Our Goals - Corridors of Opportunity

Our Goals: To enhance the region’s economic competitiveness we will:
1) Improve the economic prospects of low-income people and low-wealth communities
2) Promote high quality development near existing assets (e.g. employment centers,
transit-ways, and commercial and industrial corridors)
3) Advance a 21st century transportation system
Our Charge: Members of the Partnership for Regional Opportunity will:
1. Advance implementation of the vision and goals.
2. Be willing to undertake systems redesign, finding opportunities to align the
organization’s programs, policies, and resources to implement the vision and goals.
3. Use partnership meetings to advance accountability for goals and transparency.
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. Embed implementation activities from the workgroups.
Partnership for Regional Opportunity
Wednesday, May 28th, 2014
12:30 – 2:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Council Chambers
Meeting Agenda
1. Call to Order
12:30 – 12:35
2. Consent
a. Approve the minutes from March 17th, 2014 and April 30th, 2014
meetings (p. )
12:35 – 12:40
3. Workforce & Job Creation Strategies Advancing Equity
a. Hennepin County Workforce Leadership Council (David Hough,
County Administrator, Hennepin County)
b. Twin Cities Construction Consortium (Louis King, President &
CEO, Summit OIC)
c. East Metro Job Creation initiative (Jan Jordet, Director of
Business Consulting and Financing, MEDA & Mike LaFave, Vice
President & Chief Operating Officer, NDC)
d. Ramsey County – Internal Actions to Enhance Prosperity (Jim
McDonough, Commissioner, Ramsey County)
12:40 – 1:50
Goals: Share new approaches to inspire action and collaboration; discuss
possible barriers and opportunities to address them.
4. 2014 legislative and program developments
a. Economic Development (Robin Sternberg, Deputy Commissioner,
DEED)
b. Housing (Mary Tingerthal, Commissioner, Minnesota Housing)
c. Transportation & Parks (Sue Haigh, Chair, Metropolitan Council)
1:50 – 2:10
Goal: Discuss how these outcomes impact future strategy and
opportunities.
5. Verbal Updates
a. Central Corridor Anchor Partnership (Jonathan Sage-Martinson,
Director, Central Corridor Funders Collaborative)
2:10 – 2:25
6. Written Updates
a. Articles
2:25 – 2:30
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
“St. Paul Foundation puts $2.1 million toward job creation,”
Saint Paul Pioneer Press. May 5, 2014.
“Western U Plaza: How Community Engagement and
Funder Alignment are Creating Catalytic Transit Oriented
Development.” Family Housing Fund. April 2014.
“The Big Picture Project: Aligning Housing Plans along
Central Corridor – Progress Report 2014,” Twin Cities LISC
“Target Field Station is the latest transit milestone,”
Minneapolis Star Tribune, May 16, 2014.
“$1.5 million challenge seeks to boost life along Green
Line,” Saint Paul Pioneer Press. May 8, 2014.
**NO MEETING IN JUNE**
NEXT PARTNERSHIP FOR REGIONAL OPPORTUNITY MEETING

JULY 23, 2014: 12:30 – 2:30 PM. McKnight Foundation
Present:
Corridors of Opportunity Policy Board
10:30a-12:30p on March 17th, 2014
The Wilder Foundation- Conference Room
Meeting Notes
Chair Susan Haigh, Metropolitan Council; Peter Frosch-Greater MSP; Julia Silvis-McKinsey, Commissioner Mary
Tingerthal- MN Housing, , Ann Mulholland-St. Paul Foundation, Mihailo “Mike” Temali-President and CEO
Neighborhood Development Center, Chris Ferguson-Business Resource Collaborative; Commissioner Peter
McLaughlin-Hennepin County, Repa Mekha-Nexus Community Partners, Commissioner Jim McDonough-Ramsey
County, Caren Dewar-Urban Land Institute/Regional Council of Mayors, Laurie McGinnis-Center for
Transportation Studies, Jay Cowles-Itasca Project, Andriana Abariotes-Twin Cities LISC, Jonathan Sage-MartinsonCentral Corridor Funders Collaborative, Brian Lamb-General Manager, Metro Transit, Sandra Oakes-Chief
Manager & President, Twin Cities Community Land Bank; Paul Williams-Deputy Mayor City of Saint Paul,
Elizabeth Ryan-VP, Family Housing Fund
Absent:
Lee Sheehy-McKnight Foundation, Betsy Hodges-Mayor of Minneapolis, Charlie Zelle-MNDOT; Colleen CareyThe Cornerstone Group, Mayor Debbie Goettel-City of Richfield, Jim Roth-Metropolitan Consortium of
Community Developers; Louis King-President & CEO Summit Academy OIC; Commissioner Katie Clark SiebenDEED, Mayor Hamann-Roland-Apple Valley, Michael Langley-CEO, Greater-MSP Langley, Yvonne Chueng HoPresident & CEO of Meda
Also Present:
Mary-Kay Bailey, The Saint Paul Foundation; Gilbert Achay, Center for Prevention Blue Cross Blue Shield; James
Staples, Renewable NRG Partners, Cathy Polasky, City of Minneapolis PED; Mark Vanderschaaf, Metropolitan
Council; Guy Peterson, Metropolitan Council; Pat Born, Metropolitan Council; Cecil Bedor, City of Saint Paul;
Gary Leavitt, City of St. Paul; Ellen Shelton, Wilder Research; Kira Dahlk, Lukeworks, LLC; Beth Reetz,
Metropolitan Council; Libby Starling, Metropolitan Council; Tony Tian, Ramsey County; Mary Karic, Ramsey
County; Carrie Jo Sort, The Saint Paul Foundation, Lynne Bly, MNDOT-Metro Dist.; Jaqueline King, FRB
Minneapolis; Amy McCullod, Twin Cities LISC; Ryan O’Conner, Ramsey County; Susan Schmidt, The Trust for
Public Land; Todd Graham, Metropolitan Council; Barls Gumus-Dawes, Metropolitan Council; James Wilkinson,
Mid MN Legal Aid, Dan Olson, Jim Erkel, MCEDX, Kirsten Elverum, Hopkins, D’Angelos Svenkeson, Allison
Bell, Metropolitan Council, Daniel Banks, City of Minneapolis; Neeraj Mehta, CURA; Kimberly Hoempel-Metro
Transit SPO; Sarah Hernandez, McKnight Foundation; Margaret Kaplan, MN Housing, Karen Lyons, Metropolitan
Council, Claudia Fuentes, Metropolitan Council
TOD Work group Update:
Lamb - Over 30 members – public, private, nonprofit shaped our work plan at the first meeting. TOD Office at
Metro Transit – Allison Bell is manager, hired a TOD Director – offer accepted. A seasoned professional Lucy
Gailbreight from Austin, TX who serves in a similar role now. April 28th will be her initial date. Hiring Dev’t
Manager
Transportation Funding Update:
Ann Mulholland – pass around Move MN, 200 members strong, chambers across state, small business groups, rally
last Thursday lots of energy. Wed at 10am House hearing bill. Next week there will be a hearing in the Senate. It
has legs, doubt from unsessino year, but Move MN has high energy and lots of conversation about solving this
problem. Optimistic and hopeful!
Shared Prosperity work group Update
– Julia Silvis from Itasca Project to talk about regional success measures.
Regional indicators – There is a general consensus that indicators are important tools and lots of groups across
region already use them. What matters is what should get measured. How to enhance conversation – how are we
making progress, how can we tell that the region is changing, and use indicators to create consensus and create
action. Here are some of our initial questions. (see power point)
Our Goal is to create shared objective metrics on how the region is doing. Shared, not replacing other good efforts,
but draw learning from them and understand which of these focus on useful measures across region – super=set of
indicators.
We have started thinking about criteria we’ll be using to select individual metrics / indicators. Should it be;
Comprehensive, full regional picture? Dashboard – not too long. Benchmarked against peer regions. TOD may be
measured here and not other places. Clearly and consistently communicated – will take a lot of work. Equity
embedded within whole dashboard – figuring that out now. Is it a section, or does every section include it?
Endorsed by orgs region wide.
-
2 examples of other regions. San Diego – regional econ dev’t org. Compact – 4 categories, 5 things in
each. Demo, talent, econ, quality of life. “Story oriented”
Within our work group – we talked about are we trying to tell a story, or are we trying to have a comprehensive
view? Short-hand – both red and green on dashboard to reflect our assets, but also our challenges.
London example. More comprehensive, both red and green. Sustainable dev’t – within that fit in results,
responsibilities, resources, respect. Traditional measuers – business survival, for example
Important piece to solidify where conversations can coalesce. Track progress, set of indicators would be useful.
NARC proposal, etc.
Global best practice.
Process overview – it is important to get input from many stakeholders. Leadership, technical and again leadership
balance. First phase of leadership -= consensus building, what would people want to see in indicators; technical
phase – exact metrics, how pulled together and communicated. Then back to leadership and asking how this looks,
get input, refine it. Tech and leadership don’t go away at any point. Key reason for engagement is moving us along
3-step process. Coordinate to get to shared priorities and collective action.
