Item Description:
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Neg Amt A2412619 with Metropolitan Council for Anti-Displacement Community Prosperity Program, 12/01/24-12/31/30, est recv $10 million; 2025 supp appr for Disparity Reduction Administration department
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Resolution:
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BE IT RESOLVED, that the County Administrator be authorized to negotiate Agreement A2412619 with the Metropolitan Council for the Blue Line Extension Anti-Displacement Community Prosperity Program with a receivable grant amount of $10,000,000; that following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the agreement on behalf of the county; and that the controller be authorized to receive and disburse funds as directed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Disparity Reduction Administration department 2025 revenue and expenditure budget be increased by $10,000,000 for grant revenues and expenditures related to the Blue Line Extension Anti-Displacement Community Prosperity Program.
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Background:
The Blue Line Extension Light Rail Transit Project (the “Project”) is a 13-mile project to provide transit service to the cities of Minneapolis, Robbinsdale, Crystal and Brooklyn Park. Through Resolutions 20-0388R1 and 21-0080 this Board authorized contracts for community engagement work associated with the Project. In this engagement work, community members expressed concern that the increased demand for real estate likely to result from the Project would result in displacement of current residents, businesses, and cultural amenities.
To address these concerns, Hennepin County contracted with the University of Minnesota Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) to work with community to develop anti-displacement policy and strategy recommendations through a community based Anti-Displacement Work Group (ADWG). (Resolution 21-0355.) CURA prepared the Blue Line Extension Anti-Displacement Recommendations in April 2023 that outlined potential policies to achieve the recommended outcomes.
In May 2024 the Minnesota Legislature appropriated $10 million for an Antidisplacement Community Prosperity Program (“ACPP”) to serve the Project corridor. The Legislature appointed the members of the ADWG to a new ACPP Board to evaluate and approve proposed uses of these funds in the areas of affordable housing, business support, public infrastructure, and job training. The Legislature directed Hennepin County to provide administrative support for the ACPP, and the Legislature appropriated the funds to the Metropolitan Council for a grant to Hennepin County.
This Resolution thus authorizes the grant agreement necessary for the County to receive the ACPP funds from the Metropolitan Council. The Resolution authorizes the County Administrator to negotiate Agreement A2412619 with the Metropolitan Council for the period December 1, 2024, through December 31, 2030, with a receivable grant amount of $10 million. The agreement will contain such requirements as necessary to ensure compliance with the ACPP legislation and use of the funds for the ACPP.
This resolution also provides a $10 million supplemental appropriation to the Disparity Reduction Administration department’s 2025 budget, to receive the grant funds and provide the necessary budget authority for any grant-related expenditures authorized under Agreement A2412619.
This Resolution is consistent with Resolution 24-0383, in which the Board voted to support antidisplacement activities in the Project corridor. Resolution 24-0383 stated that “Hennepin County is committed to maximizing the community benefits of the Project and preventing displacement, to ensure that current residents along the alignment of the Project realize these benefits.” It noted the Legislature’s appropriation for the ACPP and stated that “Hennepin County will continue to support the Antidisplacement Community Prosperity Program Board by providing administrative, legal, and other support as needed.”
Impact/Outcomes: This action supports the county’s disparity reduction efforts by investing in people to prosper and building transportation infrastructure that reduces health and climate impacts.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval