Hennepin County, Minnesota Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) 2012 Update October 9, 2012

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Hennepin County, Minnesota

Comprehensive Economic Development

Strategy (CEDS)

2012 Update

October 9, 2012

Hennepin County

Workforce Investment Board

701 Fourth Avenue South, Suite 400

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415-1843

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Executive Summary

This Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) update is designed to guide the Hennepin-Carver Workforce Investment Board’s (WIB) economic development efforts, help create jobs, and foster more stable and diversified economies. The WIB, through its Business and Economic Development Committee (BED), produces the CEDS. The U.S. Economic Development

Administration (EDA) requires a CEDS to qualify for assistance under public works, economic adjustment, and planning programs.

The Mission of the Business and Economic Development Committee is to foster and advise on long-term economic development and the generation of highly-skilled, high-paying jobs within emerging industries in the Hennepin-Carver county areas.

This 2012 CEDS, an update to the original CEDS approved in 2005, reflects recent economic conditions and administrative changes in Hennepin County Housing, Community Works and Transit that impact WIB staffing.

The following areas (as defined by Census tracts) have been identified as our Target Areas based on the following New Markets Tax Credit Program criteria. Based on an analysis of 2005-2009 Census American Community Survey data, the following areas have either:

 20 percent or more of their population living in poverty or

 A median household income under 80 percent of the region’s average ($49,062) Target Areas lie within portions of the following municipalities:

 Bloomington  Minneapolis – East

 Brooklyn Center  Minneapolis – North

 Brooklyn Park  Minneapolis – South

 Crosstown  Minneapolis – Southwest

 Edina - Richfield  New Hope – Robbinsdale

 Hopkins - St Louis Park  Osseo

 Minneapolis - Central  St Anthony Methods

The BED Committee directed staff to implement action plans that:

 Coordinate employment and training and economic development staffing and services within Hennepin County Housing Community Works and Transit;

 Coordinate State of Minnesota Business Services Specialists business contacts with local economic development and employment and training activities;

 Develop and operate programs such as Economic Gardening and Open To Business that serve the job training and business growth needs of business start ups, and technology and high growth businesses;

 Provide business finance through Common Bond Fund Industrial Development Bonding, the Minnesota Community Capital Fund, and the Economic Development Administration Veterans Revolving Loan Fund; and

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 Support workforce and economic development through the Hennepin Community Works Program, and the Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

Hennepin County recognizes that the coordination of workforce, economic development, environmental protection, and transit planning coordination must continue through:

 The Hennepin County Environmental Assessment Team (EAT), an interdepartmental

collaboration, to coordinate environmental due diligence for Hennepin County departments and collaborate with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency;

 The Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority’s Vision 2012, Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Program, and the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority;

 Coordination with federal Sustainable Housing and Communities Program and Living Cities; and

 Continued efforts to strengthen the relationships between public transportation, economic development, and employment and training services within the Central, Southwest, and Bottineau Boulevard transitways.

Hennepin County identified projects that address CEDS goals and objectives. Hennepin County staff and the Hennepin-Carver WIB’s Business and Economic Development Committee reviewed proposals and recommended infrastructure; business finance; and research, technology, and planning proposals for the CEDS. The listed projects lie both within and outside the Economic Target Areas and:

 Stimulate economic development,

 Foster effective transportation access,

 Enhance and protect the environment,

 Maximize workforce development and use,

 Promote technology in economic development,

 Balance resources, and

 Leverage funds and resources.

The Workforce Investment Board and the Business and Economic Development Committee will provide oversight and evaluation of activities in this plan.

Contact Information

Patrick Connoy, Senior Administrative Manager, Workforce Services Manager Department of Housing, Community Works and Transit

Hennepin County

701 Fourth Avenue South, Suite 400 Minneapolis, MN 55415-1843 612-348-2215

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I. Organization of Hennepin County Comprehensive Economic Development

Strategy (CEDS) Committee

The Hennepin County Board appointed the volunteer Hennepin-Carver Workforce Investment Board (WIB) to oversee workforce development pursuant to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) of 1998 for Workforce Service Area (WSA) 9 and serve as the Hennepin County CEDS Committee. The Hennepin County Board serves as the fiscal agent and grant recipient for WSA 9, the most populous of 16 service areas in Minnesota. WSA 9 covers suburban Hennepin County and all of Carver County.

WIB, constituted under rules established in WIA and certified by the State of Minnesota, approves annual plans; makes policy; insures appropriate employment and training coordination with education, labor, economic development and human services; and meets local business community workforce development needs. The Hennepin County Board and the WIB approved the WIB as responsible for the CEDS. WIB established standing committees including the Executive

Committee, Business and Economic Development Committee, Finance, and Evaluation and Analysis Committee. The Business and Economic Development Committee oversees the CEDS.

A. Workforce Investment Board and Business Economic Development Committee as of 1/1/2012

Membership Category Name

Adult Basic Education Tamra Sieve

Economic Development/CDBG - Carver County *John Sullivan

Business, Hennepin County Thomas Bodin, Chair Business, Hennepin County *Lyle Clemenson Business, Hennepin County Jim Dow

Business, Hennepin County Christine Dressel Business, Hennepin County *David Gaither Business, Hennepin County *Bruce Krupnick Business, Hennepin County Ed Luna Business, Hennepin County Douglas Muller Business, Hennepin County Vonnie Phillips Business, Hennepin County Tony Scallon Business, Hennepin County *Meyrick Vaz Business, Hennepin County Mathew Rothchild Business, Hennepin County vacant

Chief elected official Gwen Jansen

Community based organizations *Carrie Scheffler Community based organizations *Nancy James

Youth Council Norm Champ

Economic Development *Ann Mavity

Wagner Peyser Job Service *Jim Wrobleski Post Secondary Education Leslie Philmon

Labor *Jenny Winkelaar

Labor *Pete Parris

Rehabilitation Services Jan Thompson Economic Development Patricia Fenrick * Member Business and Economic Development Committee

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B. Hennepin County Economic and Workforce Development Staffing

In 2010, the workforce development functions and the WIB merged with economic

development functions within Hennepin County Housing, Community Works and Transit. The merger coordinated programs and outreach so that economic development and workforce services assist businesses to retain and create jobs and increase workforce skills and business investment.

