Housing Policies & Planning

Planning for expanded housing opportunities

Communities thrive when they have a range of housing choices for residents in all circumstances and stages of life. The Met Council works with local governments to identify and plan for their future housing needs.

Housing Policy Plan

A three-story residential building. The Met Council is working on its 2050 Housing Policy Plan.

Our 2040 Housing Policy Plan was amended in July 2015 and is part of the regional development guide, Thrive MSP 2040.

The housing policy plan:

Sets the Met Council's housing policy direction
Identifies regional needs and priorities
Connects housing to the other Council system plans
Incorporates recommendations from Choice, Place and Opportunity: An Equity Assessment of the Twin Cities Region
Helps inform and provide guidance for local housing planning

Comprehensive planning

Two people in a park, with a multi-story building in the background. The Met Council guides and reviews housing elements within communities' comprehensive plans based on the requirements of the Metropolitan Land Planning Act, including:

Identifying existing housing needs
Promoting land for the development of affordable housing
An implementation program that considers what tools a community will use to address its housing needs

Learn more about housing element requirements in the Local Planning Handbook.

Livable Communities Program

A bus shelter with large flower art. Our Livable Communities program awards grants to cities to:

Help clean up polluted sites for redevelopment
Expand affordable housing opportunities
Build pedestrian-friendly and transit-oriented developments

More about how Livable Communities supports affordable housing in the region.

Metro HRA

Homes and trees in a residential area. The Metropolitan Council Housing and Redevelopment Authority (Metro HRA) assists low-income seniors, singles, families, and persons with disabilities to obtain decent and affordable housing in nearly 100 cities throughout Anoka, Carver, and most of suburban Hennepin and Ramsey Counties. As a regional entity, Metro HRA provides an efficient method for effective delivery of a variety of housing programs and related services. As a recipient of federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds, Metro HRA creates annual and 5-year plans for service delivery.