Preventing displacement, maximizing community benefits
Ensuring the Blue Line Extension benefits current and future corridor residents, communities and businesses is critical to the project's success. This new light rail line will serve areas with some of the region's most significant disparities in income, health, and housing. This project presents an exciting opportunity to help communities build wealth in place, attract community and economic development investments, and improve lives and neighborhoods. However, intentional strategies and policies are needed to maximize community benefits, and minimize displacement.
For the first time ever, the Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County are convening an Anti-displacement Workgroup that will center community voices and bring together a variety of partners and stakeholders to advance and implement robust anti-displacement strategies that help ensure the value of light rail will benefit current corridor residents, and minimize physical, cultural, and economic displacement.
This effort will require many partners coming together to strategize and take action. To advance this work, the Blue Line Extension project has contracted with the University of Minnesota's Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) who will convene and coordinate work of the Anti-displacement Workgroup.
This work will be ongoing throughout the life of the project, and beyond with a focus on both short- and long-term solutions.
Share your experience and offer input below to help guide this critical work.
Ensuring the Blue Line Extension benefits current and future corridor residents, communities and businesses is critical to the project's success. This new light rail line will serve areas with some of the region's most significant disparities in income, health, and housing. This project presents an exciting opportunity to help communities build wealth in place, attract community and economic development investments, and improve lives and neighborhoods. However, intentional strategies and policies are needed to maximize community benefits, and minimize displacement.
For the first time ever, the Metropolitan Council and Hennepin County are convening an Anti-displacement Workgroup that will center community voices and bring together a variety of partners and stakeholders to advance and implement robust anti-displacement strategies that help ensure the value of light rail will benefit current corridor residents, and minimize physical, cultural, and economic displacement.
This effort will require many partners coming together to strategize and take action. To advance this work, the Blue Line Extension project has contracted with the University of Minnesota's Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) who will convene and coordinate work of the Anti-displacement Workgroup.
This work will be ongoing throughout the life of the project, and beyond with a focus on both short- and long-term solutions.
Share your experience and offer input below to help guide this critical work.
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Anti-Displacement Group meeting for fifth and final time
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkOn February 25th, the Anti-Displacement Working Group (ADWG) will meet for the fifth and final time. The topic of this meeting is to affirm recommendations from the ADWG.
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Anti-Displacement group meeting for fourth time
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkOn February 11th, the Anti-Displacement Working Group (ADWG) will meet to progress their recommendations on long- and short-term strategies to ensure the value of light rail will benefit current corridor residents, and minimize physical, cultural, and economic displacement.
The recommendations being discussed at the meeting on Saturday, February 25th, will inform a report from CURA to be presented this spring. That report will be the basis for efforts beginning this spring on planning and implementing anti-displacement strategies.
Meeting info:
- Saturday, February 11th
- 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Meeting agenda (PDF)
- ADWG Policy & Programs Overview (PDF)
- CURA Anti-Displacement Report (PDF)
- Anti-Displacement Literature Review (PDF)
- BLRT Tables (PDF)
- Public viewing link (YouTube)
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Workshop #3 recap: Business & Cultural Displacement
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe December 10th workshop focused on business and cultural displacement.
Environmental Assessment Overview
The group was updated on how the new alignment through West Broadway in Minneapolis will impact anti-displacement efforts within the environmental document.
The cultural displacement panel included representatives from the anti-displacement team, African Career Education and Resource Inc (ACER), Metropolitan Regional Arts Council, and Parks and Power.Cultural Displacement and Placemaking Panel & Conversation
Policies, Programs and Investment Ideas
Examples of place-making and anti-displacement efforts from San Francisco and Georgia were discussed alongside a wide variety of strategies and public policy ideas.
Juxtaposition Arts Presentation
Youth were engaged by their peers with support from Juxtaposition Arts. Youth researched precedent examples like the Green Line in Saint Paul and how it changed the geography of the area and project to the impact of the Blue Line extension.
Small Group Activity
The group discussed how they could best use data presented and ideas discussed to further the conversation around anti-displacement.
Next Steps
Next CURA check-in meeting on February 11th and will be used as a way to re-group before recommendations are finalized.
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Anti-Displacement Group meeting for third time
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Anti-Displacement Work Group will convene for its third meeting:
- Saturday, December 10th
- 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
- Meeting agenda (PDF)
- Public viewing link
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Workshop #2 recap: Housing and cultural displacement
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe September 24 workshop focused on existing anti-displacement policies and opportunities to build policy.
Community sentiment on anti-displacement policies
Participants identified policies and issues that are of interest to the community. They then determined how those interests align with the anti-displacement group’s work.
Existing and recommended policies
The group gained understanding of how much support existing and recommended policies in the corridor have.
Structure for recommendations
The group discussed how they could best implement recommendations in a transparent, accountable, and participatory way.
Next steps
The group scheduled a meeting in October to finalize the recommendation process, make recommendations and prepare for the November meeting.
Additional Meeting Notes
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Anti-Displacement Work Group meeting for second time
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Anti-Displacement Work Group will convene for it's second meeting:
- Saturday, September 24th
- 9:30am - 4 p.m.
