more that we strive for authenticity the more
we’re going to build sustainability.
King discussed three points:
- Must be built for all people, by all people to be used by all people.
- Vertical (across levels of government) and horizontal (across jurisdictions) discussion will cause
conflict which can be good to sharpen our thinking and that genuine inclusion of people
everywhere needed.
- This work informs our constituents – goes beyond what we do here. This group goes away in 24
months, be we do not.
REVIEW AND ACTION
Amend the Corridors of Opportunity overall work plan to hire a consultant to integrate economic
development into Thrive MSP 2040 (p. 13-14) - Sue Haigh, Metropolitan Council
Haigh discussed the overall work plan and desire to hire a consultant to integrate economic development
into Thrive MSP 2040.
Ryan made a motion and it was seconded by Cowles to hire a consultant. The motion carried.
VERBAL UPDATES
Reality Check Regional Planning Initiative (p. 15-16) - Caren Dewar, ULI Minnesota & Pat Born,
Dewar gave a brief overview and discussed the purpose of Reality Check 2.0 – to blend leadership and to
assist with messaging. She stated it is intended to be an execution strategy. She stated the point is to
demonstrate that we are one voice that can’t be ignored.
Born stated the Council welcomes Reality Check 2.0 and stated it is an exercise that gives the Met
Council feedback. He noted that transportation funding initiative involves lots of people.
Metropolitan Council Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Strategic Action Plan Update - Pat
Born, Metropolitan Council
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Born gave an update on the Met Council TOD Strategic Action Plan. He noted that the group meets
monthly. He asked what our role should be.
McDonough asked if this was new. Born stated we do not have a plan and noted it would be called a
TOD plan. The questions are how can we be more organized, etc. He noted they are currently active in
development around corridors. Asked what can we do better.
Interchange Groundbreaking Update (p. 17-18) - Peter McLaughlin, Hennepin County
McLaughlin gave an update of Interchange creating additional capacity (additional platform). He
discussed critical design elements. He noted they are teaming with Knutson Construction – contracts to
be signed in about 80 days.
Haigh stated it is exciting and noted the Union Depot is scheduled to open in mid-October. She spoke to
the character of this multi-modal hub.
WRITTEN UPDATES (discussed only if there are questions)
a. Center for American Progress/PolicyLink 2050 Demographic Roundtable – Wed, Aug. 1, 9:00AM –
1:30PM (p. 19)
b. Corridors of Opportunity Calendar of Events (p. 20-23)
c. Report on PolicyLink briefing in partnership with the Progressive Caucus, Co-Chaired by
Representative Keith Ellison on July 12, 2012 (p. 24)
d. Twin Cities region to host Rail-Volution conference in Sept. 2014 (p. 25)
e. Salt Lake Tribune – SLC tops nation in transit connecting people and jobs (p. 26-27)
f. Metropolitan Policy Program at Brookings Report – Where the Jobs Are: Employer Access to Labor
by Transit (p. 28-43)
NEXT MEETING
September 19, 2012 at Metropolitan Council
REMINDER: NO POLICY BOARD MEETING IN AUGUST!
Meeting adjourned at 2:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sandi Dingle
Principal Administrative Specialist
Community Development
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ITEM:
Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
SUBMITTED BY:
Consider Approval of the Second Round of Community Engagement Grants
Repa Mekha, Community Engagement Team, Nexus Community Partners
Russ Adams, Community Engagement Team, Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
Ned Moore, Community Engagement Team, Mn. Center for Neighborhood
Organizing, CURA
STAFF CONTACT:
Susan Hoyt, Community Engagement and Outreach, Corridors of Opportunity
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED
The Policy Board is being asked to approve thirteen (13) community engagement grants in the
amount of $323,000 to community organizations to engage their communities in land use and
transportation planning along transitway corridors. This is the second and final round of community
engagement grants to community organizations. Twenty eight (28) grant applications were submitted
for $820,391 of funding (Attachment 1: List of Second Round Grantee Applicants). An eleven (11)
member grant review committee made the recommendation to the Community Engagement Team,
which is making the recommendation for review and approval by the Policy Board. (Attachment 2:
List of Second Round Engagement Grant Review Team Members).
The Corridors of Opportunity engagement effort explores a new approach to reaching
underrepresented communities to more fully inform government decision making bodies on land use
and transitway decisions. The engagement grants’ purpose is to support community organizations to
engage low income persons, new immigrants, people of color and persons with disabilities in land use
and transitway planning, decision-making, and implementation. The intent is not only for the
participation of underrepresented communities, but to build capacity within these communities for
leadership development and participation at decision-making tables.
The community engagement grants primarily serve the Corridors of Opportunity goal to engage
historically underrepresented communities in transitway planning and development. However, the
community engagement work being done through the Corridors is reaching beyond the Corridors of
Opportunity community based work. Here are a few on-going activities based on these relationships:
•
•
•
•
2 grantees along the SW Corridor are serving on the SW Community Advisory Committee.
Community based organizations that connected with the CET and Met Council are hosting
Listening sessions for the Met Council staff around Thrive MSP 2040
Community based organizational leaders are becoming involved in the Fair Housing and
Equity Assessment (FHEA) being led by the Metropolitan Council as part of HUD’s
requirements.
Due to a connection made between the Neighborhood Development Corporation in St. Paul and
the grantee, New American Academy, nearly 50 people graduated from an entrepreneurial
training class in Eden Prairie in August, 2012. Classes are being planned for Blake Road and
the African Career Education Resource, Inc. in the near future.
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
Table 1: SUMMARY DATA OF ROUND 1 AND RECOMMENDED ROUND 2 GRANTS
Recommended $ to be awarded
Number of Applications
Application Review Process
Number of Grantees
Average Grant
Range of Grants
Corridors funded
ROUND 1 - AWARDED
$396,786 of $720,000 total
43 for a total of $1.5 million
14 Member Review Team
Established Eligibility and review criteria, site visits, capacity
10
$39,643
$30,000 to $60,000
3 on Bottineau
3 on Central
1 on Central/Bottineau
2 on Southwest
1 on Gateway
$ 105,000
$ 146,786
$ 45,000
$ 60,000
$ 40,000
RECOMMENDED – ROUND 2
$323,000 of $720,000 total ($ are expended with this round)
28 for a total of $820,391 (Attachment 1)
11 Member Review Team (Attachment 2)
13
$24,846
$10,000 for capacity;
$20,000 to $45,000 for implementation
5 Bottineau
1 Central
1 Gateway
1 Hiawatha
1 Southwest
1 Robert Street
1 Bottineau, SW, Cedar
1 Interchange, Bottineau, SW
1 Bottineau, SW
$ 125,000 **
$ 28,000
$ 25,000
$ 35,000
$ 40,000
$ 20,000 ***
$ 10,000
$ 10,000
$ 30,000
** interest may be due to DEIS being underway, recently selected
LPA and many new immigrant communities, communities of color
and low income communities on the corridor.
Project Tracking
Expected Outcomes
Next Steps and Timing
Northstar (no application submitted); Cedar (no application
submitted); Hiawatha
Grantees will be held accountable: For the grant program and budget
submitted in the approved application; CET will assist grantees and
monitor progress; Mid-term and Final Reports are required
Grantees will: Connect with communities; Learn the ropes about land
use decision making and transit planning process; Build trusting
relationships with community members and public agencies to jointly
work together; The CET and CoO evaluation team are working
evaluating this work.
Set up meetings with grantees and corridor planners, project teams
Organizing begins in late November and will cover about 12 months.
2
*** eligible for funding even if not one of 7 corridors if the proposal
is well thought and at a critical time (alternative analysis getting
underway)
Northstar (no application submitted)
Grantees will be held accountable: For the grant program and budget
submitted in the approved application; CET will assist grantees and
monitor progress; Mid-term and Final Reports are required
Grantees will: Connect with communities; Learn the ropes about
land use decision making and transit planning process
Build trusting relationships with community members and public
agencies to jointly work together
Set up bridging meetings with grantees, government staff and
community engagement team.
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
Table 2:
SECOND ROUND RECOMMENDED GRANTEES – See Attachment 3 for detailed
explanation of projects/partnerships – organized by Corridor
Formal Partner
Project
Category*
City of Brooklyn Park
Received 1st
Round Funding
Harrison Neighborhood
Association
Heritage Park
Neighborhood Association,
Lao Assistance Center MN
Received 1st
Round Funding
Northside Residents
Redevelopment Council
Northside Transportation
Network
New Applicant
Implementation
Recommended Grantee
African Career,
Education, and Resource,
Inc. (ACER)
Cleveland Neighborhood
Association
Masjid An-Nur
La Asamblea de
Derechos-Civiles
Union Park District
Council
Eastside Prosperity
Campaign
Native American
Community Development
Institute (NACDI)
Neighborhood
Development Alliance
Centro de Trabajadores
Unidos en la Lucha
(CTUL)
MICAH (Metropolitan
Interfaith Council on
Affordable Housing)
New American Academy
Works Progress
N/A
N/A
Skyline Tower Advantage
Center, Skyline Tower
Leadership Team
Hmong Am. Prtship, Casa
de Esperanza, Cultural
Wellness Ctr, Am. Indian
Fam Ctr, Dayton’s Bluff &
Payne/Phalen CC’s
New Applicant
Capacity
New Applicant
Capacity
New Applicant
Capacity
New Applicant
Implementation
Received 1st
Round Funding
Seward Neighborhood
Group
New Applicant
Implementation
N/A
New Applicant
Capacity
West Side Community
Organization (WSCO)
Bethesda Missionary
Baptist Church, Zion
Baptist Church,
Discussions that Encounter
N/A
New Applicant
Implementation
New Applicant
Implementation
Received 1st
Round Funding
Project Title
Making Transit
Meaningful – 2
Bus Shelter Toolkit and
Outreach
Transit Equity
Partnership – 2
En-LIGHT-enment
Northside
BottineauTransitway
Organizing
Emancipation
Campaign: Corridors to
Freedom
Building Skyline Tower
Power
Engage East Side
Anpetu Was’te Cultural
Arts Market
Robert Street
Transitway
Alternatives Analysis
Good Job Opportunities
in Corridor
Development
Interfaith Housing,
Transit and Equitable
Development
Organizing
13 Total Grants Recommended for Round 2- 9 new recommended grantees
*New applicant means that the applicant did not receive first round grant funding.
Corridor
Amount
Recommended
Bottineau
$30,000
Bottineau
$45,000
Bottineau
Bottineau
Bottineau
Bottineau,
Cedar,
Southwest
$10,000
$10,000
$30,000
$10,000
Central
$28,000
Gateway
$25,000
Hiawatha
$35,000
Robert Street
Transitway**
Other (The
Interchange),
Bottineau,
Southwest
Southwest,
Bottineau
Southwest
$20,000
$10,000
$30,000
$40,000
$323,000
** Not one of the 7 Corridors of Opportunity, but eligible under the grant guidelines if a case is made and this is beginning
the alternatives analysis on Robert Street.
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
Figure 1:
Locations of the RECOMMENDED ROUND 2 GRANT RECIPIENTS
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Table 3:
Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
FIRST ROUND ENGAGEMENT GRANT AWARDS (In order of corridor)
First Round Grantee
Asian Media Access
African Career, Education, and Resource,
Inc. (ACER)
Harrison Neighborhood Association
Asian Economic Development
Association
Advocating Change Together
Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood
Development Corporation
West Bank Community Development
Corporation
Intercongregation Communities
Association
The Prosperity Campaign
10 TOTAL GRANTS
Formal Partner(s)
Corridor
Bottineau
Bottineau
Heritage Park
Neighborhood
Association, Lao
Assistance Center
Bottineau
Bottineau,
Central
Central
Central
Just Equity
Somali Action Alliance
Central
Blake Road Corridor
Collaborative, Joint
Community Police
Partnership
Southwest
Hmong Am. Prtship, Casa
de Esperanza, Cultural
Wellness Ctr, Am. Indian
Fam Ctr, Dayton’s Bluff &
Payne/Phalen CC’s
Gateway
Southwest
Project Title
Asian Pacific Community
Network (APA ComMNet)
Making Transit Meaningful
Dollars
$30,000
Organizing for Transit and
Equitable Development
Advocating Change Together
Historic Rondo/Equitable
TOD Campaign
Don’t Pass Us By
$45,000
SW Corridor Immigrant
Opportunities Outreach &
Engagement
Eastside Organizations
$30,000
$30,000
Transit Equity Partnership
$45,000
$39,700
$60,000
$47,086
Blake Road Neighborhood
Discussion Circles
$30,000
$40,000
$396,786
Total Grants in Round 1 and 2:
23 Grants for
$ 719,786
Summary of Community Engagement Grantee Activities (See Attachment 4 for more detail)
The ten (10) first round grantees have recently submitted mid-term reports to Nexus Community
Partners in accordance with the grant agreement. From these reports, we have learned that over
1,000 people and 20 organizations have been engaged in the transitway decision making process.
Three (3) grantees, ACER, Advocating Change Together, and the Lao Assistance Center, have
organized tours of the existing Hiawatha LRT line. The organizations found that their communities
overwhelmingly enjoyed the tour and received important feedback. Both the West Bank CDC and
Asian Media Access have included web-based strategies in their work, creating a website and
YouTube page dedicated to informing and engaging their communities about transit and related
issues. Other grantees have worked one-on-one with their communities to inform and build
leadership around these issues. Evaluation by the Corridors of Opportunity is being undertaken at
several levels. An April, 2012 evaluation by Wilder was used to help refine the grant guidelines and
process. Additional in-depth evaluation is underway at this time.
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
BACKGROUND TO THE ENGAGEMENT GRANTS
HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant. The HUD Sustainable Communities
Regional Planning Grant (grant) identified community engagement to under-represented
communities as a fundamental principle and requirement. HUD defines under-represented
communities as: low income communities, communities of color, new immigrants, and persons
with disabilities. The Community Engagement Team (CET) was assigned the responsibility for
developing the engagement process for Policy Board review and approval. The CET is composed of
executives from three community focused organizations – Nexus Community Partners, the Alliance
for Metropolitan Stability and the Minnesota Center for Neighborhood Organizing (CURA, U of M).
The grant states that the primary engagement grant recipients are to be community organizations.
The CET has developed a comprehensive work plan that includes implementing the components of
the engagement grants and identifying key tasks in outreach and engagement for the CoO.
CoO Community Engagements’ Relationship to the Public Engagement Processes and Public
Entities’ Responsibilities. The community engagement activities described in the grant are
designed to go deeper into engaging underrepresented communities to reach people who might not
otherwise participate in the public process. It is also designed to build leadership capacity in these
communities. These grant funded activities are not intended to replace the public outreach and
engagement processes that the cities, transit authorities and counties undertake, nor is this
approach to be interpreted as a criticism of these public processes. The engagement activities
through community organizations do not replace the decision making responsibilities of the
Metropolitan Council, counties and cities along the corridors. They serve to complement and
enhance existing efforts taking place.
ENGAGEMENT GRANTS REQUIREMENTS
Eligibility for Funding. Community organizations that include a resident driven organization or
initiative serving a geographic or cultural community and, are a registered 501c (3) or have a
partnering 501c (3) or other fiscal agent. (Government entities are not eligible to apply, but may be
a partner in an application). Eligible corridors include: Hiawatha, Northstar, Central, Cedar,
Southwest, Bottineau, Gateway, and others. These corridors allowed for organizing at different
stages in corridor development.
Requirements
1. Be place-based by serving a community or constituency within a targeted geography.
2. Organize constituencies around transit corridor related decisions making, planning and
implementation opportunities important to them.
3. Lead to the engagement of underrepresented communities in use of transit corridor
development to expand access to jobs, affordable housing, and economic development
particularly for people of color, low income communities and people with disabilities.
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
4. Either stimulate new and innovative organizing and engagement practices or build on proven
strategies with demonstrated results.
5. Support long-term involvement of underrepresented constituencies in decision-making
structures.
6. If a partnership, clearly define the collaboration and the respective roles of the partners.
Eligible and Non-Eligible Expenditures (Reviewed with HUD)
Eligible
Personnel
Partner organizations whose work is in
the budget
Meeting support (space, childcare, food)
Communication tools including translation
services
Tours of the corridor for constituencies
Local travel expenses (bikes, bus, gas)
Ineligible
Capital purchases
Out of region travel and lodging
Direct lobbying of state and federal elected officials
around specific legislation
Support for political campaigns
Organizing solely around a specific transit design issue
that does not align with CoO goals of aligning transit and
engineering planning with land use planning, affordable
housing, workforce development and economic
development especially for underrepresented
communities
Minimum and maximum engagement grant.
There is no minimum or maximum grant amount for the implementation category. The CET has
decided to create a Capacity grant category, which is targeted to community based organizations
that are smaller - the maximum grant award is $10,000, and the total set aside for this category is
$50,000.
Term of engagement grants. The term of most engagement grants will cover one year; recipients
are eligible to ask for extensions. Eight (8) first-round grantees applied for a second round of
funding, and the grant review committee evaluated these proposals based on demonstrated results
and nature of the project. Four (4) first-round grantees have been recommended for the second
round. All engagement funds must be spent and reported on by November, 2013, which is the
deadline for spending HUD Sustainable Communities planning funds.
Engagement Grant Applications Received
There were twenty eight applications received by the deadline of June 1, 2012. Some applications
were for multiple corridors.
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
Table 4: Number of Round 2 Applications per corridor or multi corridor applications
Corridor
Central
Bottineau
Cedar
Hiawatha
Gateway
Southwest
Northstar
Other
Single Corridor
Applications
12
8
0
1
1
3
0
1
Multi Corridor
Applications
0
3
1
0
0
3
0
0
Total Applications
12
11
1
1
1
6
0
1
Review and recommendations on engagement grant applications. Two orientation meetings were
hosted by the CET to give potential Round 2 applicants a chance to learn about the program. The
CET walked them through the application process, identified some of the changes were being
implemented in the new round and answered questions. All applications were reviewed by a
Review Team from community based organizations according to a pre-established set of criteria
(Attachment 2 – Grant Review Team membership). The 11 member Review Team met four times
for a total of 12 hours, and made 15 site visits. Review committee members made a significant,
uncompensated time commitment to the process. Applications were first screened for eligibility,
then for content. The total amount being requested by the 15 organizations receiving site visits was
$412,000 – well above the $323,000 available to be awarded in Round 2.
Threshold Criteria - Pass or Fail
Proposal must be place-based, serving a community or constituency within a targeted geography.
Proposal must focus on engaging constituencies around transitway-related decision making,
planning, and implementation
Ranking Criteria - Points (0 – 5)
1.Engagement: engagement of under-represented communities
2. Innovation: stimulates new and innovative engagement/organizing practices and/or builds on
proven strategies with demonstrated results.
3. Sustainability: supports long-term involvement of marginalized constituencies in decisionmaking structures.
4. Leveraging: accesses other resources such as money, people, learning opportunities
5. Community informed: community members from underrepresented constituencies are
involved in project design and implementation
6.Effectiveness: project is logically connected to desired outcomes
7.Leadership: decision-making within the organization is or will be informed by
underrepresented community members affected by transit corridor development
8.Bridging: Project creates bridges between stakeholders
9.Evaluation: Clear explanation of what change is expected as a result of this project
Another important consideration for the review committee was the extent to which organizations
had a plan for connecting with existing power structures and decision makers.
