Hennepin County, partners seek feedback on Coordinated Action Plan for Anti-Displacement

The Coordinated Action Plan will guide efforts to prevent displacement, maximize benefits of future Blue Line Extension for current corridor residents, businesses

Hennepin County and partners are seeking community feedback on the Coordinated Action Plan for Anti-Displacement, an overview of programs and strategies designed to prevent displacement of existing residents and businesses before, during, and after construction of the Blue Line Extension (BLE) light rail transit project.

The project will extend the existing METRO Blue Line from Target Field Station northwest to Brooklyn Park and connect communities along the way.

The Coordinated Action Plan (CAP) builds on recommendations of the Anti-Displacement Work Group published in May 2023. Hennepin County contracted with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) which centered community voices and brought together diverse stakeholders to study and recommend strategies to ensure the construction of light rail will benefit current corridor residents and businesses.

Hennepin County will play a lead role in coordinating the CAP on behalf of partners listed below. The county is also a primary funder and partner in the development of the BLE project and is working with partners to ensure that the light rail project benefits existing residents and businesses in the corridor.

Partners in anti-displacement work

Other key partners in this work include corridor residents and businesses; the Metropolitan Council; the Blue Line Extension Project office (BPO); corridor cities (Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, Crystal and Robbinsdale); the Anti-Displacement Community Prosperity Program (ACPP) Board (formerly known as the Anti-Displacement Work Group); the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB); the State of Minnesota; federal agency partners; and other community-based organizations.

The CAP is intended to be a living document to guide anti-displacement actions and investments in the BLE corridor in the months and years to come. 

Many of the programs and actions outlined in this plan are already in operation.

Coordinated Action Plan topic areas

The CAP outlines existing programs as well as ideas for new strategies in several action areas, including:

• Community engagement: Hennepin County and partners will invest in community outreach and engagement before, during and after construction of the BLE project.
• Relocation and property owner assistance: The Metropolitan Council will work to minimize property (right-of-way acquisition) and will reimburse and assist property owners with relocation when necessary.
• Business support: Keeping existing small businesses in the corridor and supporting their success is critical and central to this plan. Proximity to the Blue Line Extension (BLE) can be beneficial for small businesses by connecting a workforce and customers to these establishments. Partners have existing resources and initiatives to support existing businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs.
• Housing: Partners have several existing programs and initiatives to support the development and preservation of affordable housing and to support the housing stability of existing residents.
• Wealth building and financial stability: Before, during, and after construction, the partners will work to ensure the local community has more robust opportunities to access workforce training and new pathways to meaningful employment and financial stability. 
• Community investment: Partners will include community feedback in designing stations and developing plans for nearby development so that stations support the needs of existing communities and complement the surrounding environment.
• Safety: Ensuring that riders and those living around the stations both are safe and feel safe is critical to making sure that residents in the corridor use the light rail and experience the benefits of having it within their community.

Share feedback on the report by completing the survey below.