Who will be engaged? – prioritize to reach critical people. Who are the end users of the dashboard, those who have
regional indicators in their work initiatives? Others who may use it, others beyond this set of people.
Timing – March now, trying to converge and understand needs and objectives of project. Who should be involved?
What is the market for the product? Align around categories. Over the summer, looking more specifically at
specific metrics, how reported, measured, communicated. How to roll out communication of dashboard? By end of
year have a good vetted dashboard that has involved people.
Project Team
Our project team will be back at future PRO meetings to get more input. Asking for input on who to talk to, how
process feels like it’s going, asking for help on communicating dashboard to broader community.
Questions
McDonough – Engage with other work groups on equity in our RECE work group. Dashboard – tool for us to use.
Issue I would raise re equity is data. Regional Benchmark – some pockets are green or overall list is green, but it is
red for many. Work group willing to take subsets of benchmarks demographically, perhaps. Help drive where we
can make strategic investments.
Silvis – great example. This issue has come up in our discussions. Our average looks very good. But if you dig
slightly deeper, there are real gaps. Unemployment as example – regionally low, but worst disparities between
whites and people of color. We are figuring out how to figure that in. Report overall measure?, then gaps between
racial groups? Counties? How to measure that consistently?
McDonough – Have the conversation. Regional benchmarks, how much effort can we put into subset to have these
conversations?
Haigh – RCAPs and FHEA from Met Council – we have a lot of that work done. To be able to set some
benchmarks, but use what we’ve identified in the data and use this work.
Ferguson – dashboard as marketing tool on one end, at other you identify what you want to work on. Very different
things. Don’t always want to show what you’re working on to your competition. We might have external view and
internal view.
Tingerthal – encourage to look at the state dashboard. This task is way harder than it looks. Timeline was striking –
topics to indicators. There was considerable iteration with state dashboard. Having to prioritize to 30 or 40
indicators is really hard. We found. Margaret Kelly at mmb. Talk to her about their experience . Used as internal
tool today, but there is a website where key measures for each indicators gets updated and tracked. Important info is
shared. Living and breathing tool for folks responsible for indicators can go in and use. To the extent that some of
same indicators on this dashboard, hope that we can use the same indicator/measure.
Jonathan – Looks terrific, great group of people. What happens after this is pulled together, where it lives, who
keeps it updated?
Silvis – part of that answer will depend on who the audience is and what is on the dashboard. As we envisioned, it
would live in central place, but linked to or embedded in multiple other organizations. Need to figure that out –
someone has to own it. It is an open question right now. We would also want to figure out if you link, do you
endorse? Is it a tool? Communication flow management.
Haigh – other issue is what are the best practices for implementing agencies to use it? Public and private sector –
this is as important as what it looks like and who maintains it. Collaboration .
Mekha – as each of the work groups do their work, that they hold question of how they deliver on goals and
outcomes, but how our systems are changing as well. Ways to do business differently. Where it lives, how its’
practiced, commitment of other agencies to this. How do change and practice and policy get measured?
Dewar – indicators for us? Or what we want to communicate outside? And Brookings work on econ disparities?
We didn’t appear on the list. Purpose was the reasons for econ disparity are different for each place – Seattle, San
Francisco, etc. I was thinking we’re being measured against very different communities. She will share. Move MN
list – cities and counties? Mulholland – put on a separate list
Frosch – marketing vs. toolkit. Tool to accelerate consensus and where we need to improve as a region, and
motivate across sectors. This came out of GREATER MSP strategic planning. Probably not on our website – use it
as a tool. Data in telling our story is very targeted. Utility of dashboard is somewhat questionable. This is about
how are we doing.
TEmali – how are dashboards used nationally? Are there State health departments doing this? Some were Worried
about national reactions to results. But instead it was a call to action.
Silvis – one thing come up is question around how much of actual distinction there is between marketing and
internal tool. Practical point – searchable on the web. Value in being honest about what our struggles are. Assets as
marketing, but will be sniffed out If only positive.
Cautious about how we pull those apart
Mekha – important to track and communicate progress, but if everything starts nice, no work to be done. Lessons
learned and steps taken – extremely important to communicate sense of commitment of the region to these.
Ferguson – dashboard challenge or change we can have an impact. Trailing indicators will have us lag. We need to
look at some leading indicators. Education for example, time out of school or something.
Abariotes –challenges is disparities and deficit model. How to frame quality of life in our very rich communities of
color as positive aspects of our region? Not just the disparities and challenges in them.
Haigh – other focus of this work group is urban competitiveness strategy. Can you update us on that? Saw great
timeline – where are we at?
Frosch – first meeting of that group this afternoon.
Regional Equity work group update:
McDonough – started in December. Work Group helped all residents in region, those of color, equal opportunities
for success and prosperity. Position us as a region.
Went to Baltimore last week – Jonathan, Mark, Russ Adams on RECE, TOD work group rep (Maurice Roers).
Opportunities for technical assistance and work with other regions and see where they are. We are doing well.
Other regions can’t use the word equity. Have to find new words for conversation. Appreciate that we have tables
with open and honest conversation about this. Also, help clarify for me some of the work I need to do. Great
opportunity for me to mature in my role as county commissioner. Equity is not social program. Other regions
having to revert to social program argument. We will lose that battle if we argue that way. It’s a vision for our
shared prosperity for future. Repa and I and work group our job to help position that within our region, and make
sure TOD and Shared Prosperity and Transportation Funding are able to do that.
Mekha – work group met last month and nailed down strategies. Organize into 3 sub-groups – 1. Begin to collect
equity best practices and models. A lot of work happening out there and want to capture it. Organizations trying to
find their way and need tools and resources. Lift up what’s working and provide tools, dashboards, methods and
practical ways to advance work. Large goal is promoting value proposition of equity. Build on CoO integrated
goals of equity and econ competitiveness. Engage with public sector, and private sector. This constitutes 2 subgroups.
Touch on first goal of best practices with this group. Challenge is broad and multi-leveled with this, create
sufficient volume to create some change and impact. Greatest impact possible to build on ground work. Broad
continuum – some have heard of it but don’t know what it is. Early discussions of regional equity think they know
what it means, don’t know if applies to them; committing but not sure what to do; implementing and want additional
tools. Broad landscape of where this group could focus. Don’t have extended time. What makes the most sense to
focus this work group? Interms of audience. IN terms of where we’re at as a region.
Haigh – Met Council spend time trying to understand equity issue. Spending time in first 2 columns. This past
January had workshop with Council and staff leaders – wish we would have done that 2 years ago. Helped advance
and accelerate us – shared definition and value set. One comment – being able to identify resources and challenges.
Taking a day to learn about it together is worth it. There are some things that are critical for best practices and
resources.
Mulholland – we have spent a year and a half on journey around what racial equity means for our organization.
May Kao Hang learned what Wilder has been doing. We took that as a challenge for us to what we ought to be
doing. We have racial equity plan for community. Thinking of it holistically and as a tool – every role we play in
community. Funder, fundraise, what we buy as an org, board leadership , staff, etc. All hats. Have to think about
how we do things on all levels. This isn’t a “thing” it’s who we are. It’s on our website now. Not all flattering, but
need to hear it.
McDonough –how hard to work with board on this?
Mulholland – board and staff for last several years have been on IDI journey and trying to move along continuum.
Reality of work we have to do is harder. Vendor policy, for example. This framework would have been helpful
then. Could be helpful to work group.
McLaughlin – need to be on 4th column. Region-wide but our own institutions need to be the ones implementing.
Broad regional goals – think about what we’re going to do. What is community going to do? RCAPs- those are
neighborhoods. Think about working at that local level. What are the equity strategies o make the changes. Have
to build transit system at regional level – access and grow economy. Get positive engagement from communities –
have it a smaller scale.
Mekha – even at regional level, do you think there is capacity to operate fully at this 4 th column, or would we find
that different local geographies along continuum?
McLaughlin – tricky part with larger institutions is how to provide guidance on what this equity stuff means, and get
to stuff neighborhoods and communities can really do? Need concrete things as opposed to broad theoretical.
Lamb – encouraged to think that some are far enough along to think and act at 4 th column. Need the other 3 to have
leader with followers. Education thing – keeping dialogue going. Regional to neighborhood – how can you build a
plan re: how you get the dialogue. How to start building tools, for those who haven’t thought about it before.
Building bridges between 1 through 4 would help my organization. We’re out in community quite a bit, working on
practical stuff – help that dialogue to what can we do together.
Mekha – where are we for this year then
Lamb – 2 and 3 is sweet spot.
Haigh – when focused on implementation strategies, there’s huge conflict. Deciding on resources – difficult, never
enough resources. Many tensions on the right investment strategy. Need good clear language and thought on how
to resolve those tensions.
