IV.8. Resolution of Support for Met Council Livable Communities Act Grant Application; Needham
CITY OF HOPKINS
City Council Report 2025-110
To: Honorable Mayor and Council Members
Mike Mornson, City Manager
From: Revée Needham, Community Development Manager
Date: July 15, 2025
Subject: Resolution of Support for Met Council LCDA Grant Application
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDED ACTION
MOTION TO approve Resolution 2025-042 supporting an application to the
Metropolitan Council’s Policy and Program Development grant program.
OVERVIEW
To apply to the Metropolitan Council’s Policy and Program Development grant program,
the City Council needs to approve a resolution of support.
Policy and Program Development Program
The Policy & Program Development grant program expands upon the earlier "Policy
Development" program to provide support to cities to develop locally adopted policies,
programs, or partnerships that influence the physical environment and further both
Livable Communities Act (LCA) and Imagine 2050 goals, with an emphasis on equitable
development.
Policy & Program Development Goals:
• Remove barriers to producing or preserving affordable housing and/or prevent
displacement in areas receiving new investment;
• Support wealth building and economic opportunity for communities of historic
and ongoing wealth extraction;
• Minimize climate impact by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and conserving
natural resources through housing, land use, and other policies that affect the
built environment.
Approximately $800,000 is available in funding for 2025, with a limit of $50,000 per City.
There was one round of applications earlier in the year, however the Metropolitan
Council did not receive any applications. The Metropolitan Council expanded eligible
projects to include program or partnership development with the goal of removing
barriers to producing or preserving affordable housing. A resolution of support is
required to submit an application. There is no local match required for the program.
City of Hopkins Application
The City will be applying for $50,000 in funding to remove barriers to preserving and
producing affordable housing, which will involve hiring a consultant to evaluate the
Planning & Economic
Development
City’s housing stock, demographics and forecasts, analyze the most effective use of
affordable housing tools including the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Local
Affordable Housing Aid funds and provide spending recommendations.
SUPPORTING INFORMATION
• Resolution 2025-042
CITY OF HOPKINS
HENNEPIN COUNTY, MINNESOTA
RESOLUTION 2025-042
RESOLUTION IDENTIFYING THE NEED FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES
DEMONSTRATION ACCOUNT FUNDING AND AUTHORIZING APPLICATION FOR
POLICY AND PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT GRANT
WHEREAS, the City of Hopkins is a participant in the Livable Communities Act’s Local
Housing Incentives Account Program for 2025 as determined by the Metropolitan
Council, and is therefore eligible to apply for Livable Communities Demonstration
Account funds; and
WHEREAS, the City has identified a proposed project within the City that meets the
Demonstration Account’s purposes and criteria and is consistent with and promotes the
purposes of the Metropolitan Livable Communities Act and the policies of the
Metropolitan Council’s adopted metropolitan development guide; and
WHEREAS, the City has the institutional, managerial and financial capability to ensure
adequate project administration; and,
WHEREAS, the City certifies that it will comply with all applicable laws and regulations
as stated in the grant agreement; and,
WHEREAS, the City agrees to act as a legal sponsor the project contained in the grant
application submitted on or before July 21, 2025; and,
WHEREAS, the City acknowledges Livable Communities Demonstration Account
grants are intended to fund projects or project components that can serve as models,
examples or prototypes for development or redevelopment projects elsewhere in the
region, and therefore represents that the proposed project or key components of the
proposed project can be replicated in other metropolitan-area communities; and,
WHEREAS, only a limited amount of grant funding is available through the
Metropolitan Council’s Livable Communities Demonstration Account during each
funding cycle and the Metropolitan Council has determined it is appropriate to allocate
those scarce grant funds only to eligible projects that would not occur without the
availability of Demonstration Account grant funding; and,
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Hopkins
after appropriate examination and due consideration, hereby:
1. Finds that it is in the best interests of the City’s development goals and
priorities for the proposed project to occur at this particular time.
2. Finds that the project components for which Livable Communities
Demonstration Account funding is sought:
a. Will not occur solely through private or other public investment within
the reasonably foreseeable future; and
b. Will occur within two years after a grant award only if Livable
Communities Demonstration Account funding is made available for this
project at this time.
3. Represents that the City has undertaken reasonable and good faith efforts to
procure funding for the project components for which Livable Communities
Demonstration Account funding is sought but was not able to find or secure
from other sources funding that is necessary for project component
completion within two years.
4. Authorizes its City Manager or designee to submit on behalf of the City an
application for Metropolitan Council Livable Communities Demonstration
Account grant funds for the project component(s) identified in the application,
and authorizes the Mayor and City Manager to execute such agreements as
may be necessary to implement the project on behalf of the City.
Adopted by the City Council of the City of Hopkins this 15th day of July, 2025.
By:___________________________
Patrick Hanlon, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Amy Domeier, City Clerk