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
Conflict of interest. The CET developed conflict of interest procedures. Reviewers signed a conflict
of interest statement. The CET monitored the review process for conflicts of interest, and review
committee members with a conflict of interest for a particular proposal were not present during
deliberation for that proposal.
Reporting requirements. Recipients of engagement grants will be required to submit a mid-term
and final report. They are also expected to participate in a learning community so best practices can
be shared across the region.
NEXT STEPS
The 2nd round of grant funds have been received from HUD and are available at the Metropolitan
Council for dispersal through the grant administrator once the Policy Board approves a 2nd round of
applications and the appropriate individual grantee paperwork is completed.
It is critical to begin this engagement work by establishing communication between the community
organizations receiving engagement grants and the staff of the Metropolitan Council, counties,
regional rail authorities and cities working on transitway and land use planning along the seven
corridors. To start this, the CET and Metropolitan Council staff will schedule meetings on a
corridor-by-corridor basis with the corridor staff and the community organizations receiving
engagement grants. In addition, the CET will monitor and assist with these efforts throughout the
process and host learning sessions where community engagement grantees can share information
with each other.
ACTION REQUESTED:
Move to approve the recommendation for thirteen second round grants from the Community
Engagement Team in the amount of $323,000.
ATTACHMENTS:
1
List of Second Round Grantee Applicants
2
List of Second Round Engagement Grant Review Team Members
4.
Summary of Round 1 Grantee Project and Progress to Date (midway through)
3.
Recommended Round 2 Grant Project Descriptions
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
ATTACHMENT 1: List of Second Round Applicants
Project Title
Corridor
Amount
Requested
Emancipation Campaign: Corridors to
Freedom
Bottineau, Cedar,
Southwest
$8,500.00
Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM)
Engaging the Karen Community in Central
Corridor Opportunities
Central
$34,800.00
Making Transit Meaningful 2
Bottineau
$30,000.00
A.S.P.I.R.E Youth Agency
Gordon Parks, High School for the
Recording Arts, AGAPE, Creative Arts
and Central High School
ASPIRE Central Corridor Youth Job
Readiness Project (Implementation)
Central
$35,470.00
A.S.P.I.R.E Youth Agency
Gordon Parks, High School for the
Recording Arts, AGAPE, Creative Arts
and Central High School
ASPIRE Central Corridor Youth Job
Readiness Project (capacity)
Central
$10,000.00
Suburban SWLRT Tenant Engagement
Southwest
$50,000.00
Interfaith Housing, Transit and Equitable
Development Organizing Campaign
Southwest, Bottineau
$30,000.00
Southwest Corridor Immigrant Opportunity
and Engagement Phase 2
Southwest
$40,000.00
Eastside Prosperity Campaign
Hmong Am Prtrshp, Casa de Esperanza,
Cultural Wellness Ctr, Am Indian Fam
Ctr, Dayton’s Bluff C.C, Payne/Phalen
C.C
Engage East Side
Gateway
$40,000.00
Cleveland Neighborhood Association
Works Progress
Bus Shelter Workshop Toolkit and Outreach
Bottineau
$10,000.00
Somali Cultural and Human Services
Quality Career Services
Somali Parent Involvement in the Education
of their Children
Central
$30,000.00
Lead Organization
Partner Org(s)
La Asamblea de Derechos-Civiles
ECHO (Emergency, Community, Health, and
Outreach)
African Career, Education, and Resource,
Inc. (ACER)
HOME Line
MICAH (Metropolitan Interfaith Council on
Affordable Housing)
Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church,
Zion Baptist Church, Discussions that
Encounter
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
Frogtown Neighborhood Association
Habitat for Humanity, Springboard for the
Arts/Irrigate, Historic St. Paul
Frogtown Focus - Frogtown Fellowship
Central
$30,000.00
Neighborhood Development Alliance
West Side Community Organization
(WSCO)
Robert Street Transitway Alternatives
Analysis Study
Other (Robert Street
Transitway)
$20,000.00
Good Job Opportunities in Corridor
Development
Other (The
Interchange),
Bottineau, Southwest
$10,000.00
Centro de Trabajadores Unidos en la Lucha
(CTUL)
West Bank Community Development
Corporation (WBCDC)
Somali Action Alliance
Don't Pass Us By: Phase II
Central
$38,156.00
Asian Media Access
Youth Media Force + Local School(s)
[e.g. North High. Patrick Henry, New
Millennium, City-View Middle]
Youth Media Force ‐ IDK LRT YET [I Don’t
Know Light Rail Transit Youth Engagement
Team]
Bottineau
$40,000.00
Union Park District Council
Skyline Tower Advantage Center,
Skyline Tower Leadership Team
Building Skyline Tower Power
Central
$34,220.00
Native American Community Development
Institute (NACDI)
Seward Neighborhood Group
Anpetu Was'te Cultural Arts Market
Hiawatha
$45,000.00
en-LIGHT-enment
Bottineau
$10,000.00
Reach Beyond
Bottineau
$35,000.00
WBCC
WBCC Capacity Building
Central
$10,000.00
Just Equity
Historic Rondo/Equitable Transit Oriented
Development (TOD) Campaign PHASE II
Central
$30,000.00
Masjid An-Nur
Lao Family Community of Minnesota
STEEP, Lao A, LFC, UCAM,
Vietnamese Social Services, FSS - U of
M
Intercongregation Communities Association
Blake Road Corridor Collaborative
(Many members)
Blake Road Corridor Outreach and
Engagement
Southwest
$15,000.00
Harrison Neighborhood Association
Heritage Park Neighborhood Association,
and Lao Assistance Center of MN
Transit Equity Partnership (TEP)
Bottineau
$45,000.00
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
African Economic Development Solutions
Engaging to Build Equitable Transit Oriented
Development
Central
$30,000.00
HECUA
30 + organizations
Central Corridor Internship Program
Central
$30,000.00
Northside Residents Redevelopment Council
Northside Transportation Network
Northside Bottineau Transitway Organizing
Project
Bottineau
$30,000.00
Smart Trips Saint Paul
Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center,
Cycles for Change
Smart Trips Frogtown
Central
$34,000.00
TOTAL GRANT APPLICATIONS 28
TOTAL DOLLARS
12
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REQUESTED $820,391
ATTACHMENT 2:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
List of Second Round Engagement Grant Review Team Members
Isabel Broyld, U 7 project manager, Neighborhood Development Center (Central Corridor
LRT)
Monica Bryand, Headwaters Foundation for Justice (multiple corridors)
Ann Beuch, Blake Road Collaborative (Southwest LRT)
Ariah Fine, Cleveland Neighborhood Association(Bottineau LRT)
Becky Fink, Anoka County community advocate (Northstar Corridor)
Malik Holt-Shabazz, Harrison Neighborhood Association, Headwaters Foundation Social
Change committee member (Southwest LRT and Bottineau LRT)
Julia Kong, Asian Media Access (multiple corridors)
Wynfred Russell, African Career, Education, Resource, Inc (ACER) (Bottineau LRT)
Ray Dehn, Northside Transportation Network (Bottineau LRT)
Veronica Burt, JUST Equity (Central Corridor LRT)
Daniel Yang, Native American Community Development Institute (NACDI) (Hiawatha
LRT)
CET Site Visit Support
•
•
•
Russ Adams, Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, CET member (multiple corridors)
Ned Moore, Minnesota Center for Neighborhood Organizing, CET member (multiple
corridors)
Repa Mekha, Nexus Community Partners, CET member (multiple corridors)
Technical Support on Transitways:
•
Susan Hoyt, Community Outreach and Engagement, Corridors of Opportunity, Metropolitan
Council
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
ATTACHMENT 3: Recommended Round 2 Grant Project Descriptions
CORRIDOR: BOTTINEAU
AFRICAN CAREER, EDUCATION AND RESOURCE, INC. (ACER)
PROJECT TITLE:
Making Transit Meaningful 2
PROJECT CATEGORY:
Received 1st Round Funding
AMOUNT:
$30,000
ACER is a volunteer-driven, community-based organization founded in 2008 to close the resource
and information disparities within Minnesota’s communities of African descent and help those
communities achieve societal and economic independence. Located in Brooklyn Park, ACER is a
subsidiary of Strengthening African Resilience for Excellence, SARX, and a registered 501 (c) (3) tax
exempt organization.
Project: ACER will focus the second phase of its project on engaging business owners, youth, and
apartment residents from underrepresented groups in the northern and northwestern suburbs.
ACER’s engagement message will target African immigrants and African Americans through a series
of community forums, small group meetings, and media publications. ACER will partner with the
City of Brooklyn Park to reach this population. At the end of this phase, a large representation of
African immigrants, African Americans, and other minorities will have actively participated and
contributed to community forums and workshops to be better informed and more engaged about
transit issues that affect their communities and individual lives. There will be heightened public
awareness and increased understanding translated into sustained support and informed action by
the target audience around transit issues. ACER will also implement an internship program to build
a deeper connection with stakeholders while conveying its message.
CLEVELAND NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
PROJECT TITLE:
Bus Shelter Workshop Toolkit and Outreach
PROJECT CATEGORY:
Capacity Grant
AMOUNT:
$10,000
The Cleveland Neighborhood Association serves the residents in the Cleveland Neighborhood of
north Minneapolis, a diverse community of about 3,000 residents. The neighborhood is bordered
by the commercial corridors of Penn, Lowry and Dowling Avenue and Victory Memorial Parkway.
Nearly 800 of the residents are under the age of 18. Further, nearly a quarter of residents live
below the Census-defined poverty level and about 20% are transit dependent (do not own a
vehicle).
Capacity Grant Project: We intend to use this capacity building funding to organize
underrepresented residents around transportation equity issues by engaging them in the decision
making process using innovative outreach tools, built in collaboration with our partner Works
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
Progress, to build long-term involvement of those residents in the Cleveland Neighborhood beyond
the scope of this project. We will engage transit-dependent, low-income, people of color in the
Cleveland neighborhood through a “bus shelter workshop toolkit” to inform them about transit
development (LRT, Street cars, bus, etc.) and connect them with the neighborhood organization to
empower those residents to have a voice in the decision making process. There are two specific
goals we would like to achieve through this initiative: To create a toolkit that can serve as a model
for direct engagement and to connect with 20 or more community residents through trustworthy
relationships to build leadership capacity for transit related development issues.
HARRISON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION
PROJECT TITLE:
Transit Equity Partnership Phase 2
PROJECT CATEGORY:
AMOUNT:
$45,000
Harrison neighborhood is a racially diverse community consisting of 40% African Americans; 28%
White; 17% Southeast Asian (Lao and Hmong); 9% Latino and 5% Somali and other. The median
household income is a little more than $25,000. Heritage Park is 35% Somali, 30% African
American, 11% Native American, 5% Ethiopian, 4% Latino, 6% Asian and 3% White. The median
household income is approximately $16,000. There are 25,000 Lao in Minnesota, 70% live in
Hennepin County of which 30% live in North Minneapolis.
The Transit Equity Partnership consists of three organizations controlled by underrepresented
communities committed to creating a transit system that equitably benefits the diverse racial,
cultural, and economic groups that have been harmed by a century of discriminatory planning
decisions that have marginalized and isolated our communities in North Minneapolis. Harrison
Neighborhood Association (HNA) is the lead organization in the partnership. Both HNA and
Heritage Park Neighborhood Association (HPNA) are placed based organizations that have multicultural leadership, working on multiple issues. Loa Assistance Center of Minnesota (LACM) is a
refugee organization serving primarily Lao community members throughout the State but
geographically concentrated along the Bottineau line.
Project: The Transit Equity Partnership is an effort to overcome a century of discriminatory urban
planning that has resulted in disinvestment, lack of opportunity, isolation and marginalization of
those living in North Minneapolis. TEP will do this by using a racial justice framework to build a
common understanding between diverse communities. The focus of this round is to ensure that the
community developed equity agenda is a priority in neighborhood, local government and area
property owner decision-making going forward. This will be done in the following ways: (1) By
training existing leaders and recently emerged leaders on how to advocate on behalf of the recently
developed community position, (2) Forming a Van White Station Stop Stakeholders group that will
consist of the TEP, property owners and key organizations located in the ¼ mile of the Station Stop
with the purpose of implementing community equity goals, (3) Training and Preparing resident
Leaders to advocate for their community in upcoming DEIS process the first half of 2013 and in the
County sponsored Health Impact Assessment process, (4) Development Community Priorities and
Positions for Bottineau line between Van White and Penn Avenue. (5) Connecting local leaders to
Corridor-wide efforts and processes. We have an emerging group of leaders as a result of round 1
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
funding that will be ready to engage corridor-wide efforts armed with positions with community
consensus. Resident leaders will be connected with the Bottineau CAC and PAC, and encouraged to
attend the CET Steering Committee. By the start of this grant we will have a critical mass of leaders
educated about the Bottineau line with an understanding of their community needs/goals and
confident in the support they have to make change.
MASJID AN-NUR
PROJECT TITLE:
En-LIGHT-enment
PROJECT CATEGORY:
Capacity Grant
AMOUNT:
$10,000
The main organization involved in this project will be Masjid An-Nur in North Minneapolis MN. The
masjid serves the most densely populated area of Minnesota and includes zip codes 55443, 55429,
55430, 55412, and 55411. The masjid is in the process of detailing the characteristics of its
constituency, however it is known that the population served is racially diverse and experiences the
highest poverty rates in the state. Masjid An-Nur is home to an organization called Al-Maa’uun. This
organization focuses its efforts on providing neighborly needs and stands as a vanguard against
poverty and injustice. It serves as a catalyst and partner, supporting the excellent human dignity of
individuals and families and improves their live and the communities in which we live and serve.
Al-Maa’uun has the ability to reach approximately 500 families per month via its food shelf efforts.
Individuals who benefit from Al-Maa’uun and Masjid An-Nur’s services are largely people of color,
immigrants from West Africa, and/or Muslim.
Capacity Grant Project: This project is an LRT awareness and education campaign for the North
Minneapolis community served by Masjid An-Nur and Al-Maa’uun. By educating the community
about issues such as social, environmental, and access equality, we aim to empower individuals
from this often overlooked community to become a part of the planning and decision-making
process for the Bottineau LRT Corridor. Our proposal for this project is simple. We would like to
create awareness and then educate our constituency on the concepts of economic development,
regional equity and access to mass transit. From this, we hope to empower individuals from the
community who are willing to continue the conversation with LRT planners and executers to define
and articulate the needs of the community of North Minneapolis as the Bottineau LRT line decisions
are being made. We have two concise goals: 1. To have an aware and educated North Minneapolis
community about issues surrounding the planning, development, and implementation of LRT in
North Minneapolis. 2. To empower individuals whom otherwise would not be involved from North
Minneapolis to serve as community advocates with LRT leadership ensuring long-term involvement
with the Bottineau Corridor line.
NORTHSIDE RESIDENTS REDEVELOPMENT COUNCIL
PROJECT TITLE:
Northside Bottineau Transitway Organizing
PROJECT CATEGORY:
New Applicant - Implementation
AMOUNT:
$30,000
16
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
NRRC is governed by a resident elected Board of Directors. Elections are held once a year and Board
members serve two-year terms. NRRC incorporated as a 501©3 in 1969 and stands as the oldest
neighborhood organization in Minneapolis. NRRC has an active transportation committee that
focuses on access to public transit for underrepresented populations. NTN was formed in 2010 out
of a joint public meeting organized by Harrison Neighborhood Association and NRRC. North
Minneapolis leaders Bobby Joe Champion and NRRC board member Raymond Dehn have served as
co-facilitators since that time. As a working group, NTN has no formal structure but is based in the
passion and energy of its core group. Along with neighborhood residents, NTNs core group also
includes the participation of these organizations: Harrison Neighborhood Association, Northside
Residents Redevelopment Council, West Broadway Business & Area Coalition, City of Lakes Land
Trust, MICAH, ISAIAH, and Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, MN Center for Environmental
Advocacy and Transit for Livable Communities.
Project: To secure tangible community benefits for North Minneapolis residents, NRRC and NTN
will facilitate extensive outreach to engage under represented communities. Our ultimate goal is to
create a more unified North Minneapolis resident-lead participation in the Bottineau Transitway
planning process that will lead to clearly identified goals related to leveraging economic
development, jobs, affordable housing, and access to a metro-wide transit system. Our efforts to
reach these goals will also include collaboration with other North Minneapolis organizations that
we are already in relationship with such as: Asian Economic Development Association, Asian Media
Access, and Lao Assistance Center, Masjid An-Nur, North Point Health and Wellness, MPLS Urban
League, Harrison Neighborhood Association, Heritage Park Neighborhood Association and other
local groups, businesses, and institutions. Success for this project is a Bottineau Transitway
planning process that respects and incorporates the passionate, intelligent, and experienced
involvement of North Minneapolis’ under-served residents and organizations. This active
involvement results in transit services that serve our community. The successful transit service
becomes a catalyst for employment, economic development, affordable housing and contributes to
a vibrant, economically successful North Minneapolis.
CORRIDOR: CENTRAL
UNION PARK DISTRICT COUNCIL
PROJECT TITLE:
Building Skyline Tower Power
PROJECT CATEGORY:
AMOUNT:
$28,000
The Union Park District Council (UPDC) is a 501c3 organization that serves the Merriam Park,
Snelling Hamline and Lexington-Hamline neighborhoods adjacent to the Central Corridor LRT in
Saint Paul. UPDC’s mission is to “provide a forum for people in District 13 to participate in
decision-making and in actions to improve the quality of life and bring about positive change in our
neighborhood.” In recent years, as Central Corridor planners determined that the light rail line will
run on University Avenue along Union Park’s northern border, UPDC has devoted considerable time
and energy to keeping the community updated on timelines and emerging issues, gathering
resident input and making recommendations on priority concerns, and advocating on behalf of the
neighborhood. With an increased focus on Central Corridor, UPDC recognized that the
17
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
neighborhoods north of I-94 were underrepresented on its own board and committees, as well as in
the CCLRT planning process. As part of their efforts to address this concern, they increased their
efforts and outreach to the Skyline community. The relationship between UPDC, the Skyline Tower
Leadership Team, and the Skyline Advantage Center continues to be positive. As the partnership
grows, each has recognized that the next step in engaging this underrepresented community in
Central Corridor development is to have a community organizer directly supported by UPDC who is
a resident of Skyline Tower.
Project: Skyline Tower is an affordable housing high-rise apartment building located one block
south of University Ave between the Hamline and Lexington LRT stations. It is home to around
1000 people, mostly East African immigrants. Decisions are currently being made about the Central
Corridor that will impact this neighborhood and its residents for decades. However, most Skyline
Tower residents have not been involved in LRT decision-making processes because of several
barriers, including the language spoken at meetings, lack of transportation to meetings, and literacy
issues regarding flyers, newsletters, and email updates. For the past three years, the Union Park
District Council (UPDC) has sought funding on behalf of Skyline Tower residents to provide
interpretation, transportation, and support services for residents so that they are able to engage in
the planning and outreach of the project along the corridor.