McLaughlin – that is the deal. It’s about how money flows and demonstrating we know how to navigate the
tensions that go beyond status quo. By end of year, some places where we’ve navigated that. Advancing beyond
notion of equity to examples.
McDonough – Jobs ,housing, tension, racial concentration of poverty. Contained our population, then created no
opportunity for those parts. Tensino is how do we create accses to that opportunity? But also allow connection to
rest of region. Opportunities within communities, and have access and be part of larger region. This is tension in
itself. How do you make that work.
FHEA:
One of our 5 outcomes – all policies will reflect equity. Housing, transportation, regional parks. Also feedback
from partners.
Turn it over to Libby and Beth.
Beth - Assessment – just wrapping it up. New name – Choice Place and Opportunity. Initiated as direct
requirement of HUD Sustainable Communities grant. 180 plus page report. High level overview.
Assessment – regional scale. 10 sections. Not a plan. Plans are yet to come. This is the assessment piece. Outlines
disparities, poverty and racial trends, place-based aspects, specifically housing, HUD asked us to identify RCAPs.
Measure opportunity and who has access. Connections by policy. Partners doing.
Key point to underscore – RCAPs unlike high poverty areas in region. 1990 – 86 census tracts where poverty level
185%. Increased to 106 in 2007-2011.
RCAPs – both concentrated poverty and 50% residents of color. 31 in 1990, 80 in 2007-2011.
Starling - How RCAPs formed –Policy level. What are drivers of rise in RCAPs? Federal and local aff hsg policies
– reinforcing patterns. Steering, lending, screening, etc. Limiting where low-income residents can live. Particularly
people of color. discrimination.
McLaughlin - Restrictive covenants legally restricted? 1968 – Jay Wilkinson.
Barriers to housing choice – even high income households of color significantly more likely to live in RCAPs.
Detrimental effects of living in RCAPs. Differential effect continues into higher income households.
Trying to map opportunity – vary by place; different in diff parts of region. Green cluster are areas of proximity to
jobs social services, lower performing schools, more pollutants and crimw. Yellow is moderate access. Blue cluster
– lower prox to employmen and social services, balanced by higher schools, lower crime and pollutants.
RCAPs are in green and yellow clusters. Different households different priorities. i.e. families with school age
children. Goal to make sure opportunity to live in all of these depending on preference.
Barriers to hosuing choice – slide with arrows
Identified public policies that get to place-based aspecs of opportunity. Aff hosuign location, fair hosuing
enforcement – differential treatment, transit as means to reaching employment and other, comm. And econ dev’t investment in green line, St. Paul Port Authority to attract jobs, etc.
Many conversations happening today – current policy conversations slide
Dorothy Day center, alignment (stops for us, Bottineau, north mpls on SW, etc). Current conversation on affordable
conversation where investment should be occurring, Analysis of impediments to Fair Housing
Questions about presentation?
McDonough – thanks for all the work on this.
Haigh – what we’re doing at Met Council – fundamental to embedding in next 30 years of planning, and inform our
policy plans. Livable Communities, transit resources, water resources. Will have long-term impact. Change in how
we engage as we make decisions –get involved earlier in decision-making, making decisions with people. Role as
employer and procurer of services, make sure we are making right investments . Ongoing cultural competency
throughout organization.
Need help from broader community to convene with cities, school districts, - - what are our strategies? Focus on
regional and local level – choices and solutions. Identify where gaps are. Asked partners to join us in identifying
work they’re doing. But not just a report, but that we are well aware of efforts going on and leverage those and
work together.
McDonough – Ramsey County. Glad we’re having this conversation. Lots of tension. Include everyone at table –
choice place and opportunity. Work we’re doing for last year on econ prosperity with our board internally. What
we can do with cities. Largest areas of poverty is in our county. Part of those strategic conversations about those
investments. Tension re billion dollar investment, what is responsibility of cities along line, for example, with Peter
Bell? What is the role to allow for choice and access to opportunity. Those conversations – investments,
connection to jobs, housing, quality of life. Different strategies across region. Visual – not the same shoe, it’s he
shoe that fits. (equality vs equity). Make sure we support those choices and opportunity.
McLaughlin – applaud change in focus from fair hosuing to choice, place and opportunity. Theory of change
question – not quite as clear in my mind; underinvestment historically in these RCAP areas by both public and
private sector. Private sector investment is actually starting to be attracted to these areas. To raise peoples’ income
– how do you do that? Allow poepl eot live in toher places, make connections to jobs from where people are.
Harlem worked even with racial segregation, but it caeased to be the case. Real dilemma about gentrification,
impact on community, what community really wants. Role of raditional landing places, like Frogtown and CedarRiverside. Textured notion of that is needed. What kind of communities do we really desire? Choice and
opportunity is what this is about.
Other investments we make. Council, County, Cities. Parks, libraries, water resourcse. Need to be tough-minded
about equitable distribution. That’s where we need to push.
Kaplan – MN Housing – engaged in process and trakcing it. How to use as tool to better inform our decisions.
How housing relates to all the other issues and investments in region and state. Issues in metro are distinct from
Greater MN. Challenge in communication in our processes. May look like opposing approaches, but are tailored
approaches. Investment decisions - with equity in mind. Metro area – LIHTC. Recent analysis using cluster
analysis – to look at not just where investing, but also what kind of investment in different parts of region. New
production of family housing is in suburban blue zone. One bedroom units tend to be balanced across region –
hosuign preferences and housing opportunities. Framework re: affirmatively furthering fair housing. Need to have
housing choices in geographies across region – real choices free from discrimination, and need info necessary to
make informed choices. Specifi and targeted approaches we’re working on - we get dwarfed in bigger market.
Mortgage lending as example. Vast differences between treatment of white and families of color. Invest in program
to encourage lending for families of color. In process of developing this. Robust public engagement and bringin
concept paper back. Lending and counseling are 2 aspects of it.
Another program is small pilot looking at connection between highly mobile children and school performance.
Partnered with Dept of Education working on figuring out stabilizing families for period of time and impact on
children. Work with preexisting efforts who have relationship s with family. NOrthside Achievement Zone, for
example.
Finally, how we can all be working collectively at addressing lack of resources and non-monetary solutions we work
on together. We don’t have enough resourcse, sohow to grow pie. We care about equity but don’ have money so
walk away. So what are levers in local communities and in our systems re: what else we can be doing not related to
money.
Questions, comments.
Mulholland – notion of changing outcomes for individuals . Why is I always my people who need to move says Paul
Williams. Children in schools who are kids of color have same outcomes at differing performing schools. Is
solution tohave kid go to Woodbury school and then see they have same outcome? Or fix Maxfield Elementary?
Family center in school ,housing support, education support, adult supports for parents, etc. Those are the important
questions. Infrastructure is critical, but that child isn’t going to do a lot better in Maxfield or Woodbury. That
family probably wants to be near their church and grocery stores with culturally fitting foods. Lifting up people in
their community. Lifting up those individuals. The right investments. Need different approach than we have
today. Need to shift how we invest , not necessarily how much.
Haigh – how to go forward and have that conversation? Who will join with Met Council? Suggestions or ideas
about how to do that?
Abariotes – rying to use power of table how to weave together those conversations. Happening on multitude of
levels, neighborhoods, etc. How connection between conversations with this table. Surface all the ways we’re
having these conversations. Lots in audience engaged, too.
Announcements
Chris Ferguson – Business Resources Collab – prepare, retain, grow. Much work left to be done. Midway Chamber
econ dev’t summit. What will it take to bring more jobs to corridor. Encourage all to attend.
Repa Mekha – event on March 26th Anchoring Equity event. Presentation and panel. Holds up models and practices
that advance equity, and challenge on how to move forward. Conversation focus on asset and tap into it.
Sage-Martinson – April 26th filmmaking – spread word about films that highlight our region
Mekha – inspired by conversation today, focus on equity. Challenge us re: practices Met Council taking on. It is
still the case that decision-making tables are not diverse. As we talk about change and benefits – it is right goal to
ensure that all benefit, but also that decision-makers reflect those who decisions are benefitting. That power exists
in our organizations.
We can then demonstrate very clearly our commitment to equity.
