Council NEWS & EVENTS

Council awards $1.4 million to promote affordable homes near transit

The grants support moderate- to high-density development near transit that is more affordable and walkable, fosters mobility, and encourages transit ridership.

Comment on draft Public Transit and Human Services Transportation Coordinated Plan by Dec. 27

The plan supports coordination of transportation services between transit providers and human service agencies that serve people who have a disability, older adults, and people who have low incomes.

Growing cities meet regional density targets

The Council’s net residential density target is a minimum of 3 units per acre for cities and townships designated as either suburban edge, emerging suburban edge, or rural center.

Council Chair Nora Slawik Resigns

Resignation comes with desire to focus on her health.

Cities, Met Council advance solar energy development

Local governments and the Metropolitan Council have expanded the region’s solar capacity by an estimated 50 megawatts since 2015.

Met Council awards stormwater grants to local governments

The grants will support projects at redevelopment sites.

Council approves minimum rent, inspection changes for housing voucher program

Charging a minimum rent is one step toward addressing a Metro HRA operating deficit. In addition, the change will prevent the agency from having to further reduce the number of households it serves.

Metro-area transportation projects advance for federal funding consideration

The region’s $3.5 billion Transportation Improvement Program is a collection of hundreds of local highway, transit, bicycle, and pedestrian projects in the queue for federal consideration.

Construction starts on Minnehaha Park area sewer improvements

The two-year, $25 million construction project will mean some inconveniences and disruptions that will require the patience and understanding of area residents and park visitors.

Transportation board invites comments on federal funding applications

The Regional Solicitation is one way the board and Council prioritize and invest in roads, bridges and transit, as well as biking and walking needs.

Lunda/McCrossan chosen to build Southwest LRT

Council awards civil construction contract, setting stage to break ground on Southwest LRT.

SWLRT gets critical approval from federal government to begin construction

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) cleared the path for construction to begin on the Southwest Light Rail Transit Project (SWLRT).

Metropolitan Council Chair to Step Down November 30

Council Chair Alene Tchourumoff will pursue a new professional opportunity. Vice Chair Harry Melander will assume the duties of the Chair in the Chair’s absence, until the end of the administration.

Metropolitan Council awards $4.5 million in grants to support affordable housing development

The grants are expected to support the creation of more than 650 housing units affordable to low- and very low-income residents and important connections to jobs and services.

Metropolitan Council launches major travel behavior survey

Thousands of households are expected to participate using smartphones — a first for the region.

Apprentice Program to help fill Metro Transit driver shortage

Metro Transit will participate in the Minnesota Apprenticeship initiative, which will bring on as many as 200 new employees in the coming years.

Council receives loan to finance wastewater treatment capital improvement projects

$45 million loan from the Minnesota Clean Water Revolving Fund will finance multiple wastewater treatment plant and interceptor sewer system capital improvement projects in 2018-2019.

New report shows population and household growth in the Twin Cities metro outpaces available housing

The Twin Cities is facing a critical housing shortage as the population increases. In addition to needing more housing supply, demographics are increasing the need for more diverse housing.

Fuhrmann leaves passenger rail legacy for generations to come

Leaders at Metro Transit and Metropolitan Council recognize Fuhrmann as the person responsible for the region’s 62 miles of passenger rail (40 miles for Northstar and 22 for LRT).

Met Council expands opportunities available to minority businesses

By expanding its criteria to include other certifications recognized by the State and other regional governments, the Council will increase the number of businesses it works with to 2,800. 

Upcoming Council and Committee meetings

The Council and its committees meet regularly most months.  Find information on all upcoming Council and Committee meetings.   

Public Hearing on Housing Goals for Livable Communities Housing Incentives Account Program through 2020

We're receiving public comment on affordable and life-cycle housing goals with new municipalities electing to participate in the metropolitan Livable Communities Housing Incentives Account Program for the period 2011 to 2020.

Livable Communities Projects: Community Engagement Primer

This session will focus on planning your community engagement process, with a particular focus on suburban communities.

Comment on draft Public Transit and Human Services Transportation Coordinated Plan

The plan supports coordination of transportation services between transit providers and human service agencies that serve people who have a disability, older adults, and people who have low incomes.

Public comment for the proposed Metro Transit Police Department on use of body cameras

Comment during the regularly scheduled Met Council meeting on January 8, 2020.

Explaining the multifamily housing boom in the Twin Cities suburbs. (Yes, there is one.)

MinnPost

Increasingly, suburbs around the country are making room for a different kind of development: multi-family homes: Apartments, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes.

St. Paul would get new wastewater incinerator under $150 million proposal

TwinCities.com Pioneer Press

As the metro grows, so does the amount of its poop. And that means a major wastewater plant along the Mississippi River in St. Paul needs to grow as well, to burn heavier volumes of solid waste.

Metro Transit works to provide commuters options in wake of construction

Star Tribune

Metro Transit increased service by 40 percent, with additional park-and-rides and expanded trip times, and partnered with the city and MnDOT on creating transit advantages, like bus-only lanes..

Met Council Partners with Xcel to Operate on 100 Percent Renewable Energy by 2040

KSTP-TV

Xcel Energy and the Metropolitan Council announced Friday a commitment to allow the council to operate on 100 percent renewable energy by 2040.

Lake Elmo neighbors are nearly 6 decades apart in age, but united in their care for a murky backyard pond

TwinCities.com Pioneer Press

The two are among 113 volunteers metrowide who check the health of lakes and rivers for the Metropolitan Council. They have become friends, in the process of befriending the pond.

The numbers don't lie: Twin Cities needs more housing

Star Tribune

Construction hit the average last year, but dwellings in the region are far below the projected population growth. 

Shortchange transit, shortchange growth

Star Tribune

Every world-class city has a world-class transit system, something peer regions like Seattle, Denver and even Dallas in deep-red Texas acknowledge as they invest more rapidly than the Twin Cities.
 

Minneapolis is growing at its fastest rate since 1950

MinnPost

Last week, Mayor Jacob Frey announced a goal to fund $50 million on housing projects in Minneapolis to address an affordable housing crisis in a city “growing faster that it has since 1950.”

Met Council explores treating, reusing wastewater in SE metro

MPRNews.org

The Metropolitan Council is asking the public to weigh in on a preliminary proposal to treat wastewater in the southeast Twin Cities metro area so it could be reused by a waste-to-biofuel plant.

St. Paul led seven-county metro in population growth in 2017

Star Tribune

Capital City beat Minneapolis for first time in a decade.