Helping cities and townships prosper to ensure a thriving, vibrant region is at the core of the Livable Communities program. The Met Council administers the grant program and has awarded more than $450 million in funding to participating communities in the 28 years since the program went into effect in 1995.
In 2023, the Met Council plans to award $27.5 million to eligible communities that apply for grants for affordable housing, polluted-site cleanup, and development that helps to connect people and places.
“These grants, over time, are making a significant difference in the vibrancy of communities and the well-being of residents and families,” said Chair Charlie Zelle.
“The grants themselves represent a small portion of the overall investment needed for specific projects, but they help fill funding gaps and leverage additional dollars from other public and private sources. It takes partnerships to get these deals done and the Council is at the table,” said Zelle.
Funds available in 2023 from the three accounts in the Livable Communities Fund:
- Tax Base Revitalization: $5.5 million
- Livable Communities Demonstration Account: $16.6 million
- Local Housing Incentives Account: $5.4 million
“You might recall one of the initial projects funded, known as Excelsior and Grand in St. Louis Park,” said Lisa Barajas, our Community Development director.
“Today we boast hundreds of funded projects across the region, from Gladstone Crossing in Maplewood to Brooklyn Center’s huge ‘Opportunity Site’ redevelopment, and the City Square West housing development in Chaska. I credit the vision of the elected officials who created the program and the partnerships with local officials for all the successes.
“We share goals of reinvesting in community centers and gathering places, providing safe and affordable places to live for families and households with lower incomes, and ensuring the efficient use of land that supports all the ways we travel and move about our communities, including walking, biking, and transit,” she said.
Information on the Livable Communities program and funding accounts, including application deadlines and funding decision dates