PRESENTATION BY MARK VANDER SCHAAF & ALLISON BRUMMEL TO THE METROPOLITAN COUNCIL September 14, 2011

Agenda 1. How did the Council get involved in Corridors of Opportunity? 2. What is Corridors of Opportunity? 3. What are the responsibilities of the Council in Corridors of Opportunity?

How did the Council get involved in Corridors of Opportunity?  2010: New federal “Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Program” announced  This program supports:  Creation of a regional plan (Category 1), or  Detailed implementation strategies plus updating the existing regional plan (Category 2)  Our region successfully competed for a three-year $5 million Category 2 grant  Our implementation strategies focus on transitway corridors

How did the Council get involved in Corridors of Opportunity?  HUD required that the applicant for its grant be a consortium; Met Council agreed to be the lead applicant for our consortium  Implications for Met Council responsibilities  The Chair of the Council is the co-chair of the consortium “Corridors of Opportunity” Policy Board, which guides the detailed implementation strategies  The Council is responsible for the regional plan (Sustainable Development Plan)

Two national funding sources combined forces on one local initiative HUD Sustainable Communities Regional Planning Grant Living Cities Integration Initiative Corridors of Opportunity

What is “Living Cities”?  A collaborative of 22 of the world’s largest foundations and financial institutions  Out of 21 invited applications for the Living Cities Integration Initiative, 5 were awarded funding  Our region received ~$16 million in grants and loans  Saint Paul Foundation is the lead organization

Partners from all sectors seek to develop a new way of doing business Corridors of Opportunity State, Regional and Local Government Business Groups Non-ProfitsFoundations

What is Corridors of Opportunity? A partnership that seeks to make our current and future transitways better places to live, work and play for all.

“Transitway corridors will guide our region’s growth, vitality and competitiveness. Development along transitways will create distinctive places and strengthen local assets while increasing ridership and expanding access to jobs, affordable housing, and essential services for residents of all incomes and backgrounds.” The Policy Board adopted this vision in early 2011

The initiative focuses on seven corridors during the 3- year grant period

CoO seeks to better align multiple planning processes Environmental permitting Economic development Affordable housing Community engagement Accessibility planning Transit engineering Accessibility planning Environmental permitting Economic development Affordable housing Community engagement Transit engineering

CoO aims to create greater alignment of planning across geographic levels

CoO encourages greater participation of community members in planning, particularly including historically underrepresented groups People with a low income People of color People with disabilities Recent immigrants

CoO seeks to promote a shared commitment to the vision among all levels of staff within the partners organizations State Government MN Housing Finance Agency Regional Government Metropolitan CouncilCTIB Foundations McKnight FoundationSaint Paul Foundation Central Corridor Funders Collaborative Local Government Hennepin CountyCity of Minneapolis City of Saint PaulRamsey County Regional Council of Mayors Non-Profits Neighborhood Development Center LISC Family Housing Fund Urban Land Institute Business The Itasca Project Partners include:

CoO includes many activities by many partners advance one vision  Over $20,000,000 of grants & loans  HUD: $5M planning grant  Living Cities: $2.7M grant; $10M commercial loans; $3M PRI  2 dozen discrete “projects”  Planning, research, real estate development & small business expansion

CoO is creating strategies for TOD on five corridors Conduct market analysis of suburban stations Create implementation strategies Northstar Conduct market analysis to guide investment strategies Engage developers and lenders Create a development typology for BRT Cedar Avenue BRT Develop transitional station area plans Create market strategy Conduct community engagement Southwest LRT Analyze existing conditions Review and update existing plans Identify proposed station typologies Bottineau Identify and engage communities of likely transit users Engage business owners Gateway

The “Program of Projects” studies the potential acceleration of transitway build-out  Phase I will examine feasibility of building multiple corridors simultaneously  If feasible, Phase II will develop a process for implementation (starting in January 2012)

Several projects study and test fair and affordable housing strategies  Affirmatively further fair housing  Marketing energy efficiency programs to multi-family housing owners  Enhance HousingLink

A Community Engagement Team (CET) advises the Policy Board on policies, strategies and tools Purpose: Influence decision making structures through new approaches to engagement to underrepresented communities on publicly funded infrastructure and development projects

The CET also leads the process to distribute $750,000 in engagement grants  Competitive grants to community organizations to engage underrepresented groups along the transitways  1 st round underway; 2 nd round in Spring 2012  CET and Met Council staff will connect grantees with public officials and staff

Living Cities is funding affordable housing/TOD development  $14.3M loan pool  Single & Multi-family housing preservation & new TOD along Central, Hiawatha & Southwest  Create and/or preserve units while also revitalizing transit-accessible housing in corridor neighborhoods  25% contract hours to minorities; local and Sec. 3 hiring encouraged

Living Cities funds will also strengthen small businesses on Central Corridor  $450K grants; $700K loans  Façade improvements, business planning & marketing assistance, & loans for business expansion and building ownership  Ensure that University Avenue retains cultural diversity & is a thriving place for small businesses and entrepreneurs.

What are the responsibilities of the Metropolitan Council in Corridors of Opportunity? 1. Co-chair the Policy Board 2. Administer the HUD grant 3. Prepare a Sustainable Development Plan (SDP) 4. Lead the Fair Housing and Equity Assessment (FHEA)

The FHEA includes the identification and assessment of 5 components Segregated Areas and Areas of Increasing Diversity and/or Racial/Ethnic Integration Racially/Ethnically Concentrated Areas of Poverty Access to Existing Areas of High Opportunity Major Public Investments Fair Housing Issues, Services, and Activities

By 2014 we will have a model of transitway planning and development that contributes to our region’s growth, vitality and competitiveness. Transitway Planning and Development Model Community engagement creates more equitable outcomes Organizations embrace a new way of doing business Leveraged resources attract private investment Planning processes align across disciplines and geography

What’s next?

Thank You!