The merger enabled the design and implementation of a coordinated, flexible approach to interacting and partnering with businesses, state government, municipalities, chambers, business organizations, educational institutions, and workforce training providers to improve service delivery, response to businesses, reporting, and provision of timely services needed by businesses. A critical element of this action is integration of State of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (MNDEED) Business Service Specialists into the outreach and delivery system.

C. Economic Development History

Hennepin County operates under the March 1, 2005, updated December 1, 2006, December 2009, and January 2010 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) approved by U.S. Economic Development Administration. Appendix A has the June 9, 2005, letter of approval from the Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.

II. Analysis of Regional Economy, Partners, and Resources

A. Employment and Unemployment

Table 1 shows the labor force and employed data in Hennepin County since 2000. The county had the highest average number of persons in the labor force in 2001 (671,841), with that number bottoming out in 2006 (650,515) and increasing to 660,744 in 2011. These numbers indicate a 4,684 (0.7%) drop from 2000 to 2011. The lowest number employed, 608,275, occurred in 2009, the same year with the most unemployed: 49,686. From 2000 to 2011, employment dropped 27,301 (4.2%) and the number of unemployed rose from 17,718 to 40,335, a 128 percent increase. The unemployment rate more than doubled from 2.7 percent to 6.1 percent.

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Table 1: Hennepin County Labor Force Data*

Annual Averages Labor Force Number Employed Number Unemployed Unemployment Rate 2011 660,744 620,409 40,335 6.1 2010 658,523 613,337 45,186 6.9 2009 657,961 608,275 49,686 7.6 2008 659,512 627,387 32,125 4.9 2007 656,522 629,433 27,089 4.1 2006 650,515 626,862 23,653 3.6 2005 652,499 627,854 24,645 3.8 2004 658,743 630,034 28,709 4.4 2003 664,358 633,533 30,825 4.6 2002 666,287 636,638 29,649 4.4 2001 671,841 648,062 23,779 3.5 2000 665,428 647,710 17,718 2.7 * Not seasonally adjusted.

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development http://www.positivelyminnesota.com/apps/lmi/laus/Default.aspx

Figure 1 shows the Hennepin County unemployment rate paralleled and remained below the U.S. rate from 2000 through 2011. From 2009 to 2011, Hennepin County’s rate declined from 7.6 percent to 6.1 percent, while the U.S. rate decreased to from 9.3 percent to 8.9 percent. The largest increase for Hennepin County and the U.S. occurred from 2008 to 2009, an increase of 2.7 percent and 3.5 percentage points respectively. The gap between the county’s and national rate grew from 1.3 percentage points to 2.8 from 2000 to 2011.

Figure 1: Comparison of Hennepin County and National Unemployment Rates*

* Not seasonally adjusted. S

o u

rce: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development

2.7% 3.5% 4.4% 4.6% 4.4% 3.8% _3.6% 4.1% 4.9% 7.6% 6.9% 6.1% 4.0% 4.7% 5.8% 6.0% _5.6% 5.1% 4.6% 4.6% 5.8% 9.3% 9.6% 8.9% 0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% 12.0% 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 20 10 20 11 February of Year U n e m pl oy m e n t R a te Hennepin County US

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http://www.positivelyminnesota.com/apps/lmi/laus/Default.aspx

B. Target Area Conditions

Despite Hennepin County’s relative prosperity, some areas of the county have an economic disadvantage. These communities continue to be hurt by the economic slowdown of the past few years, as demonstrated by their high poverty rates and/or lower household incomes. Hennepin County has and will continue to target economic development and redevelopment efforts toward these areas of greatest economic disadvantage. Figure 2 shows newly identified Target Areas, using 2005-2009 Census data, for 2012-2013 using the criteria of having either:

 20 percent or more of their population living in poverty or

 A median household income under 80 percent of the region’s average ($49,062) Twelve communities in the county include all or part of a target area within their borders: Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, Edina, Hopkins, Minneapolis, New Hope, Osseo, Richfield, Robbinsdale, St. Anthony, and St. Louis Park.

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Table 2 presents Target Area economic and demographic data. The 2010 US Census showed Target Areas had a population of 341,926 – almost one-third of the county’s population. Two-thirds of that population is located in Minneapolis.

 Three areas had non-white populations (including African-Americans,

Asian-Americans, Native Asian-Americans, and Hispanics) greater than 60 percent: Minneapolis-North, Minneapolis-South, and Brooklyn Park.

 In general, the Target Areas have a greater proportion of foreign-born residents than the county. Twenty-seven percent of the population in the Brooklyn Park and Minneapolis-South Target Areas were foreign-born, as well as 22 percent of those in Minneapolis-Southwest. Only 4 percent in Osseo were foreign-born.

 Nearly 30 percent of residents in the Edina-Richfield and Osseo Target Areas were ages 65 and over. New Hope-Robbinsdale and St. Anthony had 22 percent ages 65 and over. Conversely, the Minneapolis Target Areas had low percentages of seniors.

 Rental units predominated in four areas: Minneapolis-Central (72% rental),

Minneapolis-Southwest (71%), Minneapolis-East (65%), and Hopkins-St. Louis Park (64%). Only St. Anthony had a rental percentage (26%) lower than the county’s rate (35%).

 Target Area residents were more likely to live in households with no vehicle than the county as a whole (10%). Notably, 37 percent of households in Minneapolis-Central, and one quarter of households in Minneapolis-South, did not have a vehicle.

 Poverty rates varied widely in the Target Areas. Rates approached or exceeded 30 percent in four Minneapolis areas: Central, East, North, and South. Rates were 10 percent or lower in Osseo and St. Anthony.

