This month the Metropolitan Council awarded grants to 11 cities in the seven-county region to:
- Increase the supply of affordable housing.
- Help cities update their zoning codes and ordinances to create more opportunities for affordable housing development.
- Help cities utilize new state funding and develop new locally administered housing programs.
In total, the Met Council awarded $1,311,000 for pre-development planning and policy and program development.
“These grants help cities fund foundational planning and policy creation that leads to more affordable housing, development that better connects people to transit, jobs, and open space, and meets other regional goals,” said Lisa Barajas, director of the Met Council’s Community Development division.
Pre-development grant awards
Funding for the four pre-development grants comes from the Livable Communities (LCA) program.
5400 Block of Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Center. $152,500 to the City of Brooklyn Center for conditions assessment, transportation and financial studies, site design, and other pre-development activities. The proposed project will create up to 11 energy-efficient, affordable for-sale townhomes on a currently vacant site.
800 53rd Ave. NE, Columbia Heights. $250,500 to the City of Columbia Heights for conditions assessment, financial studies, site and architectural design, and sustainability design. The proposed project is expected to create 248 apartments in two six-story buildings, affordable to households earning 60% of area median income.
Oyate Ota Center, Roseville. $297,000 to the Roseville Economic Development Authority for a variety of pre-development activities leading to renovation of a 36,000-square-foot former church building into a multi-agency anchor. The renovated building will house the American Indian Family Center, Interfaith Action’s Department of Indian Work, and Montessori American Indian Childcare.
The Lexington Deluxe, Saint Paul. $300,000 to the City of Saint Paul for financial studies, site and building design, and project management leading to creation of 31 new apartments affordable to households living on 30% to 80% of area median income.
Policy and program development grants
Funding for the seven grants awarded for policy and program development comes from either the LCA or from a grant awarded to the Met Council in 2024 by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development under its Pathways to Removing Obstacles (PRO) Housing program.
Floodplain Policy and Program Development, Blaine. $50,000 in HUD PRO funding to the City of Blaine to update an existing floodplain ordinance to meet state and federal requirements. The funds will also support development of a program to promote voluntary floodproofing of existing housing within the floodplain.
Housing Analysis in Support of Zoning and Land Use Update, Eden Prairie. $50,000 in LCA funding to conduct an analysis of existing and potential future housing stock. The analysis will support recommendations and adjustments to housing and land use policies and programs.
Zoning and Subdivision Ordinance Update, Edina. $50,000 in LCA funding to complete an update to the city’s Zoning and Subdivision Ordinances to better align with the goals and policies in the city’s comprehensive plan, incorporate goals from the city’s Climate Action Plan, and increase opportunities for affordable housing and supporting a wider variety of housing types.
Missing Middle Housing Study, Golden Valley. $50,000 in LCA funding to support the creation of local missing-middle housing solutions/tools that can be implemented to align with local housing goals and increase the range of housing types in the community.
Housing Assessment and Local Affordable Housing Aid Planning, Hopkins. $50,000 in HUD PRO funding to complete a local housing needs assessment, including review of existing and emerging affordable housing funding sources from the state. The project will include a review of local zoning and land use regulations to identify barriers to affordable housing development or preservation.
Housing Action Plan, New Brighton. $39,000 in HUD PRO funding to create a Housing Action Plan. The plan will include development of three new housing policies or programs for city council consideration, including a policy to guide use of state Local Affordable Housing Aid funds.
Housing Program Development, Richfield. $22,000 in HUD PRO funding to create at least one new program focused on supporting low-income homeowners with critical home maintenance needs using state Local Affordable Housing Aid funds.
Livable Communities Act
Livable Communities Act grants are awarded to participating cities and townships in the seven-county metro region that are partnering with development teams on projects. Through nine different grant programs, LCA grants help communities achieve development goals that create more housing choice, support living wage job creation, and connect jobs, housing, and regional amenities to create a more equitable region. Participation in the program is voluntary. Learn more about the Livable Communities program.