Partnership for Regional Opportunity
12:30pm-2:30pm on April 30, 2014
McKnight Foundation – Board Room
Meeting Notes
Present:
Lee Sheehy, McKnight Foundation; Susan Haigh, Metropolitan Council; Mary Tingerthal, MN Housing;
Ann Mulholland, St. Paul Foundation; Mihailo “Mike” Temali, Neighborhood Development Center;
Chris Ferguson, Business Resource Collaborative; Peter McLaughlin. Hennepin County; Repa Mekha,
Nexus Community Partners; Laurie McGinnis, U of M - Center for Transportation Studies; Jay Cowles,
Itasca Project; Paul Williams, PPL; Elizabeth Ryan, Family Housing Fund; Mayor Debbie Goettel, City
of Richfield, Jim Roth, Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers; Louis King, Summit
Academy OIC; Mayor Hamann-Roland, Apple Valley; Cathy Bennett, ULI (for Caren Dewar); John
Stiles, Chief of Staff Minneapolis (for Betsy Hodges-Mayor of Minneapolis); Jan Jordet for (Yvonne
Chueng Ho-President & CEO of MEDA); Shelley Poticha, NRDC; Andriana Abariotes, Twin Cities
LISC; Brian Lamb, Metro Transit
Absent:
Charlie Zelle, MNDOT; Colleen Carey, The Cornerstone Group; Commissioner Katie Clark SiebenDEED, Michael Langley, Greater-MSP; Jim McDonough-Ramsey County; Caren Dewar, Urban Land
Institute/Regional Council of Mayors, Jonathan Sage-Martinson, Central Corridor Funders Collaborative,
Sandra Oakes, Twin Cities Community Land Bank;
Also Present:
Cecil Bedor, City of Saint Paul; Susan Schmidt, The Trust for Public Land; Todd Graham, Met Council;
Ellen Shelton, Wilder Research; Karen Lyons, Met Council; Mark VanderSchaaf, Met Council; Guy
Peterson, Met Council; Pat Born, Met Council; Beth Reetz, Met Council; Carrie Jo Short, The Saint Paul
Foundation; Catherine Cox Blair, NRDC; Allison Bell, Met Council; Harry Melander, Met Council;
D’Angelos Svenkeson, Met Council; Tawanna Black, Northside Funders Group; Jessica Paquin, Ramsey
County; Michelle Fure, Met Council; Lucy Galbraith, Metro Transit; Tony Tian, Ramsey County; Kathy
Bodmer, City of Apple Valley; John Dolphin, TCC Land Bank; Aasim Shabazz; Gary Leavitt, City of St.
Paul TOD Manager; Janet Guthrie, Ramsey County; Kathryn Hansen, Metro Transit; LaShella, Micah;
Nancy Homans, City of St. Paul; Shawntera Hardy, Fresh Energy; Tim Thompson, Housing Preservation
Project; William Schroeer, East Metro Strong; Julia Silvas, Itasca; Russ Adams, AMS; Ned Moore,
MCNO; Lynne Bly, MNDOT-Metro Dist.;
Call to Order:
Chair Sheehy called the meeting of the Partnership for Regional Opportunity (PRO) to order at 12:37p.m.
What’s next for US metros and Minneapolis-Saint Paul – reflections from the Federal Livability
Partnership and moving forward - Shelley Poticha, Director, Urban Solutions Program, Natural
Resources Defense Council (and former director of the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities
at the Department of Housing and Urban Development)
Resources Defense Council (and former director of the Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities
at the Department of Housing and Urban Development)
Poticha discussed the new program set up for sustainable communities and noted that it was harder to get
a Sustainable Communities Grant than it is to get into Harvard University. She stated they were able to
invest in 145 places in the US and when the numbers were tallied it touched one in three Americans.
Poticha discussed the reason that she is here. She noted this was an opportunity to bring together the
environmental movement and community development world into a course for cities. She stated that she’s
been asked set up a new program called Urban Solutions which is intended to be helpful for communities
like this region bringing technical assistance, transit oriented development, equitable development, and
environmentally responsible development. Their idea is to bring their resources around transportation,
neighborhood revitalization, infrastructure, etc. to the systems.
Poticha stated they’ve been asked by a series of foundations to help sister organizations with reconnecting
America and merge them with NRDC to help them develop tools to achieve plans of HUD grant
recipients. She stated they are here to assess how they can be most helpful. They have the ability to
engage and support if it’s useful.
Poticha discussed the Federal Livability Partnership and the HUD Sustainability Program as people have
asked their status. She stated her successor will be moving forward and continuing this work. She noted
that the work needs to be done in a very creative way as they will not see the appropriations like we’ve
seen in the past. She stated they are renaming the office: Office of Economic Resilience.
Sheehy asked Poticha to comment on the Map 21 New Starts policy. She responded that before she even
went into Federal Government, she’d been urging the Federal Transit Administration and the Department
of Housing and Urban Development to actually talk to each other and the remedial training done the first
few years. She discussed concerns raised about new start guidelines in place previously that left out
economic development. An inter-agency group formed to write new New Starts policies. She noted that it
is not perfect – still need to find ways to help transit community partner with other agencies to look
beyond transit implications.
Poticha discussed data to understand who is living near transit when proposals are made and noted that
now there are a different set of data requirements when applications are made. She feels this region is
very well positioned because we’ve been talking about this for so long. An investment in transit is an
investment in the community – this is key.
McLaughlin asked if there has been work on business development both for community businesses but
also for larger business. Poticha stated there are many more places in the country that focus on this. There
are metrics in the research criteria that connect transit to jobs. McLaughlin asked for examples of who is
doing this. Poticha named a few including Washington DC and Denver.
Ryan asked about measuring housing plus transportation being affordability. Poticha discussed a tool
used when she was at HUD that was a federally sponsored housing/transportation data base. Ryan asked
if she had seen regions/cities apply this as a measure to drive policy. Poticha gave examples of the Bay
area, Seattle (part of the Transportation Policy Plan) also a priority tool for sighing housing. She noted
that Atlanta is look at it and Boston has used it.
Partnership for Regional Opportunity – work group updates and discussion:
- Regional Equity and Community Engagement – Repa Mekha, Nexus Community Partners
Mekha gave an update on work – looking for a crisp definition of equity. Efforts are to balance the work
that is already being done. Guiding principles for 2014 include: 1) being focused, 2) enhance ongoing
work within the region, 3) create a workplan that delivers short and long-term wins.
Mekha discussed the Equity Tool Kit (outlined in materials provided) that is practical and can be easily
used. He discussed resources used and goals established that look at best practices. Priority is to respond
to local demands and gather good local examples of work in play.
Mekha discussed two groups that are engaging public/private sectors around equity. He discussed the next
stages of work – what would motivate/engage private sector more; and how to connect to private sectors.
Williams discussed Itasca’s work around disparities and stated they would be great to work with.
Haigh – there is a lot of good private sector work being done concurrently on this path. She asked about
the equity guide book stage of the discussion – how do you apply criteria and have discussions at a policy
making level. She would like the workgroup to give more thought to this.
Mekha discussed the challenge of having access to good information and best practices to application and
then how do you put them into play. Also discussed the question of who/how will it be
housed/maintained? He acknowledged the key part of the work with private section is the connector.
Haman-Roland suggested looking at the work done with Green Steps Cities with the League of MN
Cities.
Ferguson discussed cost avoidance piece of having great equity policies. It ultimately comes down to
price.
Temali – discussed new customers are emerging markets. He discussed business perspective of emerging
markets with products, customer service and equitable work force hiring policy.
King questioned the definition of equity. Mekha stated that there are multiple definitions and agreed that
it needs to be more concise.
King discussed the Wikipedia definition and stated it’s about money. Everybody is talking about tool kits,
definitions, etc. He stated that we have to push and lead by example. The largest employer in MN is the
State of MN. When are we going to talk about money?
Mekha stated the clearer we are about equity, the easier it will be to do it. The challenge is to provide
tools to show them how to do it. He stated that at some point we want to be able to ask – is it happening
here. The challenge is, as a subcommittee, it’s a one year commitment.
Michele Fure, Met Council Staff – discussed the Choice, Place and Opportunity Report and a two part
approach. First we need to identify what investments might be in play to reduce disparity in the region.
Next she discussed creating a place for partners to talk about how to work together and create a plan of
action. She noted they are still talking about who those partners may be – in different parts of the region.
Fure stated the ultimate goal is to reduce disparity but also to help build wealth where it has not existed
before. Finally she discussed the next steps including creating the plan the will have all of the right
partners in the right places of the region (will happen soon) and then to established what the timeline will
look like.
King commended Fure on this work. He gave examples of how this can be done and talked about
mentoring folks. He discussed the need for more really effective things and not just the “good things.”
Tingerthal asked about timing – the last draft was circulated a while ago. Fure stated the idea is to bring in
the right partners (this year) to discuss this. The goal will then be set and we’ll see where the discussion
takes us. She discussed investments made and their expectations.
Haigh asked of the status of the report. Beth Reetz, Director Livable Communities stated that the Choice,
Place and Opportunity Report has been adopted by the Council and sent to HUD.
Tingerthal asked where we have dialogue on where investments should go. She noted that opinions vary.
King stated that you have to have those discussions everywhere at once.
Haman-Roland commented - don’t believe that wealthy neighborhoods don’t have a huge concentration
of poverty.
Haigh agreed with King and discussed the first step is following Choice Place and Opportunity.
Williams agreed and felt it’s important to track the numbers. Where are the concentrations of poverty –
how have they changed. This helps us to know how we are doing. He stated that process matters – the fact
that the Met Council now has a different way of practicing outreach on community planning matters. He
also noted that Tingerthal’s approach to asking the north-side community ‘why don’t you use our
programs as much’ is a change in process that matters. He also stated that some of what the committee is
talking about is process change that matters. So we need to track the numbers and at the same time we
need to keep pushing for best practices and investments that in fact that start to drive changes in those
numbers.