 By definition, median household incomes in the Target Areas are lower than the county ($61,328). Income was lowest in East ($29,600), Minneapolis-Central ($31,000), and Minneapolis-South ($34,300).

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Table 2: Demographic and Economic Data for Target Areas

Indicator Hennepin County Brooklyn Center Brooklyn Park New Hope-Robbinsdale Osseo Population 1,152,425 12,745 20,912 16,865 2,564 Households 473,856 4,836 7,896 7,152 1,164

Minority (including Hispanic) 28% 52% 62% 27% 7%

Foreign-Born 13% 19% 27% 14% 4%

Age 65 and Over 11% 11% 9% 22% 29%

Renter Occupied Housing Units 35% 41% 52% 47% 42%

No High School Diploma 9% 11% 10% 9% 10%

In Poverty 12% 13% 20% 13% 7%

Households with No Vehicle 10% 13% 17% 19% 13%

Median Household Income $61,328 $46,700 $41,600 $38.800 $44,000

Indicator Bloom-ington Crosstown Edina-Richfield Hopkins – St Louis Pk St. Anthony Population 26,882 11,742 6,694 14,276 2,115 Households 11,220 5,278 4,199 7,073 1,105

Minority (including Hispanic) 36% 44% 24% 32% 10%

Foreign-Born 18% 19% 16% 20% 10%

Age 65 and Over 14% 11% 29% 10% 22%

Renter Occupied Housing Units 40% 51% 53% 64% 26%

In Poverty 12% 19% 12% 12% 10%

Households with No Vehicle 10% 14% 19% 13% 18%

Median Household Income $44,700 $38,600 $36,900 $44,800 $35,900

Indicator Mpls Central Mpls East Mpls North Mpls South Mpls Southwest Population 20,298 57,401 53,123 58,321 37,988 Households 13,170 21,448 18,789 22,835 18,645

Minority (including Hispanic) 31% 33% 69% 61% 37%

Foreign-Born 16% 20% 15% 27% 22%

Age 65 and Over 10% 6% 6% 7% 6%

Renter Occupied Housing Units 72% 65% 34% 50% 71%

In Poverty 29% 39% 32% 30% 23%

Households with No Vehicle 37% 22% 21% 25% 21%

Median Household Income $31,000 $29,600 $36,200 $34,300 $38,000

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Table 3 shows 22 industries that distinguish Hennepin County from the rest of the country - industries that have a higher share of local employment than the national average. The county’s relatively diverse industry base lessened employment losses. From 2002 through 2010, eight industries added 27,727 jobs and 14 lost 31,585 jobs, for a net decrease of 3,858 jobs. Social assistance added the most jobs, 11,251, followed by management of companies and enterprises (5,872 jobs) and insurance carriers and related activities (4,189). Computer and electronic product manufacturing lost the most jobs (5,166) followed by durable goods

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Table 3: Hennepin County Distinguishing Industries and Recent Trends (Average

Private Sector Employment)

Industry 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Professional and Technical

Services (541) 66,747 64,974 63,512 65,344 69,032 71,302 72,540 67,700 67,124 Management of Companies and

Enterprises (551) 34,320 33,675 37,027 36,550 37,028 37,654 41,026 40,171 40,192 Insurance Carriers and Related

Activities (524) 28,591 29,071 28,563 28,940 29,042 29,956 32,002 32,280 32,780 Merchant Wholesalers, Durable

Goods (423) 27,816 27,066 27,098 26,610 27,134 26,960 26,148 23,837 22,888 Social Assistance (624) 15,065 16,330 17,231 19,153 20,888 22,580 24,628 25,147 26,316 Credit Intermediation and Related

Activity (522) 21,047 22,390 22,158 22,194 22,775 20,549 19,343 19,008 19,387 Computer and Electronic Product

Manufacturing (334) 21,272 19,881 19,822 20,491 20,082 18,885 18,499 16,821 16,106 Real Estate (531) 12,474 12,761 13,730 14,081 14,362 15,098 14,872 14,319 14,392 Financial Investment and Related

Activity (523) 16,512 15,974 16,196 16,450 16,520 16,334 14,784 13,469 12,934 Personal and Laundry Services

(812) 11,812 11,736 11,995 11,806 11,797 11,868 12,108 11,512 10,529 Miscellaneous Manufacturing

(339) 8,349 8,354 8,858 9,631 10,576 11,209 10,663 10,536 10,372 Machinery Manufacturing (333) 13,793 12,973 11,963 11,523 10,914 11,011 10,110 9,052 9,018 Electronic Markets and

Agents/Brokers (425) 7,452 7,987 8,070 8,147 8,850 9,128 9,253 9,039 9,158 Printing and Related Support

Activities (323) 10,279 10,521 10,405 10,402 9,945 9,621 9,237 7,981 7,168 Publishing Industries (511) 8,417 8,179 8,169 8,396 8,205 8,075 7,823 7,216 6,996 Miscellaneous Store Retailers

(453) 7,433 7,134 7,102 6,477 6,187 6,068 5,462 5,202 5,759 Sporting

Goods/Hobby/Book/Music Stores (451)

5,103 4,921 4,943 5,064 5,302 5,000 4,816 4,374 4,503 Couriers and Messengers (492) 4,165 4,222 4,325 4,224 4,153 4,130 4,177 3,606 3,567 ISPs, Search Portals, & Data

Processing (518) 6,164 5,078 4,422 4,418 4,162 3,700 3,765 3,778 3,885 Nonstore Retailers (454) 3,862 3,528 3,576 3,916 4,023 4,069 3,669 3,373 3,459 Performing Arts and Spectator

Sports (711) 3,600 3,796 3,613 3,548 3,472 3,608 3,662 3,689 3,991 Transit and Ground Passenger

Transport (485) 2,773 2,692 2,751 2,759 2,845 2,692 2,739 2,765 2,664

Total 22 Industries Above,

Private Sector 337,046 333,243 335,529 340,124 347,294 349,497 351,326 334,875 333,188

Total, All Industries, Private

Sector 745,772 735,295 738,788 747,565 755,097 765,970 760,142 721,538 717,861

Source: Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, http://www.positivelyminnesota.com/apps/lmi/qcew/AreaSel.aspx

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III. CEDS Vision Statement, Goals, Objectives, and Priorities

A. Vision Statement

Focus and coordinate provision of Hennepin County economic development and employment and training services to foster and advise on long-term economic development and the generation of highly-skilled, high-paying jobs within emerging industries in the Hennepin-Carver county areas.