“Building Skyline Tower Power” will connect the underrepresented immigrant population of
Skyline Tower to decision-makers along the Central Corridor by hiring a Skyline resident to be a
community organizer, who will work with the Skyline Tower Leadership Team, share resident
perspectives, and communicate priorities and needs for Central Corridor development. This project
will allow a way to more effectively engage Skyline Tower residents as the decision-makers and
organizers for their own community along the Central Corridor, with the knowledge and support of
the UPDC and the Advantage Center available to help them achieve their goals. UPDC will provide
supervision and administrative oversight for the organizer, and Advantage Center staff will
continue to provide support to the STLT. With a Skyline Tower resident on Union Park’s staff to
support the STLT, Skyline Tower residents will be fully involved in the project’s implementation
and successes.
CORRIDOR: GATEWAY
EASTSIDE PROSPERITY CAMPAIGN
PROJECT TITLE:
Engage East Side Phase 2
PROJECT CATEGORY:
AMOUNT:
$25,000
We’re a coalition of organizations on the East Side of St. Paul that works with cultural specificity to
engage underrepresented communities around transit, with a focus on the Gateway Corridor. Our
goal is to involve these communities (which are a majority of the population) in local decisionmaking for development projects. As a coalition of organizations we have very good access to the
major cultural communities of the East Side. With Casa de Esperanza (Latino community), Hmong
American Partnership (Hmong and East Asian community), Cultural Wellness Center (AfricanAmerican community), American Indian Family Center (American-Indian community) we have
18
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
established links to these communities. With Districts 4 & 5 Community Councils we work through
a well-established structure for geographically-based outreach and information sharing.
Project: The first phase of our work has concentrated on core areas of education, community
surveying and data dissemination, transit related research, community events, and making
connections with planners, key stakeholders and elected officials. Moving into year 2 of our work,
we’ll continue with the education focus, as many on the East Side are not aware of Gateway
Corridor nor any of the other transit planning that is happening. In year 2 we’ll also be able to
concentrate more on pulling together a resident leadership group, to represent those communities
with whom we work to the various decision-makers (Gateway Commission, Washington and
Ramsey Counties, the Met Council/Transit, and City Planning Departments). To this end we’ll look
for resident leaders from the various communities we are working with to be a part of this group.
We will offer ongoing capacity building efforts (leadership development, organizing training, etc.)
to prepare the group for this role. Success for this project is to create an established community
platform to involve residents in future development opportunities
CORRIDOR: HIAWATHA
NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE
PROJECT TITLE:
Anpetu Was’te Cultural Arts Market
PROJECT CATEGORY:
AMOUNT:
$35,000
NACDI was established as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit in 2007, governed by an 11 member Board of
Directors. The board is purposefully comprised of majority local American Indian leadership from
the community who can provide culturally responsive leadership and direction. NACDI Board of
Directors is a diverse cross‐section representation of American Indian nonprofit leadership,
government officials, college officials, business owners, philanthropic representatives, and the faith
community. Eight of the 11 board members are tribally‐enrolled American Indians. The project
partners, Ventura Village Association and Seward Neighborhood Group are resident based
organizations, representative of community member constituency. NACDI’s mission is to partner
with American Indian communities to build and execute 21st century community development
strategies; it is a mission and approach geared to gaining inclusion of community member voice and
input. This project provides the structure and roles for community member input throughout the
process and engagement activities.
Project: Anpetu Was'te Cultural Arts Market is a gateway and market in the American Indian
Cultural Corridor at the Franklin Avenue light rail station that connects two neighborhoods. NACDI
and local resident associations will involve an underrepresented American Indian community and
neighborhood residents with direct engagement throughout the project implementation. After
years of hard work, the American Indian community officially opened the American Indian Cultural
Corridor in 2010. The half‐mile cultural corridor—the only urban American Indian corridor in the
country—is located at the Franklin Light Rail station, minutes from Downtown Minneapolis, Mall of
America and the Airport. Over 10 million light rail passengers pass the Cultural Corridor annually;
however most do not visit the Corridor. Anpetu Was'te Cultural Arts Market creates a unique
gateway and market that welcomes people to the Cultural Corridor at the light rail station, connects
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
two neighborhoods, and serves as a community gathering space. An unused central median of
Franklin Avenue will be developed into an art and food market with space for arts vendors, food
trucks, and seating; and, a plaza for performances that will be reinforced with community public
art. The Cultural Arts Market catalyzes development of a vibrant community economy along the
Corridor and bridges the current disconnect between communities and transit use.
CORRIDOR: ROBERT STREET (not one of 7 CoO corridors; but eligible)
NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT ALLIANCE
PROJECT TITLE:
Robert Street Transitway Alternatives Analysis Study
PROJECT CATEGORY:
AMOUNT:
$20,000
NeDA is a 23-year old nonprofit development corporation providing primarily housing
development services on St. Paul’s West Side. We have engaged with other West Side nonprofits in
promoting other West Side programs and development including participation in several West Side
community plans. NeDA is also a HUD-certified housing counseling agency offering pre-purchase,
foreclosure prevention, and credit and bankruptcy counseling services to the seven county metro
area Latino population. NeDA’s counseling and support staff are bilingual (Spanish/English). NeDA
has a nine-member staff with a six-member board.
The West Side Community Organization (WSCO) is an action oriented, neighborhood-based nonprofit organization empowering our residents to participate in and advocate for solutions to West
Side community issues. Growing out of a movement in 1973 to save Humboldt High School, WSCO
remains committed to its activist roots, using organizing and community economic development
principles as a foundation for all of its work. The organization works to increase the civic
participation of residents by initiating organizing campaigns, providing leadership development
opportunities for youth and adults and by educating and building the power base of residents to
tackle civic issues. WSCO also acts as a vehicle to inform and shape issues concerning the “built”
environment through community economic development planning, organizing resources to clean
up urban blight and advocating for equitable development. Finally, the organization works to
promote a healthy natural and social environment by addressing food security issues, promoting
urban agriculture, recycling and residential energy efficiency.
Project: This project will ensure that underrepresented West Side residents participate in Dakota
and Ramsey Counties' 2-year planning process: the Robert Street Transitway Alternatives 2
Analysis Study. The Counties met with representatives from WSCO and NeDA and agreed that a
community engagement strategy targeted at new immigrants and low income residents was a
priority. Activities include: conducting research on past planning studies in the area; outreach to
neighbors through individual door knocking; meeting with resident and church groups;
establishing an ongoing communication strategy to keep the neighborhood informed on plans,
meetings, etc. Engage with the City of St. Paul and the Counties to keep them apprised of resident
concerns regarding the planning process and ways to facilitate the dissemination of material.
Success for this project will be that the Alternatives Analysis actually incorporates the resident’s
concern, wants, and needs into the plans. Further, the West Side will have a new set of leaders
and/or emerging leaders. Specifically, we hope to have clear-cut recommendations emerging from
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
the study regarding improved east-west connections and improved linkages to the Central
Corridor.
CORRIDOR: SOUTHWEST
NEW AMERICAN ACADEMY
PROJECT TITLE:
SW Corridor Immigrant Opportunity Outreach & Engagement Phase 2
PROJECT CATEGORY:
AMOUNT:
$40,000
The New American Academy (NAA) is a 501 (C) (3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization founded in
2008 that provides multi-programs and services to immigrants in the Twin Cities, predominantly
Eden Prairie residents. NAA’s immigrant clients/beneficiaries help determine the programs and
services that the agency implements for them on their path toward self-reliance and economic selfsufficiency. NAA is located in the City of Edina, but serves as the only Somali led institution
operating in the southwest area of the Twin Cities’ region including Edina, Eden Prairie, Hopkins,
and Saint Louis Park. The organization is dedicated to serving the East African population in this
area through a combination of programs including: work in education, citizenship, housing,
mentoring and tutoring, employment, civic engagement and citizen participation. In addition, NAA
opens its space to the community, serving as the only Somali based community space in the
neighborhood.
NAA forms active, working relationships not only with its resident stakeholders, but other
nonprofits, businesses, school districts (such as the Eden Prairie School District), philanthropic
sector (such as the Eden Prairie Foundation), and government entities (such as Hennepin County
and the City of Eden Prairie).
Project: Eden Prairie and cities along the Southwest LRT Corridor are experiencing a growing and
vibrant population increase of new immigrants from East African and other ethnic immigrant
community members who are resettling from other cities in our region and across our state.
After the first year of capacity-building for this project, NAA’s next steps for the 2012-2013 secondyear grant period will focus on implementing specific goals, visioning, and long-term strategies that
were discussed and/or proposed for second-year follow-up, steering committee action, and other
implementation recommendations, that will benefit the southwest corridor impacted by this
project. NAA Executive Director, Southwest Corridor Immigrant Council (SCIC), and community
facilitators will continue to guide the focus groups in the identification and assessment of key
sectors of the southwest corridor that will be impacted by as well as constructively benefit from
using transit corridor development to expand access to jobs, affordable housing, and economic
development particularly for people of color, low-income communities, and people with disabilities.
The 2nd year phase of the project will expand project implementation, and the following activities
will be undertaken: The Southwest immigrant community’s business entrepreneurship training
classes – in partnership with/funding by NDC and Nexus Community Partners for its first phase
would be expanded and included with the City of Eden Prairie. For the community engagement and
outreach activities that we have been doing thus far, the SCIC will continue their activities and
expand their outreach activities by using multi-media materials such as, translated flyers, videos,
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
and maps. Success indicators will involve: (1) Provision of Equal Opportunities and Elimination of
Disparities for the Underrepresented Beneficiaries. (2) Economic Growth and Competitiveness. (3)
Convergence and Synergy of Collaborative Partnerships. (4) Creation of Benefit-Earning
Permanent Employment/Career Opportunities for Disenfranchised Beneficiaries. (5) Creation of
Affordable Housing Development Units.
CORRIDORS: BOTTINEAU/CEDAR/SOUTHWEST
LA ASAMBLEA DE DERECHOS-CIVILES
PROJECT TITLE:
Emancipation Campaign: Corridors to Freedom
PROJECT CATEGORY:
Capacity Grant
AMOUNT:
$10,000
La Asamblea de Derechos Civiles (hereafter “La Asamblea”) is a faith-based organization in the
Twin Cities and St. Cloud, MN. We organize to build leadership in our community and act in
collective power to change the politics that affect the destiny of our people. We work to cultivate
leaders through transformational trainings and mentorship programs guiding their participation in
public life. Our primary constituency is made up of Latino immigrants from local Catholic churches
and our organizational leadership is reflective of this. The majority of organizational leaders
involved in designing and implementing this project are immigrants and people of color. As an
immigrant led organization, our membership will be actively involved in every aspect of the project,
from planning and implementation of our work plan, to organizing key events, and developing
campaign strategies. We focus intentionally and devote considerable time and resources to
leadership development of immigrants and people of color.
Capacity Grant Project: Through the Emancipation Campaign of Corridors to Freedom, we will
organize Latino faith community members at St John the Evangelist (serving residents of Hopkins
along the Southwest Corridor) Saint Alphonsus (serving resident of Brooklyn Park along the
Bottineau Corridor) and Church of the Risen Savior (serving residents of Apple Valley and Lakeville
along the Cedar Avenue Corridor). We will host public forums, conduct community surveys, provide
leadership training for community members, and organize meetings between residents and
decision makers. The Latino community is an underrepresented constituency at decision making
tables due to institutional racism and an oppressive immigration system. This project aims to bring
Latino immigrants to the table to develop a collective vision around the corridors and make their
voice heard to ensure they benefit from decisions that affect their lives. We will directly engage
community members by hosting forums to educate them about the plan and ask for their input on
what they like and don’t like. As a result of this project we hope to see increased access to job
opportunities, a safe mode of transit for immigrants, the preservation of existing affordable housing
along the corridors, and the development of new affordable housing.
CORRIDORS: INTERCHANGE, BOTTINEAU, SOUTHWEST
CENTRO DE TRABAJADORES UNIDOS EN LA LUCHA (CTUL)
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
PROJECT TITLE:
Good Job Opportunities in Corridor Development
PROJECT CATEGORY:
Capacity Grant
AMOUNT:
$10,000
CTUL is a low-wage Latino immigrant-led organization that is organizing for fair wages and
working conditions for all workers in the Twin Cities metro area. Over the past four and a half
years, CTUL has recovered over $550,000 in unpaid wages and damages from employers who did
not pay workers the full wages they are owed. In addition, CTUL has pressured 20 companies into
changing corporate policies that were in violation of federal and/or state labor laws, gaining
improvements in the workplace for over 1,200 low-wage immigrant workers. CTUL has partnered
with thousands of low-wage immigrant workers regarding their rights in the workplace, and
currently has around 160 members (all low-wage workers).
Capacity Grant Project: The key to promoting sustainable, vibrant and healthy communities is
ensuring that development leads to good jobs that pay living wages. There are three components
of the project: Research, Education and Outreach, and Action and Engagement. CTUL will involve
our base (low-income Latino immigrants) in planning, decision-making and implementation
processes around The Interchange, and proposed connecting lines to ensure that new jobs created
are good jobs. A large percentage of our members live in South Minneapolis and work in the
surrounding suburbs, many working at jobs along the proposed Bottineau and Southwest corridors.
We will use the one year of funding in this project to set up structures ensuring the long-term
involvement of our constituency in corridor development.
CORRIDORS: BOTTINEAU/SOUTHWEST
METROPOLITAN INTERFAITH COUNCIL ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING (MICAH)
PROJECT TITLE:
Interfaith Housing, Transit and Equitable Development Organizing
PROJECT CATEGORY:
AMOUNT:
$30,000
MICAH organizes communities of faith throughout the metropolitan region around the vision that
everyone, without exception, has a safe, decent and affordable home. Affordable housing creates
communities that thrive and is an essential part of our region’s infrastructure. MICAH is committed
to achieving policy changes that create long-term solutions to increase access to affordable housing.
MICAH brings together people of faith to act on their values to support affordable housing, undo
racism and build regional equity. In the last ten years over 5500 families with low incomes have
homes, thanks to the hundreds of MICAH members throughout the region that created the political
support necessary for the development of and investment in affordable housing. Over 6 years ago
MICAH leaders and members adopted transit oriented development principles that have guided our
organizing approach and policy positions along transit corridors.
Project: This project brings together the members and resources of our four organizations: Zion
Baptist Church, Bethesda Missionary Baptist Church, Discussions that Encounter, and MICAH
around the shared goal of engaging residents of North Minneapolis with supporters from
communities along the Southwest and Bottineau transit way to engage community members on the
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
Northside to assure that development decisions benefit everyone in the community. The projected
timeline is primarily based on the projected timelines of the building and development of the LRT
systems that have been presented to the community. For the past 6 years, MICAH members from
throughout the region have been working in communities along transit corridors to ensure that
development along all these corridors benefits the whole community and include a range of
housing and economic equity opportunities. Priorities have been identified to date, and more
presentations, forums and dialogues will be underway during the summer and fall. Comprehensive
training will be held for community members in the fall of 2012 and meetings between constituents
and political policy makers will be held to build relationships and support for issue priorities.
Electronic and social media will also be used. Success for this project will be a diverse group of
leaders from the neighborhood leading the campaign and winning on policy priorities that will
create new and preserve existing affordable housing, protect current homeowners with low
incomes from displacement due to increased property taxes, provide well placed transit options for
the neighborhood and generate economic opportunities.
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
ATTACHMENT 4: Summary of Round 1 Grantee Project and Progress to Date
(midway through)
CORRIDOR: BOTTINEAU
GRANTEE:
African Career, Education, and Resource, Inc (ACER)
PROJECT TITLE:
MAKING TRANSIT MEANINGFUL
AMOUNT:
$30,000
ACER is a volunteer-driven community-based organization founded to close the resource and
information disparities gap within Minnesota’s communities of African descent. The project plan is
to partner with the City of Brooklyn Park’s Community Engagement Initiative to move beyond the
traditional public meeting format and focus on engaging and mobilizing African immigrants, African
Americans, and other minority groups to become better educated and active voices on transit issues
through culturally appropriate, consultative formats.
ACER has held numerous open houses and community leader forums, which have increased
residents’ knowledge of the Bottineau transitway, participation in City events, and neighborhood
volunteerism. ACER coordinated a day-long Mobile Guided Transit Tour on March 24th, which
included a panel discussion and interactive tour of the Hiawatha LRT, Cedar Ave BRT, and
Bottineau Corridor. The group has also partnered with the Northwest Community Collaborative to
work on a community benefits agreement with Target Corporation on its northern campus
expansion in Brooklyn Park at the terminus of the Bottineau transitway.
GRANTEE:
Asian Media Access (AMA)
PROJECT TITLE:
ASIAN PACIFIC COMMUNITY NETWORK (APA ComMNet)
AMOUNT:
$30,000
AMA is the lead organization of the Asian Pacific American Community Network, which develops
and supports the innovative use of media and internet technology for the relevant needs and
perspectives of the Asian American Pacific Islander community. The organization’s project plan is
to develop an online, interactive Bottineau Corridor map, embedded with multi-media information
to use as a communication tool between the community and policy-makers. The timeline for this
project is from December 2012 to November 2013.
To date, the organization has been engaging the community, especially youth, around transit
decisions. The organization’s Youth Media Force group produced a video aimed to engage
community members along the Bottineau Corridor, and they have given community presentations
using the video as a tool. For the remainder of the project, they intend to continue producing more
media content and sharing community members’ thoughts about LRT and related issues, as well as
communicating important information about LRT decisions to the community.
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
GRANTEE:
Harrison & Heritage Park Neighborhood Associations /Lao Assistance
Center of MN
PROJECT TITLE:
TRANSIT EQUITY PARTNERSHIP
AMOUNT:
$45,000
Named the Transit Equity Partnership, these three organizations, all place-based organizations
with multi-cultural leadership, are working together on equitable development and transit projects.
The Partnership’s plan, laid out in four phases, is to use a racial justice framework to build common
understanding between diverse communities, build the capacity of grassroots leaders to engage
and speak for themselves and their communities, co-create community positions that reflect the
hopes and needs of all constituents, and ensure that decision-makers are responsive to the
community.
The Transit Equity Partnership has raised the profile of the Bottineau LRT line within the Lao
Community. The result is that Lao Assistance Center organized an LRT Tour in partnership with the
Minnesota Center for Neighborhood Organizing. Approximately 30 Lao attended tour, which
included riding a City bus, transferring onto LRT, and going to the Mall of America. Residents have
been educated about the transit decision making process, and residents have grown into
community leaders, lifting up the transit conversation by hosting discussions to form community
positions regarding the transitway.
CORRIDORS: BOTTINEAU /CENTRAL
GRANTEE:
Asian Economic Development Association (AEDA)
PROJECT TITLE:
ORGANIZING for TRANSIT and EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT
AMOUNT:
$45,000
AEDA is a grassroots community-based organization lead by immigrant refugees working to
advance the community and economic development needs of Asian Americans. The project plan is
to utilize their Community Outreach Ambassador Model to conduct culturally-appropriate
engagement of Southeast Asian residents in order to prepare a Transit and Community
Development Blueprint.
AEDA has worked extensively with Central Corridor businesses to increase involvement in public
events. They have partnered with the Lao Assistance Center to reach Lao speaking residents along
the Bottineau corridor. Recently, the group held a meeting to discuss issues related to Central
Corridor construction between business owners and local elected and public officials.