Mekha commented on the sensitivity about reports coming out and standing as silo reports on different
parts of work. He emphasized that we could continue to do separate reports. We need to be intentional
about bridging.
Jan Jordet, MEDA Senior Director Consulting and Financing Services stated that process does matter.
She discussed great minds meeting with same elements but no action. She discussed the Met Council’s
recent change in policy on payment. Currently on a three year project the contractor who does good work
with a good product and is done in year one has a retainer that is held for two more years. This is their
profit money. The Met Council is changing the process for future projects that will make the prime carry
the cash flow burden and the contractor can get paid in a timely manner.
- Transportation Funding Update – Ann Mulholland, Minnesota Philanthropy Partners
Mulholland discussed Move MN that has happened this Legislative session. She discussed the formal
campaign formed. We have a real lobbying team and a real lead lobbyist. We have grass roots organizing
happening and a huge, broad coalition that has been built to support a comprehensive sustainable
transportation package for MN. She noted they are on Facebook and encouraged all to ‘like’ Move
Minnesota. She discussed ads out there and great ground work being done. She noted they still need ‘big
business’ onboard. She discussed efficiencies but stated that inefficiencies will not fix it. We need to
raise more money to double this campaign. She discussed the good news – this issue is being elevated at
the Legislature that this needs to be the top issue in 2015.
Sheehy complimented Mulholland’s work and those working with her.
Tingerthal asked – do you know how it will play in campaigns in the upcoming election. Mulholland feels
it will play differently in every campaign.
McLaughlin discussed bonding items for transportation and transit that are active now that will help this
along.
TOD Work Group Update: - Brian Lamb, Metropolitan Council
Lamb stated that the TOD Workgroup has met and focused on the work plan. He discussed their focus on
the plan’s transit related improvements and how they overlay with racially concentrated areas of poverty
and where do they represent real opportunities.
Lamb discussed the TOD office which is taking place and introduced Lucy Galbraith the new TOD
Manager.
Shared Prosperity Work Group Update and Discussion – Lee Sheehy, McKnight Foundation
Sheehy reported on Shared Prosperity Workgroup and the regional success measures. He asked the group
for input on what five categories should be measured and passed out a form (also, page 31 of the packet).
He discussed the indicators outlined on pages 29-30 of the packet.
Mekha discussed a test done last Friday to see where categories were identified and other indicators fell
under those top 5 ‘headings’. Tingerthal underscored the importance of this exercise.
Haigh discussed identifying spatial differences in indicators and asked members to think about spatial
areas that need extra attention in addition to the five categories. Mekha agreed and stated this is why he
talked about integration.
Williams encouraged folks to find 2-3 divergent groups to look at this. He asked how it relates to the
Compass effort. Sheehy stated this was not intended to duplicate Compass. He noted that Compass does
show trend lines.
Sheehy stated part of the question is communications – tend to be more singular than as a dashboard. He
discussed the regional set of measurements.
Cowles discussed when Compass was created. Compass was born at a time when we were not prepared to
handle it properly. His take away is to look at how we’ve grown.
Verbal Updates
- Corridor of Opportunity – Final Evaluation Findings - Ellen Shelton, Wilder Research
Shelton discussed the final evaluation findings and reviewed the report summary provided. She
recognized the group that formed the evaluation group and discussed the purpose of the evaluation.
Shelton discussed the data sources and highlights of the development indicators. She noted that there will
be a 70 page report coming out next week. She discussed short-term outcomes including: TOD projects,
small business assistance, a stronger financing system for equitable TOD, integrated planning on
Southwest LRT corridor, community engagement, other project outcomes and leveraged funding.
Shelton discussed systems change and also changes likely to be durable.
Shelton discussed the long-term impact: will low-income people better off in the longer term?
Shelton discussed the learnings – barriers and challenges and factors contributing to positive results. She
reviewed the overall lessons learned and conclusions and recommendations. She ended with implications
for continuing efforts.
McLaughlin discussed tracking indicators – asked what is happening to people who are there – are they
able to stay and also talked about businesses.
Shelton talked about existing data sets – would require additional survey work of individuals affected.
Bennett discussed census data that could be utilized.
Written Updates
Sheehy shared listed articles can be found in the handouts.
Announcements
McGinnis gave update of the upcoming 25th Annual CTS Transportation Research Conference coming up
on May 21-22 at the Saint Paul River Center.
Progress report, at Central Corridor level is coming.
Next Meeting: May 28, 2014: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Metropolitan Council Chambers
Adjourned 2:30 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Sandi Dingle
Program Technical Specialist
http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_25701120/st-paul-foundation-puts-2-1-million-toward
St. Paul Foundation puts $2.1 million toward job creation
By Frederick Melo [email protected] TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
Posted:Sun May 04 23:01:00 MDT 2014
TwinCities.com
When the U.S. job sector contracted a pinch between 2000 and 2011, St. Paul's hit the skids. The nation
lost 2.2 percent of its employment during that time, the Twin Cities shed 2.3 percent and St. Paul
hemorrhaged 13.4 percent.
Those job losses have led to some sleepless nights for city officials and the philanthropic community.
Eager to reverse the trend, the St. Paul Foundation is putting $2.1 million toward creating jobs in St. Paul
and the east metro.
The new East Metro Job Creation Loan Fund will fund low-interest loans administered by two nonprofit
organizations â the St. Paul-based Neighborhood Development Center and the Metropolitan Economic
Development Association in Minneapolis.
The organizations are expected to lend cash to business start-ups throughout the east metro and bolster
expansions. With an eye on well-documented racial disparities in employment, loans will be targeted to
businesses that create jobs for low-income residents and people of color.
A loan to an existing small business might help buy new equipment to expand production or provide
access to working capital.
The Neighborhood Development Center has been active along University Avenue and the Central
Corridor light-rail line -- to be known as the Green Line -- helping businesses through the lengthy
construction process with technical assistance. Now that construction is done, the goal is to move on to
business expansion.
"The name of the fund really says it all," said Jan Jordet, senior director of the Metropolitan Economic
Development Association. "It's job creation. We want to lend to businesses that currently do not have
access to traditional financing and businesses that are in growth mode to add jobs. It would be wonderful,
though it's not a requirement, if they intend to hire east metro residents."
The Metropolitan Economic Development Association, which has been assisting minority-owned
contractors working on the new Minnesota Vikings stadium in Minneapolis with capital loans, has been
helping minority business owners with economic development for 43 years. "About half of our clients are
from the east metro area," Jordet said.
In addition to a $1 million loan to each organization, the nonprofit groups each will receive a $300,000
grant to train staff, provide technical assistance to small businesses and fund loan-loss reserves.
"Entrepreneurs of color have traditionally not had equal access to financing, and all the studies show that,"
Jordet said.
The St. Paul Foundation worked with the F.R. Bigelow Foundation, the Katherine B. Andersen Fund and
the Northwest Area Foundation to create the loan fund.
Page 1 of 2
May 21, 2014 08:04:38AM MDT
http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_25701120/st-paul-foundation-puts-2-1-million-toward
Currently, the Neighborhood Development Center's average loan is $20,000. With new capital from the
loan fund, it will be able to offer loans up to $50,000. The Metropolitan Economic Development
Association has experience with larger loans, currently averaging $102,000, which will increase to a
maximum of $150,000 as a result of the loan program.
Frederick Melo can be reached at 651-228-2172. Follow him at twitter.com/FrederickMelo.
ON THE WEB
For more information on the loan programs, go online to ndc-mn.org for the Neighborhood Development
Center; and to meda.net for the Metropolitan Economic Development Association.
Page 2 of 2
May 21, 2014 08:04:38AM MDT
PROGRESS REPORT 2014
Twin Cities LISC
“
After working diligently and thoughtfully to create 10-year goals
for long-term affordable housing and helping current residents
stay in their homes, this next chapter will require all of us involved
in the Big Picture Project to monitor progress toward these goals
and continuously innovate in how we achieve them.
—Jonathan Sage-Martinson, Director, Central Corridor Funders Collaborative
“
Large-scale change comes from learning together,
coordinating across boundaries, and working for
collective impact rather than operating in isolation.
—Central Corridor Funders Collaborative 2012 Annual Report
Dear friends of the
Big Picture Project
{
The Central Corridor affordable housing
coordinated plan, established in 2012, helps
align public and private investments, and
mobilize all sectors behind strategies and
tools that strengthen affordable housing
along the corridor. Key to the plan’s success
are collaboration, new and existing financial
resources, and supportive public policies.
Two years ago the Big Picture Project rolled out a coordinated plan to create
and preserve opportunities for affordable housing along an 11-mile stretch
of the Central Corridor. Our intention was to enhance the corridor by
providing great places to live, new opportunities, and better access to local
and regional destinations and jobs.