B. Goals

1. Ensure the economic competitiveness of Hennepin County and the region by: • Promoting employment growth and developing the workforce;

• Providing basic infrastructure and amenities (transportation, service buildings, libraries, and parks);

• Cleaning up contaminated lands; and

• Connecting workforce services to growing industry sectors.

2. Advise the Hennepin County Board on the financial and legal implications for economic development projects by:

• Identifying specific funding alternatives; • Limiting financial risk and exposure; and • Meeting all legal requirements.

3. Ensure a return on Hennepin County's investment in economic development. 4. Focus investments on locations in or closely linked to Target Areas.

C. Policies, Issues or Projects to Come Before the CEDS Committee 1. Projects and programs listed in the CEDS.

2. Catalog of Hennepin County resources that could assist municipalities in development projects, including:

 Training and employment assistance programs,

 Review of state and federal grant applications for economic development; and

 Review of policies for use of monies for workforce and economic development. D. 2012 Business and Economic Development Committee Workplan

Goal 1: Assist businesses with economic development programs that also offer workforce

opportunities.

 Work with Hennepin County Economic Development and the State of Minnesota to determine how best to use the CEDS structure and priorities to assist

Hennepin County local businesses and industries;

 Continue to operate the pilot Economic Gardening Program and seek to expand to additional businesses in Hennepin County;

 Use information provided by State of Minnesota Business Services Specialists and other workforce organizations and agencies to jointly address financing and specific needs identified by local employers and industry groups;

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 Sponsor coordinating forums to improve linkage of Hennepin County municipalities, service providers, and economic developers with the State of Minnesota Business Services Specialists Program, including Economic Gardening;

 Attend, as appropriate, community development forums sponsored by the Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority;

 Market the Minnesota Community Capital Fund and Common Bond Fund Industrial Development Bonding to businesses;

 Coordinate information on workforce programs with Greater MSP, the regional economic development and site selection organization; and,

 Obtain Economic Development Administration reauthorization of the EDA Defense Conversion Revolving Loan Fund to serve returning veterans to reestablish and start businesses.

Goal 2: Maintain familiarity with local Labor Market Information (LMI) and workforce

needs of key industries to insure economic development program design effectiveness.

Goal 3: Remain educated on the economic state of WIB service areas. Identify key

indicators such as layoffs, unemployment rates, business expansion, and new employers.

Hennepin County has or participates in programs and initiatives, highlighted below, to foster and coordinate economic development.

IV. Community and Private Sector Participation

Hennepin County, through its Hennepin Community Works (HCW) Program, works to coordinate public infrastructure investments with economic development. HCW is a multi-jurisdictional planning program and the following principles guide investments:

 Stimulate employment development

 Build bridges for effective planning and implementation  Maintain and improve natural systems

 Strengthen communities through connections  Enhance the Tax Base

Projects seek to simultaneously increase mobility, encourage business development, attract new jobs, improve the natural environment, and enhance property values in areas that have experienced a loss of job opportunities, declining property values, and general economic deterioration. Through investment strategies that integrate transportation, public works, parks and the natural environment, HCW builds better urban and suburban neighborhoods. To date, over $75 million in federal, state, and local dollars have been budgeted to support HCW project implementation, including the

Humboldt Avenue Greenway, 29th Street Corridor, and Lowry Avenue Corridor. Another half-dozen HCW projects, most within or adjacent to Hennepin County Economic Target Areas, are in the planning, design, and initial construction phases. Projects include Minnehaha-Hiawatha and Shady Oak Road Community Works.

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HCW uses a multi-resource approach to finance public and private investments in project areas. As the planning process identifies project elements, funding sources are identified for each element. Funding sources have included general obligation bonds; property assessments; housing revenue bonds; tax increment proceeds; state bonding; federal, state and regional grants; and project revenues. Many of the HCW projects have a public/private partnership in place as part of the project. The partnership is comprised of elected officials, and corporate and community representatives. The partnership guides the project planning and implementation.

Following are Community Works Projects:

 Hopkins and Minnetonka, Shady Oak Road

Hennepin County Transportation is planning the County Road 61/Shady Oak Road upgrade within the cities of Hopkins and Minnetonka for 2011 and 2012. This project is “more than just a road project.” A land-use analysis identified re-use potential of adjacent properties. The city and county are working together to negotiate the purchase of these properties from willing sellers. This project is adjacent to the Hopkins Economic Target Area.

 Minneapolis, Lowry Avenue Corridor

Hennepin County and the city of Minneapolis have been working for the past ten years to stabilize the ten neighborhoods that border Lowry Avenue and created the Lowry Avenue Corridor Plan to guide housing and retail redevelopment activities. The Plan identifies actions to improve livability of adjoining neighborhoods by concentrating commercial spaces around transit nodes, enhancing access to jobs, offering mixed-income housing, and providing multi-modal transportation options.

In 2009, Lowry Avenue reconstruction was completed with wider sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, landscaped boulevards, and intersection improvements. Property has been acquired for redevelopment purposes. Once the economy improves, redevelopment on these vacant properties should happen. This project impacts the Lowry Avenue Economic Target Area.