CORRIDOR: CENTRAL
GRANTEE:
Advocating Change Together (ACT)
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PROJECT TITLE:
AMOUNT:
Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
None
$39,700
ACT is a grassroots organization serving people for over 30 years in the Twin Cities. Their mission
is to empower people with developmental and other disabilities to speak for themselves and take
control of their lives. The project plan is to organize meetings along the Central Corridor lead by
persons with disabilities to elicit common concerns in regards to housing, employment, and safety.
These findings will be passed to decision-making entities.
ACT has partnered with the District Councils Collaborative to participate in their Walkability
Survey. This Survey addressed many issues specific to the disabled population. ACT also organized
a tour of the Hiawatha LRT, which was many participants’ first experience with LRT. Their
observations were presented to the Metropolitan Council as recommendations for improvements
that could be included in future LRT projects.
GRANTEE:
Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corporation
(ASANDC)
PROJECT TITLE:
HISTORIC RONDO/EQUITABLE TOD CAMPAIGN
AMOUNT:
$60,000
ASANDC is located in the Historic Rondo neighborhood of St. Paul and serves the broader area
including Summit-University and Frogtown neighborhoods. Their mission is to foster positive
relationships within and between the neighborhoods they serve and to support members in
effecting the quality of life in their communities. The project plan is to partner with JUST Equity to
launch the Historic Rondo/Equitable Transit Oriented Development Campaign. The Campaign will
train low-income and African American resident leaders residing in St. Paul’s 1st Ward to advance
the Rondo Renaissance vision of preservation, enhancement, and restoration and healing.
ASANDC and JUST Equity have enlisted further partnership with The Access Group, Community
Stabilization Project, and Leading Individuals and Families Together to End Poverty. This robust
partnership is beginning to implement the project plan this fall through the Power of 1+1 Training
program. 10 residents will be trained to organize an equitable TOD strategy for the community.
GRANTEE:
West Bank Community Development Corporation (WBCDC)
PROJECT TITLE:
DON’T PASS US BY PROJECT
AMOUNT:
$47,086
The WBCDC is a community-based developer that owns affordable housing units in the Cedar
Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis and has experience in organizing grassroots initiatives. Its
mission is to preserve affordable housing, promote community-based development, and organize
residents to increase quality of life. The project plan is to partner with the Somali Action Alliance to
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
convene a community round table composed of people that participate in scheduled listening
sessions regarding Central Corridor. Once this table is convened, the project partners will develop
a community-based plan to address development near the Corridor.
The project has hired an outreach coordinator, CURA graduate research assistant, and web
developer thus far. The research assistant authored national case studies regarding commercial
displacement along transit corridors in low-income, immigrant communities. These case studies
are published on the new website: dontpassusby.org, which acts a forum for information and
organizing for the project. The organizing work has lead to the signing of a resolution backed by
multiple community organizations to delay development of key parcels until a neighborhood vision
has been completed. This resolution was sent to the City of Minneapolis earlier this summer.
CORRIDOR: SOUTHWEST
GRANTEE:
Blake Road Corridor Collaborative (BRCC)
PROJECT TITLE:
BLAKE ROAD NEIGHBORHOOD DISCUSSION CIRCLES
AMOUNT:
$30,000
The BRCC is a partnership of community and governmental organizations along the Southwest
Corridor, including Hopkins and Minnetonka. Their mission is to engage residents and local
business owners to undertake projects related to improving quality of life in the Blake Road
neighborhood. The project plan is to conduct one-to-one meetings and discussion circles at
apartment buildings within the neighborhood and is modeled after the Jane Addams School for
Democracy on the West Side of St. Paul. The outcome of these meetings will be to identify
community leaders who can participate in future development decisions.
The project has completed 60 one-to-one meetings, which have developed leaders in the
community. For example, a participant now serves on the Southwest Community Advisory
Committee. BRCC is currently working with Twin Cities LISC to create a ripple map that illustrates
the impact of these meetings within the community.
GRANTEE:
New American Academy (NAA)
PROJECT TITLE:
SW CORRIDOR IMMIGRANT OPPORTUNITIES OUTREACH &
ENGAGEMENT
AMOUNT:
$30,000
NAA is a non-profit organization located in Eden Prairie that advocates for improving the quality of
life for East African communities. The organization partners with local non-profits, public agencies,
and institutions to implement programs that increase the economic self-reliance of the low-income
Somali immigrant population. The project plan is to conduct engagement work to identify
participants who will become members of the Southwest Corridor Immigrant Council. The
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Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 3a
Council’s mission will be to formulate and implement specific goals, visioning, and long-term
strategies that will benefit the Southwest transitway corridor.
The project has succeeded in establishing the Southwest Corridor Immigrant Council, and a
member of the Council has been named to the Southwest Community Advisory Committee. In
addition, the NAA has partnered with the Neighborhood Development Center to conduct its
entrepreneurship training program within the Eden Prairie Somali community. The first group
graduated this summer, marking the first time that the program has worked outside of the region’s
central cities.
CORRIDOR: GATEWAY
GRANTEE:
East Side Prosperity Campaign (ESPC)
PROJECT TITLE:
NONE
AMOUNT:
$40,000
The ESPC is a coalition of cultural and place-based community organizations in the East Side of St.
Paul. The partners include: The American Indian Family Center, Hmong American Partnership,
Cultural Wellness Center, Casa de Esperanza, and the District 4 and 5 Community Councils. The
project plan is to educate and organize the community about transit and then form a resident vision
of the East Side and how transit fits into that vision.
The ESPC has hired a CURA graduate research assistant to help conduct a survey to get information
about transit use from residents. Each member of the coalition conducted the survey within their
community and the results have been published and presented to public officials. During this
process, many stories of how transit use fits into residents’ daily lives have been documented. The
next step of this project will lift up these stories to create a residents’ vision of the East Side.
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Memorandum
Date:
September 5, 2012
TO:
Sue Haigh, Co-chair, Corridors of Opportunity Policy Board
Lee Sheehy, Co-chair, Corridors of Opportunity Policy Board
FROM:
Jim McDonough, Chair, Ramsey County Regional Rail Authority
Paul Williams, Deputy Mayor, City of Saint Paul
RE:
Proposal
Introduction
When it became clear that construction of the Central Corridor LRT project could not incorporate
installation of a district energy system, the related Sustainable Communities-funded planning project
became less compelling and was, therefore, withdrawn. In its place, Ramsey County and the City of
Saint Paul propose the following:
•
•
Allocation of $12,300 to the existing Stormwater Management/Green Infrastructure Plan to
allow for additional visualization of proposed treatment systems on key sites; and
Allocation of $137,700 to a proposed Energy and Resource Efficiency Demonstration Project
for Culturally Diverse Small Businesses on the Central Corridor (described below).
Project Description: Energy and Resource Efficiency Demonstration Project for Culturally Diverse
Small Businesses on the Central Corridor
Energy, water and trash-hauling costs are significant for small businesses, especially restaurants.
Therefore, efficiencies in water conservation, lighting retrofits, waste reduction programs, and other
low cost- short payback strategies make a difference to small business owners focused on the bottom
line. However, very few of them—especially business owners of color--take advantage of the high
quality technical assistance programs designed to assist them in making energy and resource efficiency
upgrades.
Organizations that have worked on this issue have found that financing is not the main barrier to
participation in energy conservation programs. Some of the suspected barriers include lack of time to
sort through all of the available options and opportunities, the assumption on the part of business
owners that utility costs are not controllable, trusting the information they are getting is accurate so
that the investments they make will result in real cost savings, and the desire on the part of small, local
business owners to have a trusted, reliable and dependable contact for these types of issues. Meeting
someone once or twice, which is typical of current programs, may not meet the cultural and business
needs of this small business community. Yet, there is currently no trusted “one stop shop” for energy
and related issues.
This project seeks to engage the owners of culturally diverse businesses in a variety of ways to gain an
understanding of their perspectives about current program offerings, identify all of the barriers they
face related to achieving greater energy-efficiency and then to convene the many professional
organizations and energy and resource efficiency service providers to share the feedback and
comments of the small businesses. The goal will be to share perspectives and analyze how they can
work more effectively with small, culturally diverse businesses.
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Project staff will then take the information gleaned from this process and develop the tools, programs
and processes necessary to overcome these barriers along the Central Corridor and other Corridors of
Opportunity. This will be an iterative process, and as such, will require tools and processes to be
tested to ensure they are effective. This process will repeat itself until the right mix of program
elements and tools are agreed upon and a pilot phase can occur. The new model will then be piloted
with a small number of businesses to gauge success and/or make changes as needed.
HUD Livability Principles
This proposed project supports the Corridors of Opportunity outcomes, strategies, and principles and
HUD’s Livability Principles in the following ways:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sustainability: This project will identify and address barriers that keep small restaurant
businesses, typically larger consumers of energy and water resources, from reducing their
consumption of these resources. The result will increase conservation of natural resources.
Equity: This project will support small, culturally diverse restaurants, which are foundational
to the community fabric along Central Corridor.
Economic Competitiveness: Energy and water consumption represent a largely controllable
cost to restaurants. Assisting businesses in being aware of and reducing controllable costs
supports their economic stability and viability.
Support Existing Communities / Community Engagement: A key component of this project
is to engage the local culturally diverse businesses in meaningful ways in order to realign
programs and services to be more responsive to the needs of business owners.
Secure and Align Resources: This project will address challenges that environmental and
technical groups have long experienced in engaging small businesses with existing resources.
Collaboration: The project will work with existing government and nonprofit environmental,
technical assistance groups, and trades in forging greater collaboration and coordination.
Innovation: This project suggests a new approach to working with existing resources to meet
the needs of the small business owners in controlling energy and water consumption.
Deliverables
There will be four key deliverables:
• Identification of barriers within culturally diverse small businesses to participation in energyefficiency improvement programs
• New tools and strategies for overcoming these barriers
• Communication of findings to the various stakeholders and service providers who have
programs that serve this sector
• A planning document that outlines the recommended approach for these programs and a
process for bridging gaps that currently exist
Potential Partners in this Project
Ramsey County will lead this project with assistance from the City of St. Paul. The lead partner for
this project will be the Neighborhood Development Center (NDC). NDC helps emerging entrepreneurs
develop successful businesses that serve their communities and helps communities build strong
neighborhood economies. NDC has a solid record of activity in providing entrepreneurs business
training, financial assistance and the ongoing support crucial to their success. NDC focuses on lowincome entrepreneurs and low-income communities. They work to eliminate barriers to the success of
individual entrepreneurs through long-term relationships and culturally competent programs.
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Budget
Description
Contract with Neighborhood Development Center for project coordination;
Conduct outreach with translators as needed; meeting facilitation, develop and
revise model tools with translations, pilot new model; file project reports and
updates
Technical consultant and incentives for businesses participating in focus groups,
interviews and meetings (light bulbs, set back thermostats, vending misers, etc.)
Meeting expenses, supplies, postage, mileage, misc. office expenses.
Pilot project – technical expertise, labor and materials to install low cost, high
payback items – vending misers, hood fan controls, freezer and other door gaskets,
set back thermostats, etc.
Disseminate reports, recommendations and related information, in-person seminars
to share findings with stakeholders
Contingency
Total
Total
$90,000
$ 15,000
$ 3,000
$ 20,000
$
6,500
$ 3,200
$137,700
3
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Jobs Central Project – Executive Summary
September 5, 2012
Jobs Central is a small pilot project supporting Central Corridor residents and employers access existing
workforce resources that are aligned to provide mutual benefit.
The Project’s overall goal is to support residents in cultivating a career path for a lifetime of employment;
increase the community’s knowledge of and connections to workforce resources; build relationships
between residents, workforce service providers and employers in the community; and to provide
information that improves the efficacy of the workforce and economic development systems, with
potential for replication in other transit corridors.
The Project has four objectives:
1. Understand employment needs, skills, desires of unemployed/under-employed residents in four
communities: Frogtown; Summit University and Skyline Tower; Cedar Riverside; and Glendale Community
within Prospect Park
2. Understand hiring needs, trends, skills requirements of three business industries: Transportation,
Warehousing, Logistics; Manufacturing; and Health Services
3. Work with existing workforce resources to meet identified business/job seeker needs
4. Use information to improve workforce and economic development systems, and to inform policy makers /
others
Engagement of Community Leaders, Employers and Workforce Providers
To help guide and inform the development of the Jobs Central project, project staff met with three key
stakeholder groups: Corridor employers; community leaders with knowledge of and relationships in the
priority geographic and cultural communities; and Corridor workforce services providers. The goal of
this intensive engagement process was to assess the employer and job seeker needs, identify resource
gaps to meet those needs, how the workforce system has been utilized and has responded to those needs;
and how this information could help Jobs Central create a new set of relationships, connections,
learnings and outcomes. The appendix includes lists of all individuals and entities that provided input to
Jobs Central.
Community Leaders Perspective
Project Staff met individually with 27 community-based leaders who provided this input:
History and Context:
1. There is a great deal of pent-up frustration from previous “jobs” efforts that resulted in over-promising and
under-delivering on employment expectations the community had
2. A perception—particularly within the African American community—exists that “assessments” could be
intentionally used to separate African Americans from opportunity and/or achieving GEDs or high school
diplomas
Barriers to Employment:
1. No work experience is an even greater barrier when employers have a wide pool of applicants
2. Few job seekers understand their own skills and skills gaps, and how this impacts their job search
3. Ex-offenders, youth, individuals with disabilities or limited English language face major employment
barriers
4. Long-term job seekers are often intimidated by the interaction with the workforce system
5. There is limited knowledge of what work-related resources exist and how to connect to them
Page 1 of 4
Page 41
6. Transportation is a barrier, though not at the forefront of their minds when considering a new job
7. There is a wide-spread lack of “soft skills”; services to address this are generally unfunded
8. Credentials and experience from other countries are seldom acknowledged by US employers
System Gaps:
1. Placement in a job isn’t enough; support services and follow-up are needed to ensure the person stays
employed; helping residents develop a career path and build their skills helps them find and keep jobs both
today and tomorrow
2. Reductions in funding and time-limits for immigrant/refugee employment programs, have resulted in few
resources available to provide needed assistance
Input on Jobs Central Strategies:
1. Employing people with deep roots in the community (“career connectors”) to do the outreach and make
connections with local community residents is viewed very favorably
2. Outreach works best when clear, tangible information and tools are provided, and requests for information
from residents are limited
3. Bringing resources to neighborhood locations addresses the lack of awareness about what resources are
available, and the reluctance to seek help from unfamiliar and formal institutions
4. Knowing about the vast array of separate community resources and accessing them is challenging
5. Customizing strategies to respond to the specific experience and needs of each of the priority
neighborhoods is important
6. Structuring outreach strategies could benefit from the experience of the Trusted Advocates through the
District Councils Collaborative
7. “Career connectors” need to have coaching/mentoring, and organizational skills, and need training on
workforce resources
8. It is important to develop messages about how skills inventories and credentialing tools will be of benefit
to the job seeker
9. Building on where residents are today helps meet their immediate needs, while strengthening their
foundational skills and creating aspirational goals
10. Developing and communicating realistic project goals helps manage expectations, and informs how the
project contributes to future work and impacting the workforce systems
11. Sustainability is strengthened by acknowledging and drawing on the current community assets; and
building and nurturing relationships between community residents, employers, community organizations
and local governments
Employer Perspective
Project team members interviewed 40 Corridor businesses who provided this input:
General Findings:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Most of the employers have limited openings (1-4 openings month), and little difficulty in filling them
Increasing credentials are required in many industries
A skills credential/Certificate holds appeal for employers without their own assessments
Most employers don’t expect their workers to use LRT
Healthcare Sector
1. Demand for “para-professionals” is strong and expected to continue
2. Competition for housekeeping, food service and other entry-level, low-skill jobs is great
3. Demand for jobs in long-term and home health care is high, but often part-time
Manufacturing Sector
1. Hiring has picked up but still weak; employers are using temp agencies and part-time workers
2. Technology means fewer employees, but those need higher levels of education and training
Page 2 of 4
Page 42
3. Most entry-level workers lack “soft skills”: attendance, attitude, service; basic language skills
4. Higher skilled workers, especially as with technology, are harder to find
Transportation/Logistics Sector:
1. Hiring is improving; there is a demand especially for truck drivers
2. Difficult to find experienced and/or certified workers
3. Many overqualified workers become drivers because of good pay
Workforce Provider Perspective
Project staff met with 33 workforce services providers who provided this input:
Today’s Job Market, Universal Customers, System Gaps:
1. Many residents are focused on immediate need for a job; don’t necessarily see the value in career planning
and preparation, and need to learn the value of this
2. Many long-term unemployed face major challenges (e.g. ex-felons), and resources are very limited
3. Job seekers have fear about navigating “the system”; meet them “where they are” and help them get skills
and employment
4. Accessing services is a big gap; they get discouraged, lose motivation, and/or have many challenges
5. Providers make connections and referrals to own and others’ services; some charge small fee to work with
job developers
6. Most Workforce Center customers are program ineligible; not effective in using resources or time, have
limited motivation, multiple needs; those with greatest advantages use the resources
Provider Relationship with Corridor Employers:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Providers work with many employers; their reputations rely on their results
Employers concerned about lack of applicants’ soft skills and basic, and technical skills
Employers need help with hiring ex-offenders
Businesses tend to doubt that providers are interested in shared success; providers need to build
relationships/ trust with employers, so they can count on providers making good matches
Provider Familiarity with National Career Readiness Certificate and WorkKeys:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Many providers are familiar with WorkKeys and see some advantages to its use
Job seekers need to learn to talk about their skills and how they apply skills
These tools needs to be better promoted to both job seekers and employers
WorkKeys does not work for all groups; some organizations use different tools
1.
2.
3.
4.
The idea of the “Career Connectors” is appealing and going out into neighborhoods is a good strategy
Embedding resources into the neighborhood is needed
“Career Connectors” need a deep understanding of the experience of poverty; need to coach and build trust
Workforce providers should designate one key contact for the “Career Connectors”
Input on Jobs Central Project:
Outcomes and Measures
The Project Team is in the process of finalizing an evaluation plan that will address five impact areas:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Job seeker / resident impact
Employer impact
Community impact
Workforce provider impact
Systems/Policy impact
Page 3 of 4
Page 43
Appendix
The following individuals, businesses, and organizations were contacted to gather information and input to inform
how the Jobs Central Project would be designed to provide maximum benefit:
Community Leaders:
Hussein Ahmed, West Side Community Coalition
Veronica Burt, Aurora St. Anthony NDC/Just Equity
Coalition
Rick Cardenas, Advocating Change Together
William Collins, Jr., YWCA
Tait Danielson, Frogtown Dist 7
Tom Ellis, YWCA
Jose David Gallardo, CLUES
Gene Gelgelu, African Econ. Dev’t Solutions
Melvin Giles, Community Organizer
Clarence Hightower, CAP of Ramsey/Washington Counties
Karyssa Jackson, District Councils Collaborative
Henry Keshi, Glendale Residents Council
Irna Landrum, Summit Univ. Planning Council
Employers:
American Importing Co.
Anchor Paper
Bro-Tex
Budget Sign Graphic
Command Center
Crown Lift Trucks
Crosstown Auto
Dunham Express
Episcopal Homes of Minnesota
Fairview Health System
Fitol-Hintz Construction
Gagnon Inc.
