Livable Communities Act Goals
Realistic planning of new affordable housing development
The Met Council negotiates affordable housing goals with local governments seeking to participate in Livable Communities Act (LCA) programs. The LCA program awards grants to cities to:
- help clean-up polluted sites for redevelopment;
- expand affordable housing opportunities; and
- build pedestrian-friendly and transit-oriented developments.
Like the Allocation of Affordable Housing Need, Livable Communities Act goals — the GOAL — are set every 10 years and apply to the following planning decade. However, GOALS are not part of comprehensive plan requirements or the Metropolitan Land Planning Act.
How we calculate the GOAL
The GOAL is an aspirational but achievable commitment to building new affordable housing in order to participate in Livable Communities Act programs. With the support and partnership of developers, funders, and other collaborators, local governments agree to GOALS each planning decade. The GOAL is what is possible, not necessarily what is needed: the Council recognizes the current constraints that make the construction of new affordable units unlikely to keep pace with the NEED.