We had three core objectives:
OBJECTIVE I Invest in the production and preservation of long-term
affordable housing.
OBJECTIVE II Stabilize the neighborhood and invest in activities that help
low-income people stay in their homes.
OBJECTIVE III Strengthen families through coordinated investments.
By tracking key indicators over the past few years, we’ve recorded how
change is happening along the corridor. These indicators will inform us about
any mid-course adjustments that need to be made. Over the next seven years
we hope to monitor progress to provide transparency—to each other as
partners, but also to the broader community. We’ll also highlight key initiatives
that demonstrate what’s happening on the ground, while ensuring that equity,
economic stability, culture, and community remain assets of transit-oriented
development along the Central Corridor.
This is a 10-year journey we’ve all embarked on, but we already have much
to celebrate—as this report shows—and further to go. Thank you for your
partnership in creating communities of choice and opportunity. And thanks
to the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative for its continuing support.
Co-Chairs, Big Picture Project Oversight Team
St. Paul Council Member Russ Stark
Minneapolis Council Member Cam Gordon
Thanks to the Big Picture Oversight
Team Members
Staffing
Co-Chair Russ Stark, Saint Park City Councilmember, Ward 1
Co-Chair Cam Gordon, Minneapolis City Councilmember, Ward 2
Al Carlson, Saint Paul Department of Planning and Economic Development
Amy Geisler, Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development
Margo Geffen, Hennepin County Community Works
Kerri Pearce Ruch, Hennepin County Community Works
Denise Beigbeder, Ramsey County HRA
Margaret Kaplan, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
Beth Reetz, Metropolitan Council
Elizabeth Ryan, Family Housing Fund
Eric Muschler, McKnight Foundation
Judy Jandro, Twin Cities Community Land Bank
Amy McCullough, Twin Cities LISC
Vicki Shipley, U.S. Bank
Lance Smith, Wells Fargo
Jonathan Sage-Martinson, Central Corridor Funders Collaborative
Barbara McCormick, Project for Pride in Living
Brenda Bailey, Model Cities
Tim Thompson, Housing Preservation Project
Karen Inman, District Councils Collaborative
Kate Hess Pace, Isaiah/Healthy Corridor for All
Bill Lerman, Jewish Community Action/Community Agreements Compact Committee
Veronica Burt, Preserve and Benefit Historic Rondo
Gordon Goodwin, consultant (MAP for Nonprofits)
Walter Cox, consultant (MAP for Nonprofits)
Gretchen Nicholls, Twin Cities LISC
Kate Speed, Twin Cities LISC
How are we doing?
While light rail service is scheduled to start in June 2014, a variety
of initiatives and investments are already in play that respond to the
Big Picture Project’s goals and recommendations.
Prospect Park 2020
U of M Environs
Prospect Park 2020 advances a transit-oriented development
vision embraced by the Prospect Park Neighborhood
Association. It engages community leaders business/land
owners, real estate developers, design professionals, and
advisors in health, finance, education, and economic and
social justice. Serving as a bridge among stakeholders,
Prospect Park 2020 guides redevelopment to align with
the community vision of sustainable, high density, mixedincome and mixed-use development that is rich with job
opportunities and amenities.
* This column is doubled in width to account for the volume of units.
Frogtown Rondo Home Fund
Contiguous with St. Paul Promise Neighborhoods Boundary
The Frogtown Rondo Home Fund collaborative coordinates a
housing conditions in the Frogtown and Rondo neighborhoo
focus on preserving and producing affordable housing. By al
St. Paul Promise Neighborhoods, and building on existing res
goals, the collaborative seeks to improve housing access and
Frogtown Rondo Home Fund and partners have already gene
million in support for their activities.
The key initiatives
Before the Train Report
Covers entire corridor
This 2012 report from HousingLink and Housing Preservation Project
provides baseline data to track changes in the Central Corridor’s rental
housing supply. Specifically, it documents the housing market where lower
income residents are most vulnerable to economic change—the private
unsubsidized rental market. Private unsubsidized rentals are where lower
income tenants are most at the mercy of rising land values and rents.
St. Paul Fair Lending Coalition–Grassroots
Organizing and Policy Response to Foreclosures
Summit-U/D8 and Frogtown/D7
In 2010, the St. Paul Fair Lending Coalition was organized in response to
the foreclosure crisis in several St. Paul neighborhoods. The coalition, which
includes Jewish Community Action, Summit University Planning Council,
Frogtown Neighborhood Association, and ISAIAH, developed an outreach/
education plan to help residents deal with foreclosure challenges and to
nurture community leaders to help direct those efforts. The coalition is
also working to advance a set of city policies on mediation and responsible
banking, which hold banks more accountable and helps prevent additional
foreclosures.
High Impact Project “Accelerator”
From Hamline to Rice Street Stations
A $13 million package of predevelopment loans, grants, and other
financing supports were assembled by Twin Cities LISC to accelerate mixeduse projects that are regional examples of catalytic, equitable, transit-oriented
development. The Accelerator focuses on strengthening the market on the
east end of the Central Corridor/Green Line, encouraging private investment
and maximizing community benefits. Priority sites include: Western U Plaza,
Hamline Station, Central Exchange/Brownstone, NE corner of Dale and
University, and the Saxon Ford site.
Central Corridor HECUA internships
Union Park and Frogtown
Two summer internships were dedicated to building stronger connections
between the Big Picture Project and the work of the District Councils along
the Central Corridor. In 2012, an intern joined the Frogtown Neighborhood
Association/D7 to help facilitate the creation of the Frogtown Rondo Home
Fund, and to document historic properties in the area. In 2013, an intern
joined Union Park Community Council to survey residents on their housing
preferences, including affordable housing.
and improves
ods, with a special
ligning with the
sident-voiced
d equity. The
erated over $3.2
Preserve Frogtown
Midway East
Led by Historic Saint Paul and the Frogtown Neighborhood Association/D7,
Preserve Frogtown develops and implements preservation strategies that
help stabilize the Frogtown community and improve residents’ lives. This
work will improve structures and blocks that enhance the neighborhood’s
unique cultural and architectural heritage, that improve and retain affordable
housing, and that leverage investment in community projects.
The BPP Dashboard
5,000
4,000
Objective l
Invest in the production
and preservation of long-term
affordable housing.
The Big Picture Project will monitor and report progress on the Central
Corridor Affordable Housing Coordinated Plan through a dashboard of
Units
change indicators that track4,500
outcomes,
not inputs.*
1,960
1,879
Additional
Units
To reach
Stretch
Goal
3,000
2,000
by 2020
STRETCH GOAL
2,540
338
5,000
1,738
1,960
1,879
Additional
Units
3,000
Goal
To reach
Stretch
Goal
Actuals
2,000
2,540
545
338
0
STRETCH GOAL
2011 START DATE
2,540 Units
by 2020
BASELINE GOAL
Pipeline
2,076
Units
completed
by 2013
1,738
1,000
0
Goal
}
}
Notes: Newly constructed and preserved
units are officially counted at finance closing.
In 2009 and 2010 the cities of Minneapolis
and Saint Paul invested in 1,132 new or
preserved long-term (subsidized) affordable
units along the Central Corridor. To reach the
expanded goal of 4,500 new or preserved
units by 2020, private and public resources
must be identified for 346 units per year for
the next seven years.
2,076
Units
completed 4,500 Units
by 2013
by 2020
1,000
4,000
2,540 Units
by 2020
BASELINE GOAL
Reaching the Expanded
Goal
Pipeline
545
Pipeline refers to active development
projects that are still seeking financing.
2011 START DATE
Actuals
Comparing new market rate to affordable housing units: 2011–2013*
5,000
4,000
3,000
7.4%
of new
units are
subsidized
affordable
2,000
5,000
1,000
4,000
4,199
0
3,000
Market Rate
Stabilize the neighborhood
and invest in activities that
help low-income people stay
in their homes.
1,000
0
1
6
338
1
2
4
5
7For every
8 1 subsized
9 affordable
10 unit11
12
added to the Corridor housing stock
12 market rate units were added.
7.4%
1
1
Tracking Activities that Help Low and6Moderate-Income
7
8
People Stay in Their
Homes
338
Market Rate
Affordable
Total January 2011–December 2013
600
3
*Does not include preserved affordable units. Long-term affordability
at 60% AMI.
Affordable
of new
units are
subsidized
affordable
2,000
Objective lI
For every 1 subsized affordable unit
added to the Corridor housing stock
12 market rate units were added.
4,199
2
3
4
5
9
10
11
12
*Does not include preserved affordable units. Long-term affordability
at 60% AMI.
1200
Goal to reach by 2020
1000
598
1573
800
500
600
400
400
402
535
200
300
320
303
0
Total Households Served
200
150
100
51
0
120
99
Mortgage
Foreclosure
Assistance
25
57
Home
Improvement
Loans
First-Lien
Mortgage Loan
Impact Fund
Mortgage Loan
Redevelop Vacant
and Foreclosed
Properties
Notes: The corridor is on-track to meet the overall goal of 1,573 households served. That goal is
made up of several different programs and services, each with their own goal for service. Some
have reached their goal (mortgage foreclosure assistance) while others have not.