Workforce Providers:
Kelly Matter, Commonbond Communities
Mary McKeown, Keystone Community Services
Lois Mueller, RS Eden
Darrell Paulsen, Advocating Change Together
Nieeta Presley, Aurora St. Anthony NDC
Christine Pulver, Keystone Community Services
Mary Schmidt, Dept. of Employ’t and Econ. Dev’t.
Alicia Smith, American Indian Family Center
Carol Swenson, District Councils Collaborative
Lisa Tabor, Culture Brokers, LLC
Ann Tyler, CLUES
Bao Vang, Hmong American Partnership
Abdul Kadir Warsame, Riverside Plaza Tenants Assoc.
Mike Wynne, EMERGE
Healtheast Midway
Healtheast Home Care
HealthPartners Midway Clinic
Hertz
Huot Mfg.
Impressions Inc.
M&N Equipment Services
Macarthur
Metro Medals
Midwest Staffing
Minnesota Chemical
Minnesota Occupational Therapy
Carrie Scheffler, Employment Action Center
Michael Wirth-Davis, Goodwill/Easter Seals
Sheila Olson, Mission Services, Goodwill/Easter Seals
Lisa Goetzel, Goodwill/Easter Seals
Carol Aharoni, HIRED
John Klem, HIRED
Bao Vang, Hmong American Partnership
Diane Heldt, Lifetrack Resources
Trixie Goldberg, Lifetrack Resources
Peppino S. Earthman, Merrick Community Services
Keith Johnson, Midway Training Services
Mary Schmidt, MN Dept. Employ’t & Econ. Development
Christine Chelstrom, MN Teamsters Service Bureau
Eric Nesheim, MN Literacy Council
Steve Cramer, Project for Pride in Living
Alice Neve, St Paul Public Library
Tom Cytron-Hysom, St. Paul Literacy Consortium
Karen Gerdin, St Paul Public Schools- ABE/Hubbs Center
Multi-Modal Transport
Northland Temporaries
Precision Coatings
Right at Home
Northwest Packaging
Palen Kimball
Pirtek
Rihm Kenworth
Resource Recovery Group
Superior Technical Resources Inc.
Patricia Brady, Workforce Solutions
Karyn Berg, Workforce Solutions
Tom Ellis, YWCA – YW Works
Jeremiah Ellis, YWCA – YW Works
Lori Anderson, HIRED
Kouthong Vixavong, SEARCH
See Vang, SEARCH
Dawn Paro, American Indian OIC
Andrea Pendelton, Twin Cities RISE
Joe Stratig, Goodwill-Easter Seals
Lisa Guetzkow, Goodwill/Easter Seals
Paul Schultz, EMERGE
Julie Brekke, Project for Pride in Living
Deb Bahr-Helgen, Minneapolis Employment & Training
Mark Brinda, Minneapolis Employment & Training
Page 4 of 4
Page 44
Central Corridor Anchor Partnership
Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 4.a.ii
The Opportunity: Anchor institutions – healthcare systems and higher education
institutions – are increasingly recognized as having largely untapped potential to provide
economic benefit to their surrounding communities through coordinated and collaborative
work.
Objective: Leverage the $1 billion investment in the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit to
create shared value and sustainable economic prosperity for institutions, community
residents, and region’s economy.
Background: In 2011, the McKnight Foundation commissioned an environmental scan of
anchor institutions along the Central Corridor. This scan identified nine healthcare facilities
and seven colleges along the corridor that collectively employ nearly 70,000 people and
have an economic impact of $5 billion annually. The Presidents and CEOs of these
institutions came together in November 2011 to review the initial report and to learn about
best practices in anchor strategies from around the country. The result of this conversation
was a high degree of interest in exploring opportunities for collaboration along the Central
Corridor, best summarized in a comment from the President of Hamline University who
said , “You have our attention, now what will we do?”
Following deeper discussions in 2012 with key managers at the institutions, the CEOs were
reconvened on August 29th to kick off the Central Corridor Anchor Partnership; electing
Augsburg President, Paul Pribbenow as Partnership chair; adopting an MOU; and
approving two work plans focused on procurement and hiring strategies—which are the
focus of the Partnership.
Strategies:
1. Align Human Resource Needs: Create health career pathways and use other
recruiting strategies to build a workforce that is more representative of local
neighborhoods, thereby leading to better healthcare and student achievement
outcomes, and creating greater local employment opportunities.
2. Grow “Buy Local” Supply Chain: Create wealth in communities adjacent to Central
Corridor by aggregating and focusing demand from the anchor institutions and
matching that with local suppliers that employ and invest in the community.
Page 45
Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.2012
ITEM #: 4.a.ii
3. Enhance “live-work” connections: The Corridors of Opportunity Affordable
Housing/TOD team is developing materials that can help employees take advantage
of transit proximity when purchasing along the corridor.
4. Complete last-mile connections to transit: Metro Transit is consulting with
facilities staff from anchors to identify possible, bus, bike, and pedestrian
connections to the Central Corridor light rail.
5. Maximize the mutual benefit of service learning: The Minnesota Campus
Compact – a coalition of colleges and universities dedicated to the civic purposes of
higher education – is developing a strategy to leverage and coordinate the resources
of these institutions to serve and enhance work of non-profits and neighborhoods in
the corridor.
Central Corridor Anchor Partnership Members (as of September 12, 2012):
The following institutions, along with the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative which has
fiscal responsibility for the Partnership, have formally signed the MOU:
 Augsburg College
 Bethel University
 Hamline University
 Minneapolis Community and Technical College
 St. Paul College
 United Hospital
 University of Minnesota Medical Center - Fairview
Regions Hospital and the University of Minnesota are pending signature and several
additional institutions are expected to sign the MOU soon.
Next Steps:
 Human Resource and Procurement Work Groups meet monthly September –
December
 CEO/President’s review progress and discuss 2013 goals in December
For More Information:
Louis Smith
Smith Partners
612- 344-1400
[email protected]
Ellen Watters
Civic-Source
651-208-1480
[email protected]
Page 46
914 N. Ivy Street, Arlington VA 22201 | 703.582.7355 | www.mzstrategies.com
August 28, 2012
To: Caren Dewar, ULI-MN; Lee Sheehy, McKnight Foundation; and Pat Born, Met Council
CC: Eric Muschler, McKnight Foundation, Mary Kay Bailey, Corridors of Opportunity/Living Cities
Integration Initiative
From: Mariia Zimmerman, MZ Strategies, LLC
RE: Update on Federal planning initiatives
There are a number of changes at the Federal level which have either recently occurred or are possible
in the next several months that could have an important impact on the Twin Cities regional planning
efforts and implementation. This memo provides a highlight of a few of these to help inform the work
underway in the Twin Cities. If additional follow-up is desired on any of these, please let me know. I will
continue to monitor. Of course, the November elections will have a major impact on all of this.
Federal transportation authorization
As you are aware, a two-year federal transportation bill was passed earlier this summer. Substantial
changes were made to specific programs, including the consolidation of most discretionary programs
into eligible activities under the core formula programs.
Two key messages the Administration is sending out to stakeholders:
1) LOCAL stakeholders need to get more closely engaged in planning and spending decisions by the
MPOs and State DOTs, especially to ensure that bike, pedestrian, safety, complete street and
transit projects are funded as they are all eligible activities under Title 23 (highways) and things
like public art, clean fuels, etc are now eligible under Title 49 (transit). Note: Cautionary
messages are going around DC encouraging MPOs, transit agencies and stakeholders to get
interpretations of the new bill from sources other than just the state DOTs since in essence, the
state DOTs (and transit agencies) now are in control of more of the funding since they
determine how and where to use formula dollars.
2) The TIFIA program (now named the “America Fast Forward Initiative”) saw the largest
percentage funding increase and can be used for highway and transit projects. The program
has also been changed so a loan can cover nearly one-half of project costs, and it allows
private funding as part of repayment, which should spur agencies to capture more of
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the private value due to service extensions. Comments are due on the Program by Sept
1st!! Note: Look for a LOT more coming out on the use of TIFIA for direct loans, loan guarantees,
and credit support to fund the type of investments supported by TIGER.
3) Performance Measurement is a key thread throughout MAP 21. The new bill places a higher
priority of Performance Based Planning and requires the establishment of national performance
measures by US DOT. Rulemaking anticipated within 18 months. FHWA launching “National online Dialogue” from Sept 13-23rd to get input before rulemaking begins. Also requires state
DOTs, transit agencies and MPOs to then establish corresponding performance targets. FTA will
also require all transit agencies to develop Asset Management Plans which will feed into a new
National Transit Asset Management System. MAP-21 includes list of factors to be included in
national performance measures. Note: There has been discussion over the past few years that
such a system should also include LAND ASSETS that are held by transit agencies, so it will be
interesting to see if this is included. The idea being that getting transit agencies to consider real
estate assets may inspire more TOD/joint development.
The Obama Administration will be coming out with rolling guidance over the coming months, with its
“first peek” of substantial guidance through the FY13 apportionment notice in the Federal Register at
the beginning of October. FTA and FHWA are doing webinars to provide information to stakeholders.
Both agencies are archiving the webinars and posting fact sheets however best to look at all three sites:
USDOT, FTA and FHWA MAP 21 sites.
Statewide and Metropolitan Planning
While there were not a lot of changes to this section, there are a few that are notable. First and
foremost is the new requirement that all MPOs include transit officials in their governing structures.
Presumably since Metro Transit is part of the Met Council this doesn’t impact the Twin Cities, but will be
worth confirming. USDOT and FTA have also been reminding stakeholders that the planning programs
are JOINTLY administered by FTA and FHWA. Specific encouragement is being given to transit agencies
to become familiar with the Title 23 language.
As mentioned previously, MAP 21 creates a new emphasis on performance-driven, outcome-based
planning. MPO plans must include performance targets that address performance measures and
standards and a System Performance Report. TIPs must include a description of the anticipated progress
that proposed transportation investments will have towards achieving the performance targets.
MPOs may undertake Scenario Development in preparing transportation plans, and are encouraged to
consider alternative demographic growth and revenue options.
Note: Given the timing, this may have an important impact on the Thrive MSP 2040 plan and the
associated transportation policy plans. How will USDOT work with MPOs that are in the process NOW of
developing these plans prior to guidance being administered? Will there be any grandfathering?
2|Page
MZ Strategies Federal Planning memo
Page 48
TOD Planning Pilot Program
MAP 21 authorizes a $10 million (in FY13 and FY14) discretionary TOD planning pilot program. FTA will
be coming out with guidance and is anticipated to define how expansive the program will be within the
Section 5309 (new starts) parameters. State and local government agencies are eligible for this program,
so it opens the door to local and county jurisdictions to submit project proposals. This program
specifically calls out economic development, multimodal connectivity (including bike/ped) and private
sector participation. Note: It would be VERY good for the region to start to identify early those projects
that could be supported through this program. Having 1-2 strong MN proposals with regional support
would be good, and I could also see a strong case for projects that leverage private sector and Met
Council LCA funds. The core capacity projects that are eligible would be competing against places like
Chicago, DC and New York so it would seem that those related to SW LRT, Bottineau, etc may have a
better chance of competing against other New Start regions.
New Starts/Small Starts
While there were not significant changes to the Title 49, Section 5309 program, some key changes were
made including that this program is now also to fund core capacity investments. Look for some BIG
possible requests from places like DC, Boston, Chicago, and NYC where the aging systems have huge
unmet capital maintenance needs. FTA has stated that it is moving forward to finalize guidance and rule
making that it has been developing for the past two years. Look for this to come out in the next few
months (would imagine before or in conjunction with APTA Oct 1-3 annual conference).
MAP 21 streamlines the New Starts process in some critical ways:
•
Eliminates the Alternatives Analysis requirement and instead relies on the review of alternatives
performed during the metropolitan planning and environmental review processes.
• Creates the Project Development phase, during which the environmental review is completed.
Project sponsors must complete this phase within two years, or seek an extension from FTA.
• Reduces the number of FTA approval steps by consolidating Preliminary Engineering and Final Design
into a single engineering step.
• Requires FTA to develop an expedited review process for determining the technical capacity of
project sponsors to undertake the proposed project if they have recently and successfully completed at
least one other new fixed guideway or core capacity project.
• Allows for use of warrants under certain conditions, i.e., ways in which projects may qualify for
automatic ratings on the project justification criteria.
• Eliminates the operating efficiencies criterion but adds a congestion relief criterion.
Note: Some of the changes to Small Starts may make this program even more compelling for projects
under $250 million, including the use of warrants and evaluating the benefits against the Federal share
of the project, rather than the total project cost when developing the project justification rating.
It will also be very interesting to see what FTA proposes for the newly created competitive pilot program
for expedited project delivery, esp if it has implications for the region’s Program of Projects.
3|Page
Page 49
HUD and the Partnership for Sustainable Communities
The FY13 budget continues funding levels from FY12 for HUD. This means that the Office of Sustainable
Housing and Communities continues to be funded, but there are no new grant funds. However, the bill
does include funding for HUD’s Transformation Imitative which includes $3 million to continue funding a
Sustainable Communities Capacity Building program. Presumably HUD will issue a NOFA on this, and it
may be similar to the current capacity building program but with new areas of focus. This funding would
continue the Learning Network which the Met Council is a member.
HUD- DOT and EPA have also been working to develop reciprocity between agencies on discretionary
grant funding. With most of DOT’s money now distributed through formula funds this puts a damper on
things. However, it would be good to push for this reciprocity in the new TOD planning pilot program as
it would give the region another leg up in the competition. The Partnership has also been reaching out
to other agencies, notably USDA and EDA to get reciprocity. This may not have a big benefit for the Twin
Cities though since it typically isn’t eligible for their grants.
4|Page
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Corridors of Opportunity – Project Status Report – September 2012
Project Name
Project Lead(s) Name/Org
Project Goals
Project Accomplishments
Preliminary Learnings for Region
POLICY & STRATEGY
Program of Projects Study
Mary Richardson, Counties
Transit Improvement Board
(CTIB); Amy Vennewitz,
The Metropolitan Council and CTIB
will together define and conduct a
feasibility study, assisted by a
consultant, of a “program of
projects” approach, to consider
options, opportunities and
impediments at the federal, state and
local levels to building multiple
transit corridors simultaneously.
Funding will be used to identify the
impact for capital and operating
resource levels, options for those
resources, and policy implications. If
a Program of Projects is deemed
feasible, Met Council and CTIB will
jointly develop an implementation
strategy in a second phase of work.
TOD Finance Studies
Elizabeth Ryan, Family
Housing Fund; Mary Kay
Bailey, Saint Paul Foundation,
and Deidre Schmidt,
Consultant
Identify gaps for financing TOD and
actions to address those gaps
1
The report, “Financial Analysis of
Program of Projects Under Current
Law and Practice” (Report 2) was
completed in May 2012. A
workshop for the CTIB Board and
Metropolitan Council Transportation
Committee was held on June 20,
2012. A presentation was also made
to the Governor’s Transportation
Finance Advisory Committee on June
22, as well as to the Corridors of
Opportunity Senior Staff group on
June 29. A follow-up workshop for
the Board and Council
Transportation Committee was held
August 15, 2012.
Development of an implementation
strategy is expected in late 2012 or
2013.
December 2011 report identified 6 •
recommendations that were further
refined in workshops with TOD
financing technicians in May 2012. •
Key actions to be pursued include:
a) Create better understanding
among developers of tax-exempt •
bond / 4% credit structuring
options
b) Bolster efforts around TIF (Value
Capture) for Location Efficient
Development and special
Page 52
Many within the field agree that
the need to think creatively is
crucial to future development.
Differences in data collection
inhibit ability to effectively
measure funders’ impact.
National campaigns may be
required to achieve effective use
of some financing tools (e.g. New
Market Tax Credits).
Project Name
Project Goals
RESEARCH
Research on system-level jobshousing balance
Dr. Yingling Fan, Humphrey
School of Public Affairs,
University of Minnesota
This research aims to create a set of
policy solutions that will effectively
promote affordable housing
development and entry-level living
wage job creation near transit
corridors in the Twin Cities
metropolitan region. Results from
focus groups and interviews will be
utilized to design incentive,
regulatory, and private/public
partnership programs that will
effectively influence
development/business location
choices and will ultimately promote
a transit-oriented balance between
jobs and housing in the Twin Cities
region.
Evaluation
Ed Goetz, Center for Urban
and Regional Affairs,
University of Minnesota;
The overall Corridors of Opportunity
Evaluation will address both the
systems-change dimensions of the
2
services districts
a) Analyze feasibility of a TOD risk
share pool of funds
b) Continue to explore
opportunities to recycle and
swap funding to encourage more
continuous investment in TOD
and related infrastructure
In the research team’s interviewed
with Twin Cities a diverse sample of
real estate developers, representing
a wide variety of market niches,
areas of the metro and views on
transit-oriented development. This
diversity of perspective and opinion
will be vital in recommending
policies to promote transit oriented
development in all areas served by
the regional transit network.
The Evaluation Collective brings
together a diverse set of skills,
interests and professional
Page 53
This research will develop policies
and incentives to encourage
developers to align development of
housing, affordable housing and
commercial space with the regional
transit system; as well as provide
planners with tools for encouraging
buy-in to accelerated transitway
development in an important
constituency. This project will also
bring private and philanthropic
resources to bear in developing
policies to attract robust private
investment in transit-oriented
residential, affordable housing and
commercial development, while also
connecting the business community
– which has been historically
disconnected – to the transit
planning process.
The evaluation work can provide
formative feedback to help the
project move forward. The effort is
Project Name
Project Goals
Laurie McGinnis, Center for
Transportation Studies,
University of Minnesota;
Libby Starling, Metropolitan
Council; Ellen Shelton, Wilder
Research
Corridors of Opportunity initiative as
well as the tangible impacts on
quantitative indicators documenting
changes in the region.
experience. The first Annual Report
was released in February, which
triggered several tangible responses
to the formative evaluation – the
reframing of the Corridors of
Opportunity goals, the addition of
additional members to the Policy
Board, and increased intentionality
from the Corridors of Opportunity
staff to ensuring that the Senior Staff
understood their role relative to
Policy Board members.
wiser about the challenges of
evaluating planning efforts and
providing focus and important
measures out of the range of 20+
projects that the Corridors of
Opportunity is funding.
HousingLink.org’s housing search
tool, “hList” was released in July
with a number of enhancements for
those seeking housing, including
more accessible and detailed
information about vacancy and
waiting list openings, year built,
transit options, schools, and
neighborhood amenities. The other
set of enhancements resulted in
“Streams”, a database of publicly
funded housing in the Metro Area,
The improvements to hList provide a
clearer picture of the rental unit and
the neighborhood amenities for
users when making housing choices.
As a result of this project, case
managers or renters will have access
to a list of properties where they
have a true opportunity with a
landlord who can consider the
various barriers. Streams will help
inform community discussions about
housing options and placement of
HOUSING RESOURCES
Enhance HousingLink services
Margaret Kaplan, Minnesota
Housing Finance Agency
Enhance HousingLink services is a
project to improve HousingLink.org,
a web-based clearinghouse for
affordable housing-related data,
information and resources. The
enhancements will include a deeper
level of information on accessibility
features, property size, age, and
programs, and provide a more
complete picture of the metro-area
affordable housing market both
visually and through online
3
The Collective has been able to
effectively coordinate and align local
evaluation efforts, however ensuring
the same alignment from the
national evaluations has been a
challenge at which they have been
less successful.
