Anti-Displacement Efforts

Preventing displacement and maximizing benefits to community

The METRO Blue Line Extension presents significant opportunities for community growth and economic development, with the potential to enhance the quality of life for residents and businesses. However, such investments can also raise concerns about displacement. Project partners are committed to addressing these concerns by working with communities to prevent displacement and maximize the benefits of light rail in the communities it will serve. This requires collaboration among project partners, who are already identifying resources and tools to support businesses and residents.

As the Blue Line Extension moves forward, one of the project’s top priorities is ensuring residents and businesses can stay rooted in their communities. For the first time ever on a Twin Cities light rail project, the Blue Line Extension will include two new programs to help maintain stability and support communities during construction:  

  • $5 million Business Support Program: Impacted businesses eligible for the program will be able to receive up to $30,000 in rent or mortgage assistance 
  • $5 million Community Investment Fund: Community-serving organizations will be funded to provide housing stability programs such as  rent assistance 

Community-led Anti-Displacement Community Prosperity Program

In addition to efforts that are led and funded directly by the Blue Line Extension project, the community-led Blue Line Extension Anti-Displacement Community Prosperity Program (ACPP) is also working to support residents and businesses to prevent displacement and grow prosperity along the route. Governed by a community board with administrative support from Hennepin County, this group is working to allocate $10 million in funding provided by the State of Minnesota.

Learn more about the ACPP at yourblueline.org

Anti-Displacement Report

After meeting for more than a year, the Anti-Displacement Work Group published their recommendations in May 2023 for public review. The recommendations are focused on outcomes, and themes include:

  • Transparency and accountability
  • Community ownership and empowerment in decision-making
  • Protecting and enhancing the rich culture of the corridor
  • Supporting residents and business owners to stay in place along the corridor

An Anti-Displacement Work Group was led by the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) in partnership with Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council. The work group's 26 members included residents and business owners in the area, people with lived experience of displacement, and people from the philanthropic community and government agencies.

The Anti-Displacement Work Group began seeking input on the development of the workgroup in Fall 2021. The application period opened in December and was promoted widely to corridor communities. More than 60 applicants were interviewed before final selections were made by a committee that included CURA and project staff, as well as corridor community and business representatives.

In addition to monthly public meetings, the work group hosted four day-long workshops between May 2022 and February 2023. Each workshop focused on a single topic or activity:

  • Lessons from the existing Blue and Green Line projects
  • Housing and cultural displacement
  • Business displacement
  • Finalizing recommendations

Review workshop materials

Resolution

In June 2023, the Corridor Management Committee voted to receive CURA's report and committed to working together to advance the recommendations. Read the resolution (PDF).