- Meeting agenda (PDF)
- Public viewing link
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Upcoming: Public anti-displacement meetings
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Center for Urban and Regional Affairs is hosting two public meeting events for community members, non-profits, and businesses to learn more about the Blue Line Extension Anti-Displacement Work Group workshop held in June on Lessons Learned from Light Rail Transit lines in operation, under construction and planned. This event will be set up to facilitate updates on each of the agenda topics from the workshop and allows for questions, conversations and the gathering of ideas and feedback to help build on actionable displacement mitigation recommendations.
Join the CURA Team:
- Monday, August 15th from 5-7 PM at the Crystal Community Center – 4800 Douglas Dr, Crystal
- Tuesday, August 16th from 5:30-7:30 PM at UROC – 2001 Plymouth Ave N, Minneapolis
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Workshop #1 recap: Displacement and lessons from previous light rail projects
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe June 4 workshop focused on national best practices in anti-displacement and case studies of existing Twin Cities light rail projects.
Defining displacement
The group defined what displacement means to them. They learned more about the research on different types of displacement: direct, indirect, exclusionary, and cultural.
Effects of previous light rail projects
Overall, light rail led to increasing residential and commercial property values, and these effects can be seen well before light rail is built and in operation.
Community expert forum
A panel of experts with experience in the community and on other light rail projects discussed successes, challenges, and lessons learned from their work.
Policy tools and the work of governments
The workgroup learned about potential policies and programs to combat displacement. They discussed what policies might need to be prioritized to address unresolved issues.
Research update
CURA and the U of M are conducting research with organizations serving youth, organizations serving people experiencing homelessness, and BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses along the corridor.
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Workshop #1: Displacement and lessons from previous light rail projects
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe the anti-displacement work group will meet Saturday, June 4, for the first of four full day workshop sessions planned for 2022. This first workshop will focus on the effects of previous light rail projects in the Twin Cities on displacement and lessons learned that can inform anti-displacement strategies for the Blue Line Extension.
The meeting will be livestreamed here on Saturday, June 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Can't make it for the live event? Check back here for a workshop summary and recording afterwards.
Meeting materials
- Agenda (PDF)
- Presentation (PDF)
- Workbook (PDF)
- Outreach updates (PDF)
- Needs assessment outreach strategy and interview guide (PDF)
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Anti-Displacement Work Group kickoff meeting
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Linkedin Email this linkThe Anti-Displacement Work Group convened for it's first meeting:
- Thursday, March 10
- 4 - 7 p.m.
- Meeting agenda (PDF)
- Public viewing link
Who's Listening
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Email canders@umn.edu
Related Efforts
Documents
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Anti-displacement Work Group Members.pdf (69.8 KB) (pdf)
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Workshop #1 materials
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ADWG Meeting #1 Presentation.pdf (3.44 MB) (pdf)
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ADWG June 4 Meeting Agenda.pdf (51.6 KB) (pdf)
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ADWG JUNE 4 Presentation.pdf (1.51 MB) (pdf)
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ADWG June 4 Meeting Workbook.pdf (65 KB) (pdf)
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ADWG June 4 Notes.docx (376 KB) (docx)
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Needs Assessment Outreach Strategy and Interview Guide.pdf (131 KB) (pdf)
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ADWG Policy and Programs Overview.docx (40.4 KB) (docx)
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ADWG Green Line Analysis Slides.pptx (4.01 MB) (pptx)
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BLRT Outreach Updates.pdf (97.5 KB) (pdf)
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ADWG Policy and Programs Housing Justice Center.pptx (1.74 MB) (pptx)
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Workshop #2 materials
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Anti-displacement in Brooklyn Park (12.4 MB) (pptx)
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September 24 ADWG Meeting Agenda.pdf (51.8 KB) (pdf)
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Presentation from Housing Justice Center.pptx (1.74 MB) (pptx)
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Meeting Notes.pdf (93.1 KB) (pdf)
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Meeting PowerPoint.pdf (1.15 MB) (pdf)
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Letter from City of Robbinsdale.pdf (119 KB) (pdf)
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Hennepin County_Bottineau_Investments_Suburban.pdf (2.85 MB) (pdf)
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Hennepin County_Bottineau_Investments_Minneapolis.pdf (2.74 MB) (pdf)
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Anti-displacement programs and policies - survey results.pdf (117 KB) (pdf)
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Workshop #3 materials
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Workshop #4 materials
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Workshop #5 materials
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February 25 ADWG Presentation.pdf (578 KB) (pdf)
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Corridor-Wide Anti-Displacement Outcomes and Policies.pdf (30.7 KB) (pdf)
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Robbinsdale_Crystal Anti-Displacement Outcomes and Policies.pdf (36.1 KB) (pdf)
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Brooklyn Park Anti-Displacement Outcomes and Policies.pdf (45.5 KB) (pdf)
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Minneapolis Anti-Displacement Outcomes and Policies.pdf (98.2 KB) (pdf)
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