Page 54
Project Name
Project Goals
reporting.
Improving Energy Efficiency in
Multifamily Rental Housing
Location Efficient Mortgage
products
This project will implement a pilot
program to determine energy use
and target improvements that have
the greatest impact in improving
energy efficiency in multifamily
rental housing. By benchmarking
multifamily rental properties
through a tool called the
“EnergyScoreCard,” Minnesota
Housing and its stakeholders will
learn more about building
performance and how it can be used
as a key component in motivating
landlords to improve energy
efficiency. Improving energy
efficiency supports sustainable
communities, and the cost savings
from a reduction in energy use help
to keep housing affordable along the
Central Corridor.
This project will evaluate the validity
of Location Efficient and Energy
Efficient Mortgages, including an
assessment of the long term trends
affecting the demand for housing
location and how these will affect the
4
which will be a helpful tool for
planners, developers, advocates and
researchers to locate the housing
opportunities in their communities
of interest.
future housing opportunities.
Outreach was conducted to property
owners and managers in the Central
Corridor area, resulting in 41
confirmed participating properties
within one-half mile of the LRT line –
more than double the original goal.
Support and engagement materials
for property owners are currently
under development. Project staff
has started review of utility accounts
and weather analysis for buildings in
the EnergyScoreCards pilot to help
ensure that utility data is complete.
The pilot is expected to launch later
this fall, and property owners will
begin to receive EnergyScoreCard
data.
This pilot will provide a model for
the region in using energy efficiency
to both preserve affordable housing
and promote sustainability along
transitways. We hope to learn that as
building operating cost are reduced
through improved energy efficiency,
it becomes easier for building
owners to maintain affordable
housing along transitways. We also
hope to learn that as building
owners gain access to information
about energy use at their properties,
they will decide to make energy
efficiency improvements that will
bring “green” jobs to the transitway.
The original RFP for a consultant for
this project received no applicants.
The project has been revised with
input from other stakeholders and
organizations and a consultant is
expected to be hired this fall.
The program design will be
developed to include the possibility
of taking a pilot program to scale in
the region. The availability of Energy
Efficient and Location Efficient
Mortgage products would support
Page 55
Project Name
Further Fair Housing
Project Goals
demand for mortgage finance. The
goal of this project is to make
location efficient and energy efficient
mortgage products available in
Minnesota to support sustainable
communities.
Stakeholders will be engaged to help
frame and support a recommended
strategy and program design.
sustainable communities through
residential housing location choice
and reduction in energy use
throughout the region.
The contract has been executed for
the consultant to produce
Affirmative Marketing Toolkit and
Fair Housing Resource Guide –both
the toolkit and resource guides are
currently in the content research
and writing phases, with the
development of their associated
websites also underway.
The project will provide a toolkit for
the region on promoting equitable
housing within for low-income
populations and communities of
color; addressing the disconnect
between low- and moderate-income
workforce and access to
employment options; reducing social
and economic disparities for lowincome individuals and families and
communities of color; integrating
affordable housing planning into
transitway development to expand
access to jobs for low-income
populations and people of color; and
overcoming impediments to fair
housing.
The Further Fair Housing project will
assess current affirmative fair
housing marketing plans and publish
a best practices manual designed for
use by the real estate industry,
owners and managers of rental
housing, and units of government.
The goal is for individuals to have
access a range of housing choices
regardless of their race, national
origin, disability, sexual preference
or other status protected by federal
and state law.
CORRIDOR PLANNING & ENGAGEMENT
Community Engagement and
Outreach grants
Repa Mekha, Nexus
Community Partners; Susan
Hoyt, Metropolitan Council
Develop and support targeted
strategies that engage
underrepresented communities in
planning, decision-making, and
implementation processes on and
around transit-oriented corridors, in
order to ensure that
underrepresented communities are
5
Ten grants totaling nearly $400k
were awarded to community based
organizations to engage persons
with disabilities, communities of
color, new immigrant communities
and low income communities. To
date over 20 organizations are
involved engaging over 1,000
Page 56
This project is fundamental to the
vision of equity and economic
competitiveness for the Twin Cities
Region. It provides resources to
bring new voices to the table around
land use and transitways to express
how these communities can benefit
from these major public
Project Name
Project Goals
engaged and that leadership from
these communities is developed. It is
also to assure that engagement leads
to systematic change in the decision
making process beyond the three
year time period of the grant.
persons.
Round 2 grants will be awarded in
Sept. 2012, totaling over $320k.
Organizations have strengthened
their contacts and relationships with
government and agency partners.
6
Page 57
investments. Evidence of this link is
already visible. The New American
Academy Somali community in Eden
Prairie has been able to get training
for small business owners and is
talking with Hennepin County about
using a vacated building as possible
future business site
The Metropolitan Council is
incorporating the community
engagement approach in its regional
planning process
There have been an enormous
number of regional and national
connections through this work for
the Corridors of Opportunity, the
CET specifically and the grantees.
The establishment of the Community
Engagement Steering Committee
includes community organizations
from across the metro area. Not all
are grantees. This group is poised to
be involved in engagement. The
work that began with the Anchoring
Equity Summit in spring, 2011 has
evolved into regional network called
EquityNow that will be working on
the FHEA and providing feedback
into the Thrive MSP. The grantees
themselves, who are geographically
diverse and serve different
communities, have become
Project Name
Round 1 Grantees
• Advocating Change
Together
•
African Career,
Education, & Resource,
Inc.
Project Goals
Rick Cardena, Advocating
Change Together
Working along the Central Corridor,
ACT aims to connect with the
agencies and organizations along the
Central Corridor about the concerns
of persons with disabilities; it will
develop skill building opportunities
for persons with disabilities, increase
representations, coalitions and
involvement in decision making
Wynfred Russell, ACER;
formal partnership with City
of Brooklyn Park
ACER’s project Making Transit
Meaningful works within the African
immigrant community and with
African American persons to engage
in the Bottineau transitway decision
making process; this effort will focus
on alignments of the transitway
7
ACT has partnered with the District
Councils Collaborative to participate
in their Walkability Survey. This
Survey addressed many issues
specific to the disabled population.
ACT also organized a tour of the
Hiawatha LRT, which was many
participants’ first experience with
LRT. Their observations were
presented to the Metropolitan
Council as recommendations for
improvements that could be
included in future LRT projects.
ACER has held numerous open
houses and community leader
forums, which have increased
residents’ knowledge of the
Bottineau transitway, participation
in City events, and neighborhood
volunteerism. ACER coordinated a
day-long Mobile Guided Transit Tour
on March 24th, which included a
panel discussion and interactive tour
of the Hiawatha LRT, Cedar Ave BRT,
and Bottineau Corridor. The group
has also partnered with the
Northwest Community Collaborative
to work on a community benefits
agreement with Target Corporation
on its northern campus expansion in
Brooklyn Park at the terminus of the
Bottineau transitway.
Page 58
connected across the region.
Project Name
Project Goals
ACER, Blake Road Corridor
Collaborative and New American
Academy are working with
Neighborhood Development Center
to offer entrepreneurship training
classes to these communities with
support from Hennepin County,
Nexus Community Partners, and the
participating cities.
•
Asian Economic
Development Assn
Va-Megn Thoj, AEDA
AEDA’s project focuses on Central
and Bottineau Corridors and is called
Organizing for Transit and Equitable
Development. The project aims to
create a team of culturally competent
“community outreach ambassadors”
to engage residents, particularly
Southeast Asian residents who don’t
speak English, into the process.
•
East Side Prosperity
Campaign
Mikael Carlon & Kent
Hranika, Prosperity
Campaign, contacts;
Gateway Eastside Engagement
targets key moments for the
decisions around the Alternatives
8
The ACER/NDC courses are being
held in conjunction with North
Hennepin Community College,
where there is a second tier of
training offered for those who
complete this program.
AEDA has worked extensively with
Central Corridor businesses to
increase involvement in public
events. They have partnered with
the Lao Assistance Center to reach
Lao speaking residents along the
Bottineau corridor. Recently, the
group held a meeting to discuss
issues related to Central Corridor
construction between business
owners and local elected and public
officials.
The ESPC has hired a CURA graduate
research assistant to help conduct a
survey to get information about
Page 59
Project Name
American Indian Family
Center; Hmong American
Partnership; Cultural
Wellness Center; Casa de
Esperanza; Districts 4 and 5
of St. Paul
•
Harrison Neighborhood
Assn
Larry Hiscock Harrison
Neighborhood Association;
Kristy Clemens, Heritage
Park Neighborhood; Sunny
Chanthanouvang, Lao
Assistance Center
•
Intercongregation
Cathy Maes, Blake Road
Corridor Collaborative; Joint
Project Goals
Analysis for Gateway Corridor as an
opportunity to reach out to
communities to learn about and
provide input into the Gateway
transitway decision making
processes. This includes identifying
leaders from diverse communities
and forming a Citizen Advisory
Committee to inform and guide
decisions; and facilitating a residents’
vision of the East Side and how
transit development fits and
promotes that vision.
These organizations formed the
Transit Equity Partnership to engage
community members along
Bottineau Transitway to build
capacity to speak for themselves.
The project has a special focus on 30
acres of land owned by Mpls. Public
Housing Authority next to the Van
White Bottineau station.
transit use from residents. Each
member of the coalition conducted
the survey within their community
and the results have been published
and presented to public officials.
During this process, many stories of
how transit use fits into residents’
daily lives have been documented.
The next step of this project will lift
up these stories to create a
residents’ vision of the East Side.
The Transit Equity Partnership has
raised the profile of the Bottineau
LRT line within the Lao Community.
The result is that Lao Assistance
Center organized an LRT Tour in
partnership with the Minnesota
Center for Neighborhood Organizing.
Approximately 30 Lao attended tour,
which included riding a City bus,
transferring onto LRT, and going to
the Mall of America. Residents have
been educated about the transit
decision making process, and
residents have grown into
community leaders, lifting up the
transit conversation by hosting
discussions to form community
positions regarding the transitway.
Blake Road Neighborhood Discussion The project has completed 60 oneCircles
to-one meetings, which have
9
Page 60
Project Name
Communities Assn (Blake
Road Collaborative)
•
Community Police
Partnership
Asad Alilweyd , New
American Academy
Project Goals
- The Blake Road station on the SW
LRT transitway is positioned for
major change as part of the
transitway build out. The project
will address the disconnect in
communications between immigrant
communities, mainstream residents
and government representatives.
developed leaders in the community.
For example, a participant now
serves on the Southwest Community
Advisory Committee. BRCC is
currently working with Twin Cities
LISC to create a ripple map that
illustrates the impact of these
meetings within the community.
SW Corridor Immigrant
Opportunities Outreach &
Engagement
-NAA has been actively engaged
negotiating with the city around
community benefits; this project will
be to outreach to, identify and recruit
low income as well as
disenfranchised immigrant
participants to assert leadership by
forming a SW Corridor Immigrant
Council.
The project has succeeded in
establishing the Southwest Corridor
Immigrant Council, and a member of
the Council has been named to the
Southwest Community Advisory
Committee. In addition, the NAA has
partnered with the Neighborhood
Development Center (along with
BRCC and ACER) to conduct its
entrepreneurship training program
within the Eden Prairie Somali
community. The first group
graduated this summer, marking the
first time that the program has
worked outside of the region’s
10
In addition, Blake Road Corridor
Collaborative with working with
ACER, the New American Academy,
and the Neighborhood Development
Center to offer entrepreneurship
training classes to these
communities with support from
Hennepin County, Nexus Community
Partners, the participating cities.
Page 61
Project Name
•
West Bank CDC
Project Goals
Don’t Pass Us By
- Work with the Somali community
to influence the planning decisions
around the Central Corridor West
Bank station; specifically parcels
identified for development by the
City; Listening sessions will be one
tool used in this work.
The project has hired an outreach
coordinator, CURA graduate
research assistant, and web
developer thus far. The research
assistant authored national case
studies regarding commercial
displacement along transit corridors
in low-income, immigrant
communities. These case studies are
published on the new website:
dontpassusby.org, which acts a
forum for information and
organizing for the project. The
organizing work has lead to the
signing of a resolution backed by
multiple community organizations
to delay development of key parcels
until a neighborhood vision has been
completed. This resolution was sent
to the City of Minneapolis earlier this
summer.
Susan Hoyt, Metropolitan
Council
The overall goal of this project is to
enable communities to move toward
implementation of TOD strategies in
a way that strengthens the long-term
economic competitiveness of our
region. All projects were required to
provide affordable housing
Grant funds totaling $953,000 were
awarded in May 2012 for TOD
related planning and development
activities. The projects include 5
general predevelopment grants for
$238,250 and 4 site specific
predevelopment grants for
11
central cities.
Tim Mungavan, West Bank
CDC; Somali Action Alliance
Round 2 grantees
Local Implementation Capacity
Grants (SEE SITE SPECIFIC LIC
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS ON
PAGES 20-21)
Page 62
(SEE SITE SPECIFIC LIC PROJECT
DESCRIPTIONS ON PAGES 20-21)
Project Name
General Predevelopment
• Corridor Development
Initiative Green Line
(Central + Southwest)
Local Initiative Support
Corporation (LISC)
•
Aeon/YMCA (Central)
Aeon/YMCA
•
East Downtown Parking
Lot Study
(Central/Hiawatha/
City of Minneapolis
Project Goals
(preservation / new) and/or jobs.
$714,750.
The selection criteria for these grants
included: high visibility, equity,
catalytic, leverage, replicable and
timing.
The CDI Plus will partner with cities
along the Green Line to build
consensus around development
objectives for key TOD sites, which
include options for affordable
housing, jobs and small business
locations for entrepreneurs. This will
provide information that will give
developers access to LISC financing
tools and developer workshops will
be offered. The original number of 5
– 6 sites may be reduced to
accommodate the reduced funding
recommended.
The YMCA on University Avenue has
been considering how to replace its
facility in the Midway area. These
funds will be used to study the
feasibility within ¼ mile of
University Avenue between Snelling
Avenue and Highway 280. The
expanded campus will include
affordable housing. The YMCA
servers over 1025 people daily.
The Downtown East Parking Lot
study is a technical and financial
analysis to support predevelopment
12
The City of Minneapolis conducted a
consultant hiring process
throughout the summer and is in
Page 63
City staff is already starting to get a
better understanding of how surface
parking lots are assessed and taxed
Project Name
Southwest)
•
8th Avenue Corridor
(Southwest)
City of Hopkins
•
SW Housing Inventory
Hennepin County on behalf of
SW cities
Project Goals
activities around the Downtown East
LRT station. The funds will be used
to hire a consultant to help the city
answer the questions related to east
downtown surface parking lots and
help the city determine how TOD
may be implemented. Questions
being considered include: what
would a prototypical revenue and
expense statement or a surface
parking lots look like? Are there
existing city regulatory tools or
incentives that can be used to
encourage development of this land?
What interim opportunities exist and
are there options for adjusting
factors affecting the perceived land
value?
Funds will be used to engage the
public engagement to create a plan
for this corridor that connects
downtown Hopkins with the LRT
station along 8th Avenue. It uses a
comprehensive approach to creating
the optimal link between the Station
and Main Street. It focuses on
integrating public design and art
along with sidewalks, and public
spaces to make connections between
downtown and the LRT station as
well as promote a pedestrian and
bicyclist friendly environment.
The project will collect data on
housing along the corridor to be used
13
contract negotiations with the
in order to better define strategies
selected consultant. The work is
and the direction for consultant
expected to be complete in the first
work.
quarter of 2013. City planners,
engineers, finance and business
development experts, and assessors
alike are enthusiastic about the work
to come.
The RFP for a Southwest Corridorwide Housing Inventory was
Page 64
The inventory should be completed
by late fall/early winter and the data
Project Name
(Southwest)
Southwest LRT Community
Works
Project Goals
to consider and recommend joint
development policies, tools and
financing strategies to achieve a full
range of housing choices along the
SW LRT. This information will be
used to meet the Corridors of
Opportunity Fair and Affordable
Housing work as well as build on the
Hennepin County Community works
Transitional Station Area Action Plan
that is getting underway.
Katie Walker, Hennepin
County; Julie Wischnack, SW
Community Works Technical
Implementation Committee
co-chair, City of Minnetonka;
Cathy Bennett, ULI Minnesota
(in partnership with
Southwest LRT Community
Works)
Southwest LRT Community Works
formalizes and expands early
collaborations across jurisdictions to
develop a shared vision and
implementation strategy that
integrates Southwest LRT
engineering and land use planning in
the transit corridor. The Southwest
LRT Community Works project
aligns land use and LRT engineering
for:
• Economic competitiveness and
job growth—promoting
opportunities for business and
employment growth
• Housing choices—positioning
the Southwest LRT corridor as a
preferred location and enduring
investment
• Quality neighborhoods—
14
released in early July. A proposal
will be used to inform the next steps
review team made up of city and
of the Corridor-wide Housing
regional partners has made a
Strategy.
consultant recommendation, and a
contract is currently under
negotiation for work to begin later in
September. This work is being
supported by a $25,000 the Local
Implementation Capacity Grant as
well as more than $17,000 in
Hennepin County corridor planning
resources.
An RFP for Transitional Station Area
Action Plans (TSAAPs) was rereleased in late March 2012. The
Consultant team should begin their
work in September 2012.
The project is beginning systemic
organizational change through the
inclusion of the Land
Use/Community Works division
within the interagency Southwest
LRT Project Office (SPO) as a formal
unit, and the institution of a shared
advisory committee structure of
Southwest LRT Community Works
with the SPO. This has continued to
evolve, most recently with the
establishment of the shared
Community and Business Advisory
Committees (CAC/BAC).
Page 65
Efforts to work collaboratively with
the Southwest LRT Project to create
a new model for transitway
development that aligns transit, land
use, affordable housing, workforce
and economic development are at
the leading edge of systems change
work within the initiative. ategy).
The Transitional Station Area Action
Plans will be a tremendous gamechanger in the region, and provide a
new standard of best practices
nationally
Project Name
Project Goals
creating unique, vibrant, safe,
and walkable station areas
• Critical connections—
improving regional mobility for
all users
Learning sessions were held with
national developer Will Fleissig that
will guide the incorporation of
private sector knowledge into the
TSAAPs and Preliminary
Engineering process.
ULI is supporting efforts to cultivate
partnerships and build champions
for corridor-wide thinking along the
Southwest transitway. This includes
developing a corridor investment
framework which will: a) prioritize
investments b) develop a
coordinated finance strategy and c)
develop a corridor housing strategy.
15
Completed the SWLRT Development
assessment which can assist with
efforts to: a) Identify near term
opportunity sites for transitoriented development (TOD); b)
Prioritize key activities or
investments that can help to enable
market activity; and c) Evaluate
potential funding and financing
strategies for infrastructure, station
area improvements and amenities,
or other transit- or TOD-related
investments. The process included
interviews with 10 local developers
familiar with the Southwest Corridor
to solicit their impressions of the
development potential along the
Corridor. Overall there was a
consensus that developers are
reluctant to invest in TOD until the
financing is secured for the LRT.