 Minneapolis, Minnehaha-Hiawatha Project

The Minnehaha-Hiawatha Community Works Project parallels the Hiawatha LRT line from the Midtown Greenway south to Minnehaha Parkway and between the LRT line east to Minnehaha Avenue. The corridor's proximity to the LRT line provides incredible opportunity for

development, yet the corridor experiences many challenges: difficult traffic, bicycle, and pedestrian crossings of Hiawatha Avenue; a utility corridor that includes railroad tracks and high voltage power lines; poor quality pedestrian and bicycle facilities; aging industrial (including brownfield) land uses; an irregular street grid creating site access and parcel configuration problems; and other challenges for private assembly of sites for redevelopment. The Minnehaha-Hiawatha Community Works Project seeks to maximize potential benefits from the Hiawatha LRT line by leveraging county infrastructure investments to create jobs and economic development, improve area natural systems, improve transportation (including improved bike and pedestrian crossings, access and lighting), and enhance the area's tax base. The project is adjacent to the Lake Street Economic Target Area.

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 Eden Prairie, Edina, Hopkins, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, St. Louis Park, Southwest Transitway

Expected to open in 2018, the proposed 15-mile, 17 station Southwest Light Rail Transit (LRT) line is now in preliminary engineering and will provide high frequency train service to the rapidly growing southwest metro area – Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Edina, Hopkins, and St. Louis Park – as well as Minneapolis neighborhoods and downtown Minneapolis. The Southwest LRT line will connect to the Hiawatha, Central, and Northstar rail lines and high frequency bus routes in downtown Minneapolis, providing access to the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, Mall of America, state capitol, and downtown St. Paul. Southwest LRT ridership is projected at approximately 28,000 trips per day.

In December 2009, the Hennepin County Board established the Southwest LRT Community Works project. Southwest LRT Community Works is a collaboration between the corridor cities, Hennepin County, Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority, and the Metropolitan Council, to create a shared vision and implementation strategy to provide housing choices, stimulate business and job growth, enable Transit-Oriented Development, provide access to employment, and enhance the long term value of the communities in the Southwest LRT Corridor. Since late 2010, the partners have come together to establish a unified corridor vision for quality housing and neighborhoods, improved mobility, and a robust economy. The corridor is also a key participant in the regional Corridors of Opportunity, Sustainable

Communities and Living Cities programs that are increasing the connection between economic development, land use planning and transportation.

V. Strategic Projects, Programs and Activities

A. Coordinate Economic Development with Environmental Protection

Hennepin County established a unique interdepartmental collaboration, the Environmental Assessment Team (EAT), to provide internal environmental assistance and coordinate environmental due diligence for Hennepin County. Member departments include Hennepin County Environmental Services, HCWT, Property Services, Taxpayer Services,

Transportation, the County Attorney’s Office, the Hennepin County Housing and

Redevelopment Authority (HCHRA), and the Hennepin County Regional Railroad Authority (HCRRA).

B. Coordinate Economic Development with Transportation and Transit Improvements Hennepin County has made available $2 million per year in Capital Bond funds ($22 million since 2003) to support multijurisdictional Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) housing and redevelopment projects. Funding is only available to those multi-jurisdictional programs and projects that occur within or directly adjacent to Hennepin County-owned transit corridors and/or where new or enhanced transit services supporting county strategies are taking place. Figure 5 shows the 2011 TOD grant awards. The TOD Program has been successful in leveraging other public and significant private investment; at completion, projects awarded funding in 2011 will leverage more than $149 million from other sources, create approximately 470 housing units and over 950 jobs.

Hennepin County, internally and through partnership with the Federal Transit Administration, continues to implement activities that improve the relationship between public transportation and economic development.

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 Minneapolis and St. Paul, Central Corridor LRT

Now under construction and expected to open in 2014, Central Corridor Light Rail Transit (LRT) is an 11-mile transit line that will connect downtown Minneapolis, the University of Minnesota, and downtown Saint Paul. This LRT Corridor encompasses two of Minneapolis’s largest employment and growth centers, downtown and the University of Minnesota. The project reinforces significant economic development initiatives within the city, including the University Research Park Bioscience Sub-Zone, transit development and commercial corridor revitalization along University Avenue, and implementation of the Cedar Riverside Area and 29th Avenue SE Area Plans. Corridor projects will need investment over the next several years to improve pedestrian, bicycle, and bus access to the West Bank Station, remediate site pollution, improve utilities, acquire property, and improve University Avenue streetscape, such as lightning, plantings, and sidewalks. Infrastructure improvements will facilitate corridor development.

 Minneapolis, Brooklyn Park, Crystal, Golden Valley, Maple Grove, New Hope, Osseo,

Robbinsdale, Bottineau Transitway Corridor

The proposed Bottineau Transitway will provide transit improvements in the highly traveled northwest area of the Twin Cities. The Bottineau Transitway will extend approximately 13 miles from downtown Minneapolis to the northwest through north Minneapolis and the suburbs of Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, Crystal, New Hope, Brooklyn Park, Maple Grove, and Osseo. The transitway route options are currently under study in the environmental impact statement.

The corridor has opportunities to connect housing and jobs with transit as it passes through corporate headquarters, commercial centers, two lakes, Crystal Airport, and two colleges. Depending on routing, the corridor may pass through the Lowry Economic Target Area and near the Brooklyn Park Economic Target Area. The corridor is also a key participant in the regional Corridors of Opportunity, Sustainable Communities and Living Cities programs.

C. Coordinate Employment and Training for Economic Growth

Hennepin County maintains several employment and training programs directly applicable to economic growth. The goal of the programs described below is to provide employers with a well-trained workforce.

 Suburban Hennepin County and Carver County, designated as a Workforce Service Area (WSA), administers programs under the federal Workforce Investment Act.

 Hennepin County’s Human Services and Public Health Department provides welfare-to-work training.

 Dislocated Worker services provide training to employees who have lost employment through no fault of their own (lay-off, closure, etc.). This program is funded by Federal WIA and the State of Minnesota.