Contact for Data Analysis
Acknowledgements for data sources
Jane E. Tigan
Researcher, Wilder Research
[email protected]
651-280-2663
Haila Maze, City of Minneapolis
Sarah Zorn, City of Saint Paul
Jessica Deegan, Minnesota Housing Finance Agency
Josh Dye, Housing Link Rental Review
Jason Peterson, Community
Neighborhood Housing Services
Karen Duggleby, Home Ownership
Center of Minnesota
Jake Reilly, City of Saint Paul
All data in this annual report was compiled by Wilder Research. Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2008–12
Objective III
Tracking Change in Median Assessed Value for Single Family Homes
Strengthen Families through
coordinated investments
$150,000
2011—$147,200
2012—$131,200
$1,500
$100,000
13% decrease
across the Corridor compared to a
$1,200
City of St. Paul decrease of about 12%
2013—$128,500
$900
Notes: A decrease in property values is consistent with the
$600 recovery. Increased taxes as the result of higher
slow economic
property values
$300 are often cited as concerns for gentrification.
Declining assessments of single family homes along the light
0
rail line mean homeowners
are less likely to see property tax
Central Corridor Aggregate
pressure from increased assessments. Property taxes may
2011
2012
2013 assessments.
increase for other reasons,
separate
from
$50,000
0
Central Corridor Aggregate
2011
2012
2013
The
ratio of very
low
Tracking
Change
in Median
Rental Rates for Available Two-Bedroom Housing Units
income residents are
higher along the
Central Corridor than
across the region.
33% $1,500
$150,000
$1,200
$100,000
45%$900
0%
10
20 $300
30 40
50
60
70
80
Notes: This change likely reflects the increase in luxury
apartments located in downtown Minneapolis, and new student
housing located near the University of Minnesota. The project
will continue to track these changes to see if this is a blip or a
10% 18%
11%
21%
longer-term
trend.
90 100%
0
0
Minneapolis/St. Paul Aggregate
Central Corridor Aggregate
Central Corridor Aggregate
2011
15% 2013
2012
28%
11%
19%
Aggregate
8%
10% Central Corridor
12%
16% 2011
2012
31%
29%
26%
15%
8%
10%
15%
12%
14%
2013
23%
26%
30%
10%
14%
19%
28%
12%
70%
15%
28%
15%
15%
31%
29%
23%
25%
25%
29%
21%
21%
10% 18%
26%
Less than $10,000
18%
11%
21%
$10,000–$29,999
Income Levels
26%
UMN/
Midway
Midway
Downtown
23% Midway
25%
30%
29%
12%29%14% 26%
10% 18%
11%
26%
16% 8%
26%
West
Central30%
St. Paul Less than $10,000
East 29% 21%
15% Environs
26%
21%
18%
16% 14%
8%
12%
10% 18%
11%
$10,000–$29,999
23%
21%
16% 21%
25%
Downtown 26%
10%19%
Minneapolis
31%
11%
10%33%
19% 26% 31% 12%
11%
15%
15%
11%
16%
11%
18%
16%
26%Across
12% the
Income 11%
Levels
Corridor
by Sub Area8%
(2008–2012)
21%
16%
31%
10% 33%
12%
14%
80%
26%
24% increase across the Corridor compared to
a Minneapolis–St. Paul increase of about 17%
$600
$50,000
28%
Third Quarter 2011—$1,225
Third Quarter 2012—$1,400
Third Quarter 2013—$1,400
29%
$30,000–$49,999
$50,000–$99,999
Less
Morethan
than$10,000
$100,000
21%
18%
26%
21%
16%
33%
$10,000–$29,999
26%
$30,000–$49,999
30%
29%
23%
26%
UMN/
Midway 29%
Midway
Midway
25%Downtown
Less than $10,000
$30,000–$49,999
26%
$50,000–$99,999
26% West
12%
Downtown
UMN/ 21%
Midway
Midway
Downtown
Central
St. Midw
Paul ay
15%Environs
East
21%
18%
30%
29%
62% of corridor
households earn less than
16%
33%
$10,000–$29,999
26%
Less
than
$10,000
50%
$50,000–$99,999
More
than
$100,000 for
Minneapolis
Environs
West
Central
St.
Paul
East
60%
AMI
($49,380/year
family of four).
2%
1%
1%
26%
12%
$30,000–$49,999
21%
18%
American
Indian
21%
16%
$10,000–$29,999
More
than $100,000
ay
Downtown 33%
UMN/
Midway
Midway
Downtown
Midw
3%
6%
Changes
in
income
levels
will
be tracked
2
%
40%
7%
14%
14%
8%
$50,000–$99,999
Asian
$30,000–$49,999
Minneapolis
Environs
West
Central1%
St.
Paul
East
26%
over the time period of 2011–2020.
21%
29%
Downtown
UMN/
Midway
Midway
Downtown
Midway
More than $100,000
Black
23%
$50,000–$99,999
30%
19%
Minneapolis
Environs
West
Central
East
2% St. Paul
18%
2%
1%
1
%
Other Race
4%
American
More
than Indian
$100,000
4%
28%
60%
Downtown
19%
26%
Minneapolis
20%
7%
64%
2%
3% 1%
6%
63%
3%
82%
2%
70%
3% 2%
8%
Racial/Ethnic14%
Mix7%Across the Corridor
by Sub Area
(2008–2012)
1%
326%
%
6%
21%
2% 29%
14%
8%
2%
1%
14%
39%
26%
1%
18%
ay
63%
1%
4Asian
% 1%
Two or More
Races
American
Indian
14%
White
Asian
Black
1%
21%1%
Racial/Ethnic
Mix
29%
19%
American
Indian
2%
Downtown
UMN/ 6%
Midway
Midway
Downtown
Black
Midw
23%
Other Race
4% 3 % 4%
19%
2
%
7%
%
14%
14%
8%
2%0%3%
1%
1% East
Asian
Environs
West
Central 4% 226%
St. Paul18%
63%
Other Race
64%
1%
82%
70% 1%
American
Indian
63% Minneapolis
4% 1%
Two or More
Races
3% 2%
21%
4%
29%
2%
3%
6%
7%
Black
63%
3% 1%
82%
70%39%
23%64%14%
14%
8% 2%
4%
1%
Two or More Races
Asian
3% 2%
White
19%63%
26%
2%
2%
18%
1%
21%
29%
39%
Minneapolis/St. Paul Aggregate
Central Corridor 4Aggregate
Other Race White
%
Black
4%
23%
ay
Downtown
UMN/ 19%
Midway
Midway
Downtown
Midw
63%
3% 1%
64%
82%
70% 2%
18%
63%
4% 1%
Two or More Races
% UMN/
3% 2West
Downtown
Midway
Midway
DowntownOther Race
Minneapolis
Environs
Central
St. Midw
Paul ay
2%
East
4%
4%
39%
42%Two
of households
are people of color.
White
63%
3% 1%
64%
70%
West
Central
St. Paul
East
63% Minneapolis 82% Environs
4% 1%
or More
Races
10%23% 2%
3% 2%
Downtown
UMN/
Midway
Minneapolis
Environs
West
Downtown
UMN/
Midway
Minneapolis
Environs
West
2%
Midway
Central
Are Households Able to Afford Housing
in the Corridor?
80%
Midway
Central
39%
Midway
East
Midway
East
Changes
Whitein race and ethnicity will be tracked
over the time period of 2011–2020.
Downtown
St. Paul
Downtown
St. Paul
Share of Households with Income Under $30,000
Cost burdened households pay more than
30% of their income on housing costs.
The ratio of very low
income residents are
higher along the
Central Corridor than
across the region.
70%
60%
33%
50%
45%
40%
30%
0%
20%
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Minneapolis/St. Paul Aggregate
10%
Central Corridor Aggregate
0%
Downtown
Minneapolis
UMN/
Environs
Cost Burdened—All Households
Midway
West
Midway
Central
Midway
East
Cost Burdened—Low-Income Renters
80%
Downtown
St. Paul
80
90 100%
Moving forward
Progress is underway! The Central Corridor/Green Line transit stations
are complete, new construction and preservation projects are evolving, and
everywhere you look there are visible changes along University Avenue.
The place is definitely poised to prosper, but are the residents?
Two years after Big Picture Project partners outlined its strategies to foster
opportunity throughout the Central Corridor, the momentum behind our goals
is clear. But will it be enough to ensure access to opportunities for all?
In the coming year, key to our success will be
neighborhood-specific
strategies that offer greater focus on where affordable housing options
are needed, and policy options that strengthen our regional toolkit to
preserve and create affordable housing. From booming downtown development spurred by new sports stadiums to the prospects surrounding the
University and Creative Enterprise Zone, from the sleeping giant of Midway
to the eclectic cultural communities that stretch to the State Capital—each
section of this transitway corridor offers unique challenges and opportunities.