Completed a SW Corridor survey of
development authority powers and
policies and gained a better
understanding of the similar tools
and local government powers
Page 66
Project Name
Project Goals
between the cities, county and
Metropolitan Council that will be
critical in identifying collaborative
corridor-wide financing. The
process resulted in a better
understanding of the need to
evaluate innovative public/private
partnerships to position station
areas for development.
Determined need to evaluate
public/private partnership options
to finance up-front the important
TOD amenities such as parking
structures and critical links. The
SWCW engaged a local public
finance firm (Ehlers) to complete a
finance case study at the Shady Oak
Station which is expected to be
completed in October 2012.
Presented demographic,
employment and development
assessment findings to the Hennepin
County Workforce Investment Board
which resulted in a supporting
resolution for funding of the LRT.
Bottineau Transitway
Andrew Gillett, Hennepin
County
The work of the Bottineau
Transitway project lays necessary
16
The development of a Corridor-wide
Housing Strategy (funded by the LIC
grant) is underway.
Successful formation the Bottineau
Land Use Committee (BLUC), made
Page 67
This project has developed a
Planning Framework to guide the
Project Name
Gateway Corridor
Josh Olson, Ramsey County
Regional Rail Authority
Project Goals
groundwork for the next phase of
transit development, in order to: 1)
Build capacity amongst corridor
stakeholders to effectively
participate in corridor planning
processes, 2) Formalize
processes/strategies for corridorwide development and design
efforts, 3) Integrate Transitway
engineering and land use planning
processes, 4) Provide residents
greater access to opportunity
through connections that support
housing, employment and
transportation choices, 5) Stimulate
transit-oriented development, 6)
Improve and maintain natural
systems/resources, 7) Leverage
public and private investment.
up of city staff from each of the
corridor cities, as well as the Met
Council and Hennepin County. This
group has met 9 times in 2012.
In conjunction with the ongoing
alternatives analysis for the Gateway
Corridor (I-94 Corridor), identify
non-traditional commuters and
develop strategies for improving
access to/from home and work.
Identification of key project partners
and their roles is under
development. Coordination
activities with several ongoing
efforts including the Gateway
Corridor Alternatives Analysis,
17
The corridor study will be
completed by the end of 2012, which
will cover the following elements: 1)
evaluate existing corridor
conditions, 2) review best practices
that integrate land use and transit
planning, 3) survey areas of change
and stability in the corridor, 4)
review and update the existing
corridor vision/plans, 5) assign
station typologies, and 6) prepare a
community engagement plan for the
station area planning process.
Steps 1-3 and 5 are substantially
completed. The station typologies
have been identified and the existing
conditions analysis and best
practices review are complete. The
areas of change and stability is
underway, but awaits a synthesis of
the overall study results.
Page 68
process, which references the efforts
of Corridors of Opportunity and
highlights the connections in this
work. The Framework highlights the
interconnectedness of land use
planning efforts, the transit project,
and long-term private sector
development and investment.
The Metropolitan Council is
considering whether or not to
standardize station area typologies
for the region.
Communities and organizations are
recognizing the need to work
collaboratively in advancing the
transitway corridor and addressing
critical issues within the corridor.
Project Name
Project Goals
Cedar Avenue BRT Market and
Development Standards
Joe Morneau, Dakota County;
Kathy Bodmer, City of Apple
Valley
This study is intended to identify
strategies to promote BRT as a
development and redevelopment
catalyst in areas with varying levels
of intensity found along the Cedar
Avenue corridor. The study will
result in a metro-wide planning and
implementation tool to assist
communities as BRT becomes a more
common transportation mode and
BRTOD a more common response in
the Twin Cities.
Northstar Commuter Rail TOD
Strategy
Luci Botzek, Northstar
Corridor Development
Authority/Sherburne County;
Tim Yantos, Northstar
Corridor Development
Authority/Anoka County
This project will conduct a market
analysis of the entire corridor, which
will support the cities in
implementing their transit-oriented
development and land use plans.
Ridership patterns to date, as well as
updated market conditions, will
inform the corridor analysis. The
market analysis will examine:
• Opportunities to increase
housing, including workforce
Arterial BRT Study, Prosperity
Campaign's Community Engagement
Grant, etc. are ongoing.
Project Management Team members
reviewed proposals and conducted
interviews for consulting services in
August and identified the topranking proposal. The PMT intends
to have the consultant under
contract and the study underway by
the end of September.
The management team is unified in
it concern regarding the
performance of the consultant and is
unified in its commitment to
ensuring that a quality work product
is produced for Northstar. The
timeline needs to be adjusted to
accommodate these issues, but will
fall within overall grant parameters.
18
Page 69
The Cedar BRT Transitway will serve
as a prototype for future BRT
systems in the region. The Cedar
BRT Market and Development
Standards Study will help other
planned transit corridors to decide
whether BRT is a good option for
their area. BRT is a new transit
mode for the Twin Cities
metropolitan region with unique
characteristics and needs. The Cedar
BRT Market and Development
Standards study will help to identify
the market’s acceptance of BRT as a
development catalyst and will help
the region to learn what is needed to
make a successful BRT system.
It is important to understand the
market realities that shape TOD
opportunities on the Northstar line
and develop implementation
strategies accelerate development in
the station areas. The project will
consider a broad spectrum of
housing types when examining
housing opportunities- ensuring
benefit to all. As the only commuter
rail line in the region, this project
Project Name
Project Goals
•
•
Central Corridor: Stormwater & Josh Williams, City of Saint
Green Infrastructure planning
Paul; Wes Saunders-Pearce,
City of Saint Paul
housing;
Opportunities to expand
employment; and
Opportunities to provide
convenient access to goods and
services, including health care to
workers, residents and
commuters along the corridor.
From the results of the market
analysis, the NCDA and consultant(s)
will work with the cities to develop
station-specific, market oriented
implementation strategies.
The Central Corridor Stormwater
and Green Infrastructure Planning
Project’s goal is to create a
framework for the development of
shared, stacked-function green
infrastructure through technical
studies and policy development. This
approach will facilitate
redevelopment in a dense, urban
context in ways which better
facilitate TOD goals including new
open space, green development and
improved density.
Central Corridor Energy/Enviro
TBD
will provide insight into TOD
opportunities associated with
commuter rail.
The Stormwater and Green
Infrastructure Planning Project has
completed six inter-agency
stakeholder advisory committee
meetings and is moving forward on
schedule. A formal poll of the
committee ratified support for
shared green infrastructure and
prioritized new open space as the
most valued potential benefit. In
addition, the project has met with
developer groups as well as the
Trust for Public Land; both are very
interested in project goals and
outcomes.
19
Page 70
The project has framed findings as a
basis for specific policy discussions
which will guide technical
engineering analysis for green
infrastructure. This in turn will
highlight cost effectiveness, cost
allocation mechanisms, and potential
institutional changes as strategies
for implementation and funding of
green infrastructure and transitway
vitalization.
Project Name
Project Goals
TOD IMPLEMENTATION & DIRECT INVESTMENT
Local Implementation Capacity
Grants (SEE GENERAL
PREDEVELOPMENT LIC
PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS ON
PAGES 9-13)
Site Specific
• Hamline Station
(Central/St. Paul)
•
Old Home
Redevelopment
(Central/St. Paul)
Susan Hoyt, Metropolitan
Council
Project for Pride in Living
Aurora St. Anthony NDC
The overall goal of this project is to
enable communities to move toward
implementation of TOD strategies in
a way that strengthens the long-term
economic competitiveness of our
region. All projects were required to
provide affordable housing
(preservation / new) and/or jobs.
The selection criteria for these grants
included: high visibility, equity,
catalytic, leverage, replicable and
timing.
Grant funds totaling $953,000 were
awarded in May 2012 for TOD
related planning and development
activities. The projects include 5
general predevelopment grants for
$238,250 and 4 site specific
predevelopment grants for
$714,750.
Mix of uses on a redevelopment
parcel across from the Hamline LRT
station; will provide 108 housing
units and 13,700 square feet of
commercial area on 2.1 acres; high
quality and higher density housing
along University Avenue. Includes a
small pocket park. Highly leveraged.
Brings a retail environment along
with the housing.
This is a community based project
with strong community support. It is
on 1.62 acres of land on the historic
Old Home site with a mix of housing
types and potentially 30,000 to
60,000 s.f. of commercial. It is a
combination of rehabilitation and
new construction. It will build on the
20
Page 71
(SEE GENERAL PREDEVELOPMENT
LIC PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS ON
PAGES 9-13)
Project Name
•
•
Prospect Park
Masterplan
(Central/Minneapolis)
L & H Station
(Hiawatha/Minneapolis)
The Cornerstone Group
L & H Station Development,
LLC
Project Goals
cultural heritage and the concept of a
cultural heritage district. The land is
currently being held for the ASNDC
by the TCCLB.
This is a master planning project for
the Station Area surrounding the
Prospect Park LRT Station. Currently
dominated by industrial/commercial
uses, the 4-Block Station Area will be
redesigned as a walkable transitoriented urban village with a mix of
residential and commercial uses,
designed around public green space
and the arts. The Master Plan
includes redevelopment of the 2.5
acre Boeser site (vacant industrial)
into 200-250 units of mixed income
housing .
This is a redevelopment that has four
phases and includes a mix of housing,
commercial and civic spaces. It
covers six acres and currently is
owned by the Minneapolis public
schools. The redevelopment will
include a permanent home for the
Midtown Farmers market, 80,000
square feet of office space and up to
575 housing units along with
connectivity elements for
•
•
•
•
•
•
Established a design principles
•
set for the Station Area based on
Southeast Alliance design
principles
Working on design analysis for
district level planning issues &
systems
Created preliminary site plans
•
for the Boeser site
Working with neighborhood
group to review prelim plans
Acquisition of Boeser site
completed in August 2012
A purchase agreement has been
executed for the Harris
Machinery site, just north of the
Boeser site across the
Intercampus Transitway
21
Page 72
There is an opportunity to
reconsider how updates to district
wide infrastructure are
approached. The project team is
looking into options for a pilot
project for district wide
infrastructure to create living
streets.
Not having site control of most
parcels in the master plan area
creates challenges and difficulty in
executing the master plan.
Assistance from organizations like
the Land Bank would be ideal.
Project Name
Affordable Housing/TOD
Implementation and Lending
Teams
Project Goals
pedestrians and bicyclists and public
spaces.
Implementation Team:
•
Elizabeth Ryan/Family
Housing Fund (Ahna Minge,
Coordinating Consultant)
Team:
• City of Minneapolis
• City of St. Paul
•
• Metropolitan
•
Consortium of
Community Developers
• Metropolitan Council
• Minnesota Housing
• Neighborhood
Development Center
• Twin Cities LISC
• TC Community Land
Bank
• ULI Minnesota
• Family Housing Fund
• SPF/LC COO
Lending Team: TC LISC; TCC
Land Bank; Family Housing
Fund
Provide loan capital (pool of
$14.3M) to support new
affordable TOD projects and
preservation of affordable
housing along Central, Hiawatha
and Southwest LRT corridors.
Produce or create 400 – 600 units
Better align funders around TOD
projects and demonstrate new
ways to blend capital
22
Systems Accomplishments:
• Developed predevelopment
coordination system to improve
alignment of predevelopment
funding.
• Developed marketing materials
for outside investors
• Consolidated information
around buyer incentive
programs for Anchor
Institutions in Central Corridor.
Deployment Accomplishments:
• Provided technical assistance
and grants to seed five projects
that are projected to create 364
housing units
• TCC Land Bank purchased the
Old Home Site on Central
Corridor to allow the developer
time to recruit a partner, develop
a master plan, and prepare for
COO financing.
• Closed on Plymouth Church
Neighborhood Foundation Prior
Crossing Project. 5 story
building with 44 units of
supportive housing for young
people ages 16-21 transitioning
out of homelessness into a more
stable adult life, and community
Page 73
•
•
•
•
Developers find value in meeting
with funders at early stages of
project development to align predevelopment funding; however,
many of these projects compete
for LIHTC credits which forces
queuing and a delay in
construction.
A small amount of grant money
can be blended with market rate
capital and PRI to create more
competitive interest rates.
Need to determine strategies for
using a combination of capital to
support shorter term (1-3 years)
land acquisition and holding.
Financing non-housing projects
with affordable commercial
space is still a challenge being
explored.
Project Name
Project Goals
ECONOMIC VITALITY
Jobs Central
Janet Guthrie, Ramsey
County; Mary Karcz, Ramsey
County
Jobs Central is a pilot demonstrating
the efficacy of on-the-ground
outreach to businesses and residents
along the Central Corridor. The
pilot’s goal is to support local
industry job growth—and access to
current and emerging jobs—by
enhancing the job skills of under and
unemployed corridor residents and
aligning them with the job skill
requirements of employers along the
corridor.
Small Business Support
Mike Temali and Isabel
Chanslor, Neighborhood
Development Center and U7
•
•
Stabilize small businesses at risk
from construction impacts along
Central Corridor through
technical assistance
Establish small, often immigrant
-owned businesses as visible
anchors on Central Corridor by
investing in façade
improvements, building
ownership, and business
expansion.
23
spaces and offices on the first
floor.
Jobs Central has completed an
analysis of the employers along the
Central Corridor as well as the lowincome communities along the
Corridor, building a project design
focused on meeting the needs of
both of these constituencies. The
project team has met individually
with more than 30 Corridor
employers, more than 20 community
leaders, and 16 workforce service
providers to get input and share
ideas about project implementation.
In 2011, with Living Cities resources,
NDC provided 35 new business with
TA (goal was 20).
With multiple resources, NDC and
U7 have provided 2075.0 hours of
one-on-one services to over 83
Central Corridor businesses since
January 1, 2012 to June 30, 2012. Of
this number, 30 businesses were not
previously working with U7 in 20092011.
NDC has approved 3 COO loans and
façade matching grants for small
Page 74
The pilot will be a model for a more
sustainable approach to workforce
development that leverages existing
resources and connects residents
and employers through existing
community-based networks. The
pilot is also developing strategies for
reaching under-served populations
within workforce development.
•
•
A multi-pronged model of tactics
to help businesses prepare for
new infrastructure, survive
construction, and thrive
afterwards appears to be
nationally significant and will be
evaluated in detail
Loans are difficult to deploy
during construction periods;
even if land values make it a
good time to purchase. Plus
there are other issues that make
underwriting NDC’s target
clients difficult, which may result
in new TA courses from NDC
Project Name
Project Goals
REGIONAL PLANNING
Thrive MSP 2040
businesses on Central Corridor
(African-American owned business;
Caucasian-owned; and the third
Asian-owned. ) The Asian owned
business will be upgrading his
building at the Western Ave Station
to reflect the design elements
envisioned for the Little Mekong
District.
Fair Housing & Equity
Assessment
24
Page 75
•
NDC and U7s programs have
attracted interest in other parts
of the region and country
(Detroit) as many immigrant
groups seek entrepreneurship
training and opportunities for
physical space for these
businesses.
Policy Board
DATE: 9.19.12
ITEM #: 6b
ITEM: New Corridors of Opportunity website
SUBMITTED BY/STAFF CONTACT: Mary Kay Bailey, The Saint Paul Foundation
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PURPOSE AND ACTION REQUESTED: The purpose of this item is to inform the Policy Board
that a new website, www.corridorsofopportunity.org is scheduled to launch in early
October. No action requested.
BACKGROUND: Information about Corridors of Opportunity is currently hosted on the
Metropolitan Council’s website: http://www.metrocouncil.org/planning/COO/
While the existing site has worked well for sharing basic information, it has not been a
place for dynamic updates (e.g. blog posts, posting grantee videos, etc) that showcase the
breadth of activities and their progress to date. This is particularly important now as we
are beginning to glean results and lessons from project implementation. The new site is
easy for core staff to update, uses a lot of colorful imagery, and will be a place that
highlights the collaborative nature of the work.
The site will be similar in form and function as the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative
website (funderscollaborative.org.) In addition to web pages describing the vision,
partners, projects, and meeting materials, the site will be a place to host project work
products and to highlight accomplishments, lessons learned, and upcoming events through
a blog, news feed, and calendar.
The website is being developed by Marketing that Matters and funded by the Saint Paul
Foundation with Living Cities grant funds. It builds off of a Communications Plan
developed by Marketing that Matters and informed by Corridors of Opportunity Senior
Staff members.
Look for the launch announcement in your emails in early October! We welcome your
feedback.
Page 76
Update on the Fair Housing Equity Assessment
September 2012
A core component of our region’s HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant
(SCRPG) is to incorporate equity and fair housing analysis into regional planning. The Fair
Housing Equity Assessment is the instrument devised by HUD to undertake this work.
FHEA is described as having three components or phases:
- Data Analysis: Select indicators to evaluate regional opportunity and access; trends
analysis & mapping
- Deliberations: Involve region in dialogues on findings and engage in tough
conversations
- Decision-making: “Bridge” findings and deliberations to the implementation of regional
planning and use FHEA as a frame to inform strategy development, priority setting and
investments in regional and local planning and budgeting.
Strategy & Process
To date, we have convened a project steering committee representing a range of regional
interests and perspectives, including:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) at the University of Minnesota
Housing Preservation Project (on behalf of a larger group of regional housing advocates)
Alliance for Metropolitan Stability
The Access Group
Fair Housing Implementation Council (local entitlement jurisdictions)
This group has been meeting weekly since late June to map out our overall process and tee up
key questions and issues in setting our proposed FHEA scope and approach.
Progress on the 3 D’s:
Data Analysis: We have convened a Data and Mapping team which will lend expertise in
shaping the first “D” over the coming months from a broad range of regional partners. CURA’s
Jeff Matson will teach a graduate-level GIS seminar this fall (cross-listed in the Geography
Department and the Humphrey School) which will support our work.
Deliberations: We have had productive early conversations about creating an authentic and
inclusive strategy that aligns various communities, Corridors of Opportunity partners, the
Metropolitan Council, equity-focused initiatives and networks, and local governments in the
region. We will devote significant time and energy to adding greater definition to this
component of our work this fall and for deliberations to shape policy decision making in 2013
and beyond.
Decision-making: We have an exciting opportunity for the third “D” – Decision-making – as we
work to align our FHEA analysis and deliberations to inform regional planning. One of the first
opportunities to apply this is with the development of ThriveMSP, our long-range planning
guide, and the creation of regional systems and policy plans in 2013 and 2014. This will also
guide local comprehensive plans and consolidated plans required by HUD later this decade.
Prepared by Katie Hatt, Housing Policy Analyst: 651-602-1555 or [email protected]
Page 77
Share This:
Multi-Modal Innovation
and Sustainable Design
Date
Friday, September 21st
Time
7:30 a.m. Registration and Breakfast
8:00-9:30 a.m. Program
Location
Dorsey & Whitney
50 S 6th Street, 15th Floor-Minnesota Room
Minneapolis, MN 55402
(MapQuest Directions)
Credits
1.0 hour CRE and AICP applied for
More details at minnesota.uli.org
Commissioner Gabe Klein,
Chicago Department of
Transportation
Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT)
Commissioner Gabe Klein was appointed by Mayor Rahm
Emanuel in May 2011. Under Commissioner Klein, CDOT is
a customer-focused agency that is a national leader in
technology, multi-modal innovation and sustainable design
that consistently makes a positive impact on quality of life
for Chicago’s 2.6 million residents.
