Item Description:
title
Agmt A2613332 with The Minneapolis Foundation to receive matching funds for the Anti-displacement Community Prosperity Program, 12/01/25-03/31/31
end
Resolution:
body
BE IT RESOLVED, that Agreement A2613332 with The Minneapolis Foundation to receive matching funds for the Anti-displacement Community Prosperity Program (ACPP), from December 1, 2025 through March 31, 2031, with a total amount received based upon ACPP expenditures approved by the ACPP Board and execution of Work Orders by Hennepin County and The Minneapolis Foundation, be approved; that and following review and approval by the County Attorney’s Office, the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign Agreement A2613332 below on behalf of the County; and that the Controller be authorized to receive funds as directed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the County Administrator is delegated the authority to approve Work Orders under A2613332 receiving disbursements from The Minneapolis Foundation.
end
Background:
The Blue Line Extension (“BLE”) Light Rail Transit Project (“Project”) is proposed to run 13.4 miles northwest from downtown Minneapolis, connecting Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Robbinsdale, and north Minneapolis.
Resolutions 20-0388R1 and 21- 0080
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. Many communities in the BLE corridor have suffered historical disinvestment and continue to experience racial and economic disparities stemming from systemic racism, segregation, redlining, and other unjust housing and land-use policies and practices. Major public infrastructure investments have too often been delivered at the expense of communities of color. Communities in the BLE corridor have experienced this history firsthand with the construction of Interstate 94 and Olson Memorial Highway, which displaced thriving Black and Jewish businesses, neighborhoods, and cultural districts. With the opportunities light rail can bring to communities, it can also bring concerns and risk of displacement.
Resolution 21-0355
To address residents’ concerns, Hennepin County contracted with the University of Minnesota Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (“CURA”) to work with the community to develop anti-displacement policy and strategy recommendations through a community based Anti-Displacement Work Group (Resolution 21-0355, Contract PR00003564). CURA prepared the Blue Line Extension Anti-Displacement Recommendations in April 2023 that outlined potential policies to achieve the recommended outcomes. The BLE Project is an opportunity to build inclusive community prosperity. County and community partners are committed to working together to prevent displacement and maximize the benefits of light rail for existing residents and businesses within the BLE corridor.
Anti-displacement Community Prosperity Program legislation
In the spring of 2024, the Minnesota State Legislature established the Anti-displacement Community Prosperity Program “to preserve and enhance affordable housing, small business support, job training and placement, and economic vitality and to benefit the people and sense of community along the Blue Line light rail transit extension corridor.” (Minnesota Session Laws 2024, Regular Session, Chapter 127, Sections 118 and 119).
The legislation also established the Anti-displacement Community Prosperity Program Board (“ACPP Board”) to govern the Program, using an application process, evaluating proposals, and approving Program expenditures. The ACPP Board includes residents and business owners in the area, people with lived experience of displacement, and people from the philanthropic community and local government agencies.
The legislation directs Hennepin County to “provide meeting space, administrative support, and staff support for the board.”
Resolutions 24-0383
In Resolution 24-0383, the Board voted to support anti-displacement activities in the Project corridor, stating: “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.”
Resolution 24-0497
On December 12, 2024, the Hennepin County Board approved Resolution 24-0497 to receive the $10 million in grant funds from the Metropolitan Council (Grant Agreement A2412619).
The Minnesota legislature appropriated $10 million from the Metropolitan Council’s general fund to Hennepin County to administer the Blue Line light rail transit extension Anti-displacement Community Prosperity Program. (Minnesota Session Laws 2024 Regular Session, Chapter 127, Article 1, Section 3). The one-time budget appropriation is available until June 30, 2027. (Minnesota Session Laws 2024 Regular Session, Chapter 127, Article 1, Section 3). The ACCP Board and related funding will expire on June 30, 2030. (Minnesota Session Laws 2024, Regular Session, Chapter 127, Sections 119, Subd 6).
Legislation requires that Program money must only be expended for “qualifying purposes”, as defined in the legislation. Further, legislation requires that all contracts must receive an equal amount of matching funding from nonstate sources, including federal, local, Metropolitan Council, or philanthropic funding. (Session Laws 2024, Regular Session, Chapter 127, Sections 119 Subd. 4).
Resolution 25-0437
In November 2025, the Board approved negotiation and execution of agreements with varying contract terms for organizations approved for expenditures by the Anti-displacement Community Prosperity Board, meeting the legislative requirements of expenditures for a “qualifying purpose”; that the cumulative not to exceed amount for all agreements is $2,000,000 and the required equal amount of matching funds from nonstate sources will be secured and verified prior to contract execution. Contract PR00008095 was executed in December 2025. The remainder of the contracts are in negotiation.
The Minneapolis Foundation and ACPP Matching Funds
The ACPP Board must not approve an expenditure for any purpose unless the purpose has received an equal amount of funding from nonstate sources, including federal, local, Metropolitan Council, or philanthropic funding, as stated in Minnesota Session Laws 2024 Regular Session, Chapter 127, Section 119, Subd. 4.
The Minneapolis Foundation established the Anti-Displacement and Community Prosperity Fund by Declaration executed December 10, 2025, to receive contributions for the charitable purpose of preventing displacement and fostering community prosperity along the Blue Line Extension corridor and expending those funds to satisfy matching requirements of the ACPP legislation.
The Minneapolis Foundation will administer the ACPP Fund and disburse matching funds to Hennepin County to fund the same legislative purpose(s) as approved by the ACPP Board. Hennepin County will receive the matching funds and include alongside ACCP funds in contracts with organizations approved by the ACPP Board for funding. Contracts will be paid on a reimbursement basis for eligible expenses, as defined in each contract.
recommendation
Recommendation from County Administrator: Recommend Approval