 Hennepin County has three streams of funding to address the unemployment and workforce development issues for Hennepin County’s suburban-area youth, aged 14-22. These streams include federal (i.e., the Workforce Investment Act), state (The Minnesota Youth Program) and local (i.e., The Commissioners’ Youth Program) that address distressed youth populations within the CED’s targeted area. These

populations include youth who are economically disadvantaged, disabled, pregnant, teen parents, adjudicated and foster youth and/or homeless youth. Figure 3 shows the

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geographical distribution of program youth and their correlation with areas of

economic distress. The correlation between participation in these youth programs and those areas is high and worthy of note. Program activities include, but are not limited to pre-employment assessments, career exploration, math and reading remediation, credential attainment, work-experience and development of work-readiness skills. Youth have opportunities to work at community based organizations, local governments, and within educational agencies. Youth participate in group and individual projects which involve the improvement of the natural environment, and enhancement of property values in areas that have experienced a loss of job

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Figure 3: Youth Training Clients

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Figure 4 shows WorkForce Centers and employment and training service locations. The Lowry Avenue Economic Target Area is near the North Minneapolis WorkForce Center and has or is near multiple employment and training service locations. The Lake Street Economic Target Area has the South Minneapolis WorkForce Center and has or is near multiple

employment and training service locations.

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20 D. Financial Support for Economic Growth

Economic development impacts multiple aspects of a community. Hennepin County provides direct financial support of private development, makes investments that impact private

development, and sponsors business finance and workforce development programs that support businesses. The county is integrating its initiatives and programs to more closely align county investments in environment, transportation, land use, development, and public facilities. Integration activities include:

1. Environmental Response Fund

The Hennepin County Environmental Response Fund (ERF) funds environmental-related assessment and cleanup of sites throughout Hennepin County where no other funding source is available, where a public non-tax-generating end use is intended, and/or to create or preserve affordable housing. Figure 5 shows 2011 ERF grant sites, some in or adjacent to the Brooklyn Park, Hopkins, Lake Street, Lowry Avenue Economic Target Areas. 2. Economic Gardening

Economic gardening focuses on growing existing businesses in a community as a complement to recruiting businesses from outside the region. Economic gardening

strategies are entrepreneur-centered, and target second-stage companies (10-99 employees) as significant job creators well-positioned for growth. The Edward Lowe Foundation, a nationally recognized entrepreneurship development organization, has demonstrated economic gardening approaches in Littleton, Colorado and through a statewide initiative in Florida. The core approach being piloted in Hennepin County provides a suite of high-end, high-speed technical assistance and business resources to companies that have grown beyond the startup phase and need access to information and decision-making tools typically only available to larger companies. By working with the Edward Lowe

Foundation, a team of highly trained and experienced analysts are being deployed to select Hennepin County second stage companies who have been referred to the program by participating municipalities.

3. “Open to Business” Entrepreneur Development

The Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD) has offered direct lending and technical assistance to entrepreneurs, startup and expanding small businesses since 1989. With funding support from Hennepin County, MCCD is partnering with 14 suburban Hennepin County cities to offer direct, one-on-one services to entrepreneurs through the “Open to Business” initiative. Through this model, MCCD staff provides business consulting to participating cities’ existing businesses and residents who are thinking about opening or expanding a business. The range of services offered include: business plan development, feasibility studies, cash flow and financing projections, marketing, assistance preparing loan requests, and advocacy with lending institutions. MCCD staff help connect entrepreneurs with banks, community development lenders, and MCCD’s own small business loan fund that can help entrepreneurs access the capital they need to be successful. Rather than provide a fixed set of services for a fixed fee, “Open to Business” provides services tailored to the unique needs of each community’s

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Figure 5: 2011 Environmental Response Fund, Transit Oriented Development Grant

Locations, and Open to Business Sites

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4. EDA Defense Conversion Revolving Loan Fund for post 9/11 Veterans

To address the credit needs of returning post 9/11 Veterans and their spouses, Hennepin County is requesting the US Economic Development Administration to allow us to use principal repayments and related interest to make loans to Post 9/11 War Veterans for upgrades and expansion of existing businesses and the start-up of new business. Due to the number of returning veterans and spouses impacted by the region’s changing economic conditions, Hennepin County is requesting this reuse of Defense Conversion Loan repayments. Under this proposal, Hennepin County will be the Prime Lender in the financing of working capital loans to recently returning veterans and their spouses and a participating lender for capital expansion activities.

5. Integrate Business Service Specialists with Business Finance and Community Works As part of our ongoing attempts to leverage resources to help the business community, Hennepin County, through its participation in the Workforce Investment Board, is

partnering with the State of Minnesota and their Business Service Specialists to work more closely to identify business needs and solutions. The State of Minnesota has agreed to allow the Hennepin - Carver Workforce Investment Board to identify targeted industries that correspond to local Labor Market Information and utilize state staff to coordinate a response.

6. Common Bond Fund Industrial Development Bonding

Hennepin County made the Minneapolis Common Bond Fund (CBF) Program available to suburban Hennepin County manufacturing companies. In existence since 1982, the CBF has financed a wide variety of projects throughout Minneapolis. The CBF is designed for established owner-occupied manufacturing facilities with a history of profitability and whose owners provide personal guaranties.

The CBF Loan Program provides the following benefits to Hennepin County businesses:

 Long-term, fixed-rate financing to businesses at below market interest rates;

 Issuance of revenue bonds on either a tax-exempt or taxable basis to finance industrial, commercial and medical facilities and some nonprofit activities. Projects can include land acquisition, new facility construction, additions to existing facilities, purchase and renovation of existing structures, and production-equipment purchase;

 Bonds issued through the CBF are investment grade instruments with an "A-" municipal bond rating from Standard & Poor's based on the security provided by the CBF; and

 Ability to generate a stream of revenue to Hennepin County and the city of Minneapolis for other economic development activities.