Commissioner Klein has previously worked in a number of
leadership roles in transportation, technology, consumer
services and consulting. He was Director of the Washington
D.C. Dept. of Transportation. Commissioner Klein
co-founded On The Fly, an electric vehicle vending
company that was one of the first multi-unit and multichannel street vending companies in the U.S. As Regional
Vice President for Zipcar, Commissioner Klein oversaw the
carsharing system in the D.C. region. Commissioner Klein
also held Director-level roles at ProfessionaLink, a national
technology-consultancy, where he led marketing and
business development efforts into Fortune 1000
Companies.
You won't want to miss this program!
Registration
fee
Credits
$45
$35 members
$10 students
1.0 hour of CRE/AICP credits applied for
Click here to register or call 1.800.321.5011
Event code 8117-1303
Bike
Maps
Transit
http://www.metrotransit.org/
or call 612-373-3333
Park
Ramp and surface parking available.
Learn more at minnesota.uli.org
Silver Level
BKV Group
Faegre Baker Daniels
Gray Plant Mooty
HGA
McGough Companies
Mortenson Construction
Real Estate Strategies
The Opus Group
Wells Fargo
Welsh Colliers
Westwood Professional Services
US Bank
Bronze Level
CBRE
Cuningham Group
Ehlers
HKGi
Kraus-Anderson Construction
Lander Group
Leo A. Daly
Leonard Street & Deinard
LHB
Lindquist & Vennum
McGrann Shea
RSP Architects
Ryan Companies US
SEH
Page 78
Smith Partners
Springsted
Become a sponsor.
Forward to a friend: click here.
If you wish to be removed from the ULI mailing list, please click here.
1025 Jefferson Street NW, Suite 500 Washington DC 20007
email marketing by Winding Oak
powered by emma
Page 79
2013 Corridors of Opportunity Meeting Schedule
Meeting
Date
Time
Senior Staff Coordinating Committee
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
January 23
12:30 – 2:30
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
February 27
12:30 – 2:30
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
March 27
12:30 – 2:30
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
April 24
12:30 – 2:30
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
May 22
12:30 – 2:30
Location
No meeting in June
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
July 24
12:30 – 2:30
No meeting in August
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
September 25
12:30 – 2:30
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
October 23
12:30 – 2:30
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
November 20*
12:30 – 2:30
TBD
TBD
Policy Board
December 18*
12:30 – 2:30
Policy Board – 4th Wednesday of the month from 12:30pm – 2:30pm. *Exceptions: November 20th,
scheduled because the 4th Wednesday is right before Thanksgiving and Chanukah; December 18th,
scheduled because the 4th Wednesday falls on Christmas.
Senior Staff Coordinating Committee –
McKnight Foundation
710 South Second Street, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Tel: 612-333-4220
Created 9/12/12
390 North Robert Street
Saint Paul, MN 55101
Tel: 651-602-1000
Wilder Foundation
451 Lexington Parkway North
Saint Paul, MN 55104
Tel: 651-280-2000
Page 80
Transit-Oriented-Development
Equitable TOD: Meeting the Needs of People & Places
Posted by Carmen Rojas on Aug 07, 2012
Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is a land use and transportation strategy that emphasizes place-based solutions to
connecting people to housing, transit, and other key services. While place-based strategies offer meaningful solutions,
they can overlook the range of needs of low-income residents. For example, transit lines are often planned without
considering the destinations of their core transit riders and new affordable housing projects rarely consider connections to
employment opportunities, fresh food, or other services. A people-based approach is a holistic plan for addressing the
needs of its residents, beyond the hard infrastructure. At Living Cities, we believe that a people-based strategy tied with a
place-based approach is necessary in order to improve access to economic opportunity for low-income people. (To learn
more about incorporating equity in TOD, check out an earlier post here.)
To further our thinking on this topic, we hosted a webinar led by Stephanie Pollack, Associate Director of Northeastern
University’s Kitty & Michael Dukakis Center. Stephanie is a leading national scholar on equitable TOD and recently
released a comprehensive analysis on equitable transit and TOD in the Boston area. During the webinar, she highlighted
the challenges in executing equitable TOD while highlighting examples from our cohort of TOD-grantees: Baltimore, the
Bay Area, Denver, Detroit, and the Twin Cities. As her research on tools and best practices develops, a number of
overarching themes emerged:
•
There is a difference between gentrification & displacement. It is important to understand these two concepts
separately. Gentrification is primarily characterized by increasing property values – a placed-based success.
Displacement is the involuntary movement of existing residents out of their neighborhood because of decreased
affordability – a people-based failure. Equitable TOD means achieving gentrification without displacement. Ideally, we
want the economic development success from place-based efforts paired with greater economic opportunity, such as
affordable housing and middle-skilled jobs for low-income residents.
•
There is a difference between opportunity & access. Economic opportunity for low-income people results from the
presence of affordable housing, businesses growth, effective public transit, and other important services, such as
schools and health facilities. Creating opportunity can be mistaken as a placed-based approach, particularly if the
desired “ends” include the number of housing units or new jobs created. On the other hand, access is focused on
people and their “means” to opportunity. Increased access means there are low or middle skilled jobs, workforce
training opportunities, and public transit options that take less than 90-minutes. While access is difficult to measure, it
is critical to creating a people-based approach to our work. Such a strategy is most effective when we consider: 1)
access to what, 2) access for whom, and 3) access by what mode of transportation. For example, attracting a new
major employer to locate within a community is a great opportunity, but whether low-income residents have access to
that employer’s jobs requires more work.
•
Clear & accessible data is the foundation of equitable outcomes. In her toolkit for equitable TOD, Stephanie
elevates data tools as a prerequisite for engagement in equitable approaches. Data can help communities shape
conversations geared towards social equity. For example, in order to determine where affordable housing is best
located, clear and accessible data will help build the case for developers, residents, funders, and government. Data
also enables clarity in other equitable TOD strategies such as: finance, housing, economic development, planning, and
transportation management tools. Good data must be readily available and digestible to all. At its best, data supports
equitable strategies like GreenTrip, a certification program for new development project that demonstrates the value of
alternative modes of transportation. For more information on the power of data, see a previous blog post.
The distinctions between gentrification vs. displacement and opportunity vs. access ensure that equitable TOD meets the
needs of people and places. The power of a clear narrative created by data helps integrate the needs of low incomeresidents into the TOD agenda. For more information on Stephanie Pollack’s research, click here to view the presentation
and here to watch the video.
Resources - A Toolkit for Equitable Transit-Oriented Development - Download Report (PDF, 1MB)
Page 81
http://www.livingcities.org/blog/?id=68
Page 82
Cultures & immigration beat: Business training expands to suburbs
Allie Shah, Star Tribune, August 28, 2012
For 19 years, the Neighborhood Development Center has been training people in poor
neighborhoods in Minneapolis and St. Paul how to start their own businesses.
About half of their clients are immigrants.
Now, the NDC is taking its program to the suburbs, home to a growing number of immigrants.
The idea behind the entrepreneur training program, explains Dean Sanberg, the NDC's
development director, is to teach the ins and outs of running a small business to people with
skills that could be leveraged into a successful business.
For example, a woman who braids hair out of her basement for her neighbors could open a
beauty shop.
"We train low-income entrepreneurs to be able to open up a business, support their families,
and in many cases, hire people," Sanberg said.
On Wednesday, 13 aspiring entrepreneurs originally from Somalia and now living in Eden
Prairie will graduate from the NDC's Entrepreneur Training program. It's the first suburban class
to graduate from the program.
Their ideas for businesses include day cares, computer repair stores, coffee shops, clothing
stores and restaurants.
"Most of them came in with the passion of wanting to continue their entrepreneurship skills,"
said Hussein Farah, who taught the students how to write a business plan and provided
personal coaching.
"Most either had their own businesses back in their native countries or their families owned
businesses," Farah said. "They just want to see if they can pursue that dream [here]."
It's too soon to know which of his students' business ideas may become real storefronts in Eden
Prairie, he said.
Since starting the entrepreneurship training program, the NDC has trained more than 4,000
people, and there are currently 525 businesses up and running, Sanberg said.
The NDC's next entrepreneur class will be held in Brooklyn Center, working with West African
immigrants.
http://www.startribune.com/local/167757155.html
Page 83
Working on the Railroad: Old Home Dairy site re-imagined
By Drew Kerr
Finance & Commerce
September 3, 2012
Cultural center, housing planned at Rondo property
Plans for a $17 million redevelopment of the Old Home Dairy property on the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit
line are beginning to come together.
The property, at 370 University Ave., occupies an entire block between Western Avenue and Virginia Street and
sits just south of a Central Corridor LRT station being built at the intersection of University and Western avenues.
The site is home to an Old Home Dairy processing facility that closed in 2008 and has since been left vacant.
Plans call for renovating the existing three-story, 30,000 square foot building and adding another 96,000 square
feet building with commercial space, a parking garage and 57 apartments on empty land on the east end of the
property.
The plans are being promoted by the Aurora St. Anthony Neighborhood Development Corp., which has an
agreement to purchase the property and earlier this year tapped Waite Park-based Sand Co. to help redevelop
the site.
Sand Co., which has offices in St. Paul, was also behind the redevelopment of the Minnesota Building, at 46
E. Fourth St. in downtown St. Paul, which was converted to a 137-unit apartment complex in 2010.
On Sept. 15, the development team will hold a “listening session” to get feedback on the plans, which also call for
an African American cultural and heritage center, and a dozen townhomes.
The Central Corridor Light Rail Transit line’s first traction-powered substation arrived in St. Paul on Thursday, Aug. 30. It is
one of 14 that will convert power from the grid for use on the LRT line. (Submitted photo)
Sand Co. CEO Jamie Thelen said the project remains in the “early stages,” and that work to secure financing
continues. Developers are seeking a low-income housing tax credit from the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency,
and a grant for transit-oriented development.
If funding is secured, construction could begin as early as next summer, Thelen said. The work would take about a
year to complete.
The Sept. 15 meeting will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Rondo Community Outreach Library, 461
Dale St. N. in St. Paul.
Page 84
Downtown Minneapolis is seen as drowning in a sea of parking lots
Minneapolis will evaluate at least 140 parking lots, which officials say stunt area's growth.
By: Maya Rao
Star Tribune
July 24, 2012
This surface parking lot at S. 2nd Street is one of many on 5th Avenue S. in downtown Minneapolis facing a new city review.
The fences, shrubs and trees that line the sidewalk on 5th Avenue S. do little to hide the vast parking lots that Chris
Keimig considers blemishes on downtown Minneapolis.
The asphalt is so abundant that the St. Paul English teacher has made a hobby out of snapping photos of the
frequently deserted parking lots and posting them on his new blog, "Empty Lots," along with catalogues of other
missed opportunities in urban planning.
Now city planners are considering how to transform the lots into the kind of dense, urban development needed to
meet the city's aim of doubling the downtown population over the next decade.
Minneapolis recently won a $43,250 grant from the Met Council to examine the large surface parking lots near the
Metrodome light-rail station. In its grant application, the city described them as the most prominent barrier to building
up the area.
"These are all prime development sites, and we are seeing no movement on them," said downtown city planner Beth
Elliott, who wrote Minneapolis' grant proposal.
A city map shows at least 140 surface parking lots scattered around downtown, from the Metrodome to the
Mississippi to Nicollet Mall, where cars aren't even allowed. Many of them offer parking as cheap as $6 a day. Some,
including lots owned by the Star Tribune, take up entire blocks. One lot on S. 2nd Street, near the waterfront, takes
up two.
Wildflowers and other greenery lining the sidewalk hardly spruce up the drab vista from the Central Library entrance
on Nicollet Mall, where visitors see surface parking lots on two sides of the building and two parking ramps nearby.
The surface lots are half empty by the end of the workday.
The parking lots multiplied after World War II, when Minneapolis and other American cities pursued policies hostile to
urban development and friendly to suburbanization, said Tom Fisher, dean of the College of Design at University of
Minnesota.
Many of downtown's buildings were torn down to make way for parking, he said, noting the Nicollet Hotel was razed
two decades ago for one of the parking lots next to the library.
And as Minneapolis struggled to compete with the suburbs that were stealing its population, the city also began
requiring parking minimums in 1963 for new development.
The city since has taken some steps to tame the spread of parking lots. In 1999, Minneapolis barred new commercial
parking lots downtown. In 2009, it eliminated minimum parking requirements for buildings in the downtown zoning
district.
Still, on 5th Avenue in particular, "it's a sea of parking lots," Downtown Council President Mark Stenglein said. "It's
like you're floating among parking lots."
Will stadium trigger growth?
Several managers of downtown lots say the business actually isn't so lucrative -- and the whole point is to wait for a
developer to come along with an attractive offer.
Page 85
"It's obvious that kind of property is not the highest and best use," said Doug Swanson, chief financial officer and vice
president of Benson Parking Service Inc., which operates six downtown surface lots. "There's no doubt about it -they're eyesores."
Some anticipate that the planned Vikings stadium will spark new construction on the lots to better connect the
Downtown East area with the more vibrant areas to the west. At least a dozen square blocks with substantial surface
parking, including Star Tribune-owned property, sit near the stadium.
City leaders do not want to make the same mistakes they did with the Metrodome, said Fisher, who is also cochairman of the stadium implementation committee.
"We absolutely cannot have just big asphalt surface parking lots around the new stadium or we will have failed," said
Fisher, suggesting they find a more creative, urban way to allow tailgating.
In Minneapolis and around the country, he said, land values downtown are increasing as more people move in, and
"a lot of these surface lots are in kind of a holding pattern as land prices go up and demand increases."
Part of the problem is that it is far cheaper to build parking on the ground.
A 2003 report by Transit for Livable Communities titled "The Myth of Free Parking" citing Minneapolis planners said
one surface parking unit costs $3,000, an above-ground parking garage space costs $15,000 and an underground
parking unit costs $27,000.
The study noted that free or abundant parking discourages people from carpooling and using public transit.
Today, the rate of commuting to work using public transit is 15 percent in Minneapolis, ahead of Portland, Atlanta and
Los Angeles, but behind Seattle, Baltimore and Pittsburgh, according to a census survey.
What the city might do
The city wants more people using public transportation, however, and has high hopes for the area around the
Metrodome/Downtown East light-rail station.
The city's master plan for Downtown East and the North Loop calls for a so-called "complete community" at the lightrail station, promoting the reduction of car dependency and restoring a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood of houses,
offices, shops and parks.
The area around the station currently lacks major destinations other than the Metrodome, Elliott wrote in her proposal
to the Met Council.
Even with the Mill District to the north and offices to the west, both "feel miles away due to the inhospitable uses a
pedestrian is forced to walk past."
The grant will pay for the city to hire a consultant to examine alternate tax structures -- parking lots are currently taxed
at a more favorable rate than built-up property -- and come up with a list of development strategies for a report due
out in 2013. The consultant will also study how other cities around the country have addressed surface parking.
'Not a good place to walk'
Keimig, 28, a Maryland native, noticed the abundance of parking soon after moving to Minneapolis in 2009 to attend
graduate school at the University of Minnesota.
Downtown "is supposed to be the densest, most vibrant area of our city, and when you insert these large ... parking
lots you diminish that vibrancy," Keimig said.
"A lot of people I know here come from outside the Twin Cities, and we've all sort of had this similar experience
where we're traveling a certain distance, it's maybe far, but not too far, where we say, 'If we were in New York, we
would walk this, or if we were in D.C., we would walk this,' but there's a very subtle thing from a planning perspective
that sort of communicates to you that this is not a good place to walk," Keimig said.
As more high-end apartments spring up downtown, Keimig questions whether the city can meet its goal of doubling
the area's population to 70,000 by 2025 without making better use of its parking lots.
"They're asking people to pay a premium for housing, much less housing that you can get not just in the suburbs, but
in Uptown and Northeast right across the bridge, and you're not really providing a built environment," he said.
http://www.startribune.com/local/minneapolis/163640936.html?page=all&prepage=1&c=y#continue
Page 86
Planners take stock of housing along Southwest LRT
By: Drew Kerr
Finance & Commerce
July 18, 2012
At left: The Excelsior & Grand apartment complex in St. Louis Park is just north of a planned
station area for the Southwest Light Rail Transit line. (File photo: Bill Klotz)
Just who lives along the proposed Southwest Light Rail Transit line?
Community leaders are looking to answer the question as they set out to complete a housing
inventory of the area surrounding the planned 15-mile LRT line between downtown Minneapolis
and Eden Prairie.
Bids for the analysis – which will also look at demographics such as age and income – are being
accepted through July 25, and a consultant to complete the study will be selected in August. The
$25,000 study, funded by a Metropolitan Council grant, should be finished within two months of the
contract award, according to a request for proposal put out this month by Hennepin County.
Officials working to develop the Southwest LRT– which remains in the early planning stages – say the inventory is needed to establish
baseline housing data, set goals and come up with strategies that could encourage a diversity of housing options along the corridor.
“We’ve been having a lot of really good, robust conversations about housing, but we realized that if we wanted to take these
discussions to the next level we needed to know what exists empirically, not just anecdotally,” said Tara Beard, the community
development director in Hopkins and a member of the Southwest LRT Community Works committee.
The inventory will focus on a two-mile area surrounding the line, where planners hope to concentrate residential and commercial
development if or when the $1.2 billion transit line is built.
In some cities along the corridor, such as St. Louis Park, that will mean looking at nearly the entire community. In places such as Edina,
where there are no planned transit stations, it means looking at small slivers where there may be little opportunity for additional
housing.
The Southwest LRT has been largely promoted as a link to large employment centers, such as UnitedHealth Group’s growing campus
in Eden Prairie, but officials say there also is potential for new housing to be built along the corridor.
“Jobs are a big component of the southwest corridor, but anywhere there are jobs there are opportunities for more housing,” said Cathy
Bennett, who works on Southwest LRT housing issues on behalf of the Urban Land Institute of Minnesota. “We want to make those
connections seamless.”
While the opportunities for single-family homes are limited, officials in several communities along the proposed route say high-density,
multifamily housing could be ideally suited for the transit line.
The larger question is how cities can align such housing with community goals, particularly affordable housing.
“We really want housing that will serve a full range of incomes – not just the lower end or the higher end,” said Michele Schnitker, the
housing supervisor in St. Louis Park. “This survey is just the first part of trying to eventually create some strategies that encourage that
kind of mixed-income approach.”
In Hopkins, where 65 percent of housing units are rental properties, officials say more family housing, with three to five bedrooms, is
needed.
After the inventory is done, officials plan to talk about strategies to meet such housing goals. Tax-increment financing, grants and
zoning changes could be used to encourage housing development along the corridor.
And while housing construction has slowed in recent years, officials say they are encouraged more proposals will come forward.
“The idea is to show developers what could be there, and to let them take off with their own imaginations,” said Kathy Nelson, a city
council member in Eden Prairie who sits on the Southwest LRT’s Community Works committee.
Bennett, of the Urban Land Institute, said she didn’t expect communities to compete for housing, but to instead work together on
strategies that encourage development along the entire line.
“There’s always a bit of competition, but I don’t think that’s a big concern in this case,” she said. “This group has a shared
understanding that if one community is successful, all will be successful.”
Page 87

Corridors of Opportunity Policy Board Agenda and Packet for

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