Of key interest are the
emerging large-scale opportunity sites
of the Bus Barn/Midway Arcade megablock, and the Prospect North district.
These efforts are working to create mixed-income, mixed-use destinations that
showcase innovations that strengthen equitable transit-oriented development
for our region and the 21st century.
Get ready! The train is coming!!
“
The opportunity to provide affordable housing along the Central Corridor is so important to the
people we serve. We haven’t broken ground, have done no advertising, and I already have 20 names
of people interested in housing! The whole effort means even more, knowing our efforts are part
of a larger plan and deeper commitment from both cities and many others to provide high-quality,
transit-oriented rental housing
Barbara McCormick, Director of Housing, Project for Pride in Living
“
The vision is strong but partners must consider what trade-offs they make to achieve
the vision. Change will occur, shaping it will require holding onto the vision and managing
the trade-offs inherent in competing goals within the plan.
Eric Muschler, Program Officer, McKnight Foundation
“
For the Big Picture Project to be truly successful the communities along the Green Line
need to be fully engaged in all areas. Their input is crucial if success is defined as the
people who live and work in the area benefitting from the work.
Bill Lerman, Jewish Community Action, Community Agreements Compact Committee
The Big Picture Project has been endorsed by:
For more information please visit:
•
•
•
•
•
www.funderscollaborative.org/partners/
affordable-housing
Corridors of Opportunity Policy Board
Minneapolis
Central Corridor Funders Collaborative
City of Lakes
City of St. Paul Housing Redevelopment
Authority (HRA)
Twin Cities LISC
Housing Preservation Project (HPP)
The Big Picture Project is hosted by the Cities of
Minneapolis and Saint Paul and Twin Cities LISC, and
supported by the Central Corridor Funders Collaborative.
or contact:
Gretchen Nicholls, Program Officer
Twin Cities LISC • 651-265-2280
[email protected]
Target Field Station is the latest transit milestone | Star Tribune
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Target Field Station is the latest transit milestone
Article by: EDITORIAL BOARD , Star Tribune
Updated: May 16, 2014 - 6:30 PM
To realize its potential, Southwest and Bottineau light rail are needed.
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Despite not opening until June 14, there’s already significant
commercial development along the Green Line (Central Corridor)
light-rail route, the Metropolitan Council reported Wednesday. Not
counted among those projects, but perhaps most notable, is Target
http://www.startribune.com/opinion/editorials/259601271.html[5/21/2014 9:08:23 AM]
Target Field Station
“We’ve been on a 10-yearjourney. Now we’re moving
from a single line of LRT [light-
What do Minnesota hospitals have to hide?
Someone living in the basement? Make sure it's
safe
Target Field Station is the latest transit milestone | Star Tribune
Field Station, which has its grand opening on Saturday.
Civic, business and political leaders will attend, as well as thousands
headed to Target Field for the Twins game. No worries on crowd
control, however. The station is designed for big crowds not just on
game days, but on workdays, as well.
The bookend to the refurbished Union Depot in St. Paul, Target Field
Station is designed for multimodal purposes. Bikes already glide by
on the Cedar Lake Trail. Nearby buses will connect to downtown
and beyond. The Northstar commuter rail will stop there, and once
the Green Line opens and joins the Blue Line (also known as
Hiawatha), there will be about 470 daily departures or arrivals of
light-rail and commuter-rail trains.
Most of the station’s $85.2 million original budget will come from
multiple public sources, with about a third of the investment from the
federal government, 30 percent from Hennepin County, 20 percent
from the state, and the rest from municipal sources and the
Minnesota Ballpark Authority. There’s private funding, too. The
Minnesota Twins and United Properties are investing more than $3.6
million combined.
Expanded transit use creates environmental benefits. But Target
Field Station extends these benefits. Heat from the adjacent
Hennepin Energy Recovery Center (commonly called the garbage
burner) will melt snow on sidewalks and heat portions of some
nearby buildings. Cisterns will keep runoff from getting into the water
system and will be used to cool ash in the HERC, which will save
950,000 gallons of water a year.
rail transit] to a system where
we have two LRT lines, two
more in the works, a
commuter-rail line that feeds
into it as well. So we’re
actually maturing as a region
and moving to the creation of
the modern transit system and
this is the place where it all
comes together.”
PETER McLAUGHLIN,
Hennepin County
Commissioner
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expanded services for kids
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The station is meant to be used for more than transit. It’s also a
place to linger, before or after a Twins or a Timberwolves game, an
event at Target Center, or at any time. The station has a large video
board, green space, an amphitheater and retail.
It already is having a positive impact on downtown development, and
is the first major element of the Downtown Council’s 2025 plan to be
built. Nearby North Loop residential, retail and office construction
continues at a blistering pace, replacing what was acres of desolate
parking lots. The neighborhood and ballpark spurred the surge, of
course, but the transit hub will solidify, and add to it. In fact, the very
design leaves room to accommodate new development.
Most important, it also plans for expanded transit options, including
the planned Green Line extension (Southwest light rail) and the
proposed Blue Line extension (Bottineau). The station’s just the
latest indication that transit spurs development — and development
means jobs. Among Southwest’s many attributes is that it would
connect not just suburban workers with downtown jobs, but city
residents — many from disadvantaged communities — with the jobrich southwestern suburbs.
Now Minneapolis City Council members and Mayor Betsy Hodges
need to find a way to green-light the Green Line extension. The clock
is ticking on granting the Metropolitan Council municipal consent.
Negotiations are necessary, and plan modifications should be
expected. But voting “no” would likely mean that ambitions to expand
the existing transit system will not soon, if ever, be realized.
Meanwhile, competitive metropolitan regions are racing ahead of the
Twin Cities in developing transit deemed essential to recruiting and
retaining a competitive workforce.
Target Field Station is an impressive and important component to
Target Field, the North Loop, downtown Minneapolis and transit. But
it will not realize its full potential until political leaders show leadership
and get behind a fully integrated transit system.
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http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_25725290/1-5-million-challenge-seeks-boost-life-along
$1.5 million challenge seeks to boost life along Green Line
By Frederick Melo [email protected] TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press
Posted:Wed May 07 23:01:00 MDT 2014
TwinCities.com
Along the Green Line, civic-minded artists, residents and business leaders who have ever thought, "This
neighborhood could really use a (fill in the blank)" soon will have a shot at grant funding to make their
dream project a reality.
The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation on Thursday announced the Knight Green Line Challenge,
a $1.5 million competitive grant that aims to boost the St. Paul neighborhoods along Metro Transit's new
light-rail line. Over the next three years, the Knight Foundation will fund $500,000 in projects each
summer that enhance commerce, transit and quality of life along the light rail route.
Applications will be accepted from June 24 to July 24, and the challenge will be administered by the St.
Paul Foundation.
Any individual, business or nonprofit group can apply. In fact, the only requirement, according to contest
materials, is that "the project must take place in and benefit at least one of six St. Paul neighborhoods
along the Green Line: downtown St. Paul, Frogtown/Thomas-Dale, Hamline Midway, St. Anthony Park,
Summit-University or Union Park."
The contest was announced during the St. Paul Riverfront Corporation's annual Great River Gathering
banquet Thursday night. Polly Talen, Knight Foundation program director for St. Paul, said the grant sizes
will depend on the projects.
"We really expect a whole range," Talen said. "We haven't set a limit that says it must be ... $10,000 or
$50,000. We're really not. We're leaving it open."
Nevertheless, five key principles are being highlighted for applicants. Projects should distinguish St. Paul
within the region; benefit diverse communities along the Green Line; promote economic activity around
commercial areas; improve how people move around the corridor by making it bike- and
pedestrian-friendly; or enhance the image and quality of life for those who live or shop in St. Paul.
"What we would expect is to probably support a range of things," Talen said. "Some might fit into one, or
all five of those things, and some might be very targeted. ... Now, this is a transit-oriented neighborhood.
What's left to be done?"
Some neighborhood goals have been topics of conversation for years. About six years ago, the city of St.
Paul adopted the Central Corridor Development Strategy as part of the city's master plan. The document
encompassed 34 different community-based plans, "station area by station area," Talen said.
"One of the great things about a challenge is we don't know what we're going to get until we see it," Talen
said. "Next fall, I can give you great ideas. We'll find out what gets proposed."
The contest comes in addition to the Knight Arts Challenge, which is devoting $8 million to the arts in St.
Paul, including $1.5 million in grants for arts projects that promote and benefit the city.
Page 1 of 2
May 21, 2014 08:10:13AM MDT
http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_25725290/1-5-million-challenge-seeks-boost-life-along
More information is online at KnightGreenLineChallenge.org.
Frederick Melo can be reached at 651-228-2172. Follow him at twitter.com/FrederickMelo.
Page 2 of 2
May 21, 2014 08:10:13AM MDT