7. Greater Metropolitan Foreign Trade Zone

Hennepin County, the city of Minneapolis, the city of Bloomington, and the Metropolitan Airports Commission, organized as a joint powers agency, comprise the Foreign Trade Zone Commission (FTZ #119). Under its federal charter, the Commission designates and manages General Purpose and sub-zones for the benefit of businesses involved in the

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import and export goods. The Minneapolis/St. Paul area has five General Purpose Zones. Burnsville has one sub zone. FTZ #119 includes the Minneapolis Convention Center, west Bloomington, Eagan Industrial Park, Mid-City Industrial Park, and the Greater Airport Bloomington site adjacent to the Richfield/Bloomington Economic Target Area. 8. Greater MSP

The GREATER MSP Partnership is committed to stimulating economic growth and prosperity in the Minnesota’s 13-county Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area. As a public-private partnership funded by charitable donations, its vision is to be a value-added resource to all economic development organizations in the Greater MSP region. The Partnership works with dozens of economic development partners at the state and regional levels. It provides vision, strategy, resources and staff support to governments and

organizations involved with job creation, regional marketing, business recruitment and business retention. Specifically, the GREATER MSP Partnership leads or partners with existing organizations to:

 Set a strategic vision for regional economic development  Define and guide a tactical economic development agenda

 Brand and market the Greater MSP region to internal and external audiences  Retain and expand current businesses in the region

 Attract new businesses to the region

 Connect businesses with local resources and incentives

E. Hennepin County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Projects

From municipalities with target areas or adjacent to target areas, Hennepin County solicited planned projects that represent CEDS goals and objectives. Hennepin County staff and the Hennepin-Carver WIB’s Business and Economic Development Committee worked together to review proposals and recommended infrastructure; business finance; and research, technology, and planning proposals for the CEDS. Following are the recommended projects. Figure 6 shows project locations.

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Figure 6: Hennepin County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Projects

2012

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 Brooklyn Park, Village Creek Redevelopment Area

The city of Brooklyn Park is planning for continued redevelopment and job growth in the Village Creek redevelopment area and surrounding neighborhood. This

redevelopment project strengthens an economically challenged area by eliminating blight conditions, increasing the tax base, and creating opportunity sites for new jobs. Hennepin County has partnered with the city to provide pedestrian and transit

improvements in the Village Creek redevelopment area as well as the development of a neighborhood police station. Village Creek area is within the Brooklyn Park

Economic Target Area.

 Golden Valley, Douglas Drive Corridor

Douglas Drive, a Hennepin County collector street, is a major employment corridor: home to Honeywell, United Health, and Tenant headquarters. Douglas Drive has a large percentage of the city’s multifamily housing units.

The city of Golden Valley is in the process of establishing a redevelopment area to encourage corporate reinvestment in the area, redevelop underutilized property, and develop infrastructure that supports transit, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic. The area has brownfields, high water table, railroad crossings, limited pedestrian facilities, a Bassett Creek crossing, and poor soil structure, all of which challenge redevelopment. In addition, limited street right-of-way, overhead utilities, and antiquated drainage system impede needed street upgrades.

 Golden Valley, Xenia Avenue/Park Place Improvement Area

This area centers on the Xenia/Park Place interchange at I-394 and includes property in Golden Valley and St. Louis Park. To maximize this major interchange’s economic potential, street improvements are necessary to support increased vehicle, bicycle, and pedestrian traffic. Other improvements to the natural systems and public and private utilities will also encourage economic development. In keeping with Metropolitan Council directives, Golden Valley has created a mixed-use zoning district in the area that would increase private development density, but also requires renewed public infrastructure to support land use changes.

 Hopkins, Blake Road/Cold Storage Site

The Blake Road (County Rd 20) Corridor has been the focus of revitalization efforts since 2005. Crime increases, housing stock quality decreases, and poor urban design (lack of sidewalks, pocket park) have led to combined efforts with the Hopkins Police Department, Hennepin County, Hopkins Public Schools, and city staff. The corridor’s completed Small Area Plan has a vision for revitalization that includes planned and proposed transit-oriented redevelopment and facilities for improving the quality of and access to the Minnehaha Creek. This project impacts the Hopkins Economic Target Area.

 Hopkins, East End

The goal is to redevelop the East End (Hwy 169 to Blake Road, Excelsior Boulevard to 2nd Street) into higher density, mixed-use developments that include primarily office

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and housing with limited retail uses. In 2003, the City Council adopted a plan that identifies a concept development plan with a number of development modules adjacent to the Hopkins Economic Target Area. The Southwest LRT Corridor passes through this area.

 Hopkins, Fifth Avenue Flats

Fifth Avenue Flats is a 230+ unit luxury apartment development proposal with 13,000 square foot of retail on the ground floor on Mainstreet in downtown Hopkins.

Downtown Hopkins’ historic Mainstreet is a unique commercial corridor in the west metro and its revitalization and vitality are a major priority for the city. Luxury rental is an unserved market in Hopkins and is further encouraged by the 3,300 Cargill jobs that will be located within walking distance of the development by 2010. The site is also within a half mile of the Downtown Hopkins Station of the proposed Southwest Light Rail Transit Line. This project impacts the Hopkins Economic Target Area.

 Hopkins, Former EBCO site

This approximately 9-acre site along the planned Southwest LRT Corridor and at the prime intersection of Highway 169 and Excelsior Boulevard was vacated in 2008. The site is being marketed for a hotel/office/retail development. This project is adjacent to the Hopkins Economic Target Area.

 Hopkins, Marketplace and Main

Located one block west of Fifth Avenue Flats, Marketplace and Main is a planned development of 53 condominiums, 7 townhomes, and ground floor retail. This development is also within walking distance to Cargill and the Downtown Hopkins LRT station. This project impacts the Hopkins Economic Target Area.

 Hopkins, Park Nicollet Clinic Site

Park Nicollet vacated its clinic at 8th Avenue and 1st Street South in August 2009. The city is redeveloping this site into a mixed-use project consistent with the goal of the transforming 8th Avenue into a “pedestrian seductive” corridor from the proposed LRT station at 8th and Excelsior Boulevard to Mainstreet. A secondary goal is to increase housing options in the downtown and near LRT. This project is in the Hopkins Economic Target Area.

 Minneapolis, Bassett Creek Valley

The Bassett Creek Valley mixed-use redevelopment will replace a blighted, city-owned 50 acre site just west of downtown Minneapolis with 800,000 sq. ft of commercial office space, over 400 housing units, 3,000 permanent jobs, and $150 million in private investment. Ryan Companies has been granted exclusive development rights to market this site to large corporate users for a transit-oriented development. The project would require $10 million in public infrastructure investments, including a street roundabout, storm water utilities, and a pedestrian bridge. This project is adjacent to the

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 Minneapolis, Franklin Avenue LRT Station Area Redevelopment

The Franklin Avenue Light Rail Transit (LRT) Station Area initiative coordinates infrastructure improvements, property assembly and disposition, pollution remediation, and several catalytic development projects occurring around the Hiawatha LRT transit station that opened in 2004. Improved housing opportunities, local retail, human services, employment, and pedestrian access to the LRT Station will play a key role within this area, where many households do not own cars and rely upon transit to access regional jobs and services. Specific projects in the area include reconstructing key intersections to promote biking and walking to the LRT Station and the

redevelopment of a 3.8 acre brownfield located into mixed-use development.

 Minneapolis, Great Streets Commercial Corridors

In 2007, the Minneapolis City Council created the Great Streets Program as a targeted effort to help businesses develop, expand, and succeed along key commercial and transit corridors within the city in a manner consistent with city land use and growth policies. Coordinated public sector investments in business development, increasing housing densities along transit corridors, as well as road and transit infrastructure and public facilities, such as libraries, have had demonstrated revitalization and job creation results in a number of corridors in the city. The Great Streets Program identifies Target Areas for coordinated investment within the city and provides a variety of city resources for business development and commercial real estate development in these areas.

Great Streets Target Areas include West Broadway Avenue, Franklin Avenue, East Lake Street, Central Avenue, Nicollet Avenue, the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, Chicago Avenue, and the Hiawatha Light Rail Transit corridor. The City Council allocated over $5.5 million to the program over the 2007, 2008 and 2009 budget years. The program provides gap financing for transformative commercial development projects along corridors experiencing market failure as well as business loans, technical assistance for businesses, and assistance to business districts including funding for market studies and business recruitment.

 Minneapolis, Nicollet Avenue Reopening

This project will reestablish the street grid on Nicollet Avenue between 29th Street and Lake Street. Opening this block to traffic will reconnect the two sections of the Nicollet commercial corridor and promote residential traffic on the bordering avenues. The project will remove large surface parking lots and invest in transit-oriented, high-density, mixed-use development to support commercial activity, foster pedestrian and bicycle movement, enhance the storm water system, and improve the area’s appeal. The city has scheduled and partially funded re-opening the Nicollet block and reconstruction of a necessary bridge in its 2013 Capital Improvement Plan. This project is in the Lake Street Economic Target Area.

 New Hope, 42nd Avenue (County Road 9) Storm Sewer Improvements

The city is working on storm sewer improvements to improve conditions at the low point of 42nd Avenue (railroad bridge) to help alleviate flooding potential.

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flows that contribute to this flooding. These improvements are important to the New Hope business community as 42nd Avenue is the city’s main commercial corridor and connects New Hope to the communities east and west of the city. Bike, pedestrian and intersection along 42nd and Quebec Avenues are also a priority for the city. These improvements will make the 42nd Avenue commercial area and Quebec Avenue industrial corridor more attractive areas for businesses, especially in the new Village on Quebec (corner of 42nd and Quebec Avenues) commercial retail and office development that remains mostly vacant. These improvements would be a catalyst for further business expansion and redevelopment.

 New Hope, City Center Redevelopment

For years, city planning and redevelopment has mainly focused on New Hope City Center – the commercial areas surrounding 42nd and Winnetka Avenues. The current proposal includes a phased redevelopment project of the area that will include a big box retailer and many smaller satellite sites with the potential for additional retail, office, and housing. The project could include environmental and soil remediation, pond improvements, expanded streetscaping and community spaces, and transit, road, and access improvements. Approximate project cost: $1,450,000.

 New Hope, Winnetka Avenue Corridor

This proposed project includes complete street reconstruction of Winnetka Avenue, a collector street, north of Bass Lake Road (County Road 10) to the Brooklyn Park border (62nd Avenue). The reconstruction will repair or replace failing sewer and water utilities under the proposed new roadway. The storm sewer improvements are needed to eliminate the city’s need to rely on a private section of storm sewer to convey public flows. Failure of this system would result in back-ups and potential flooding of Bass Lake Road. Additionally, the resulting back-ups and subsequent repairs would likely cause damage to private property. The city is interested in studying potential bicycle and pedestrian connections and streetscaping. Approximate project cost: $1,500,000.

Winnetka Avenue, New Hope’s main arterial, carries residential, commercial and industrial traffic. Improvements to Winnetka Avenue are vital to the health of the entire city. St. Therese Nursing Home, one of New Hope’s largest employers, is located in the reconstruction area, and depends on Winnetka Avenue for on-street parking and access. St. Therese has proposed improvements to various sites around the Winnetka Avenue corridor. Improvements would make redevelopment more enticing. The site is adjacent to the New Hope Economic Target Area.

 Bloomington, South Loop (formerly known as Airport South)

The city of Bloomington and the Bloomington Port Authority have prepared a District Plan for the Airport South area from I-494 on the north, TH 77 on the west, and the Minnesota River on the south and east. The plan guides future land use, public infrastructure, urban design, and redevelopment of this important commercial and employment center. The South Loop District has unique assets including four LRT stations, convenient freeway access, anchor developments including Mall of America and Bloomington Central Station, a National Wildlife Refuge, and adjacency to Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport. Future development is envisioned to

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transform the district’s densities and character from suburban to urban and establish and promote the district as a branded place emphasizing sustainability, quality, safety, and comfort. Currently, the city is exploring the potential for district energy,

innovative storm water practices, building performance criteria and increasing transit access.

Projections for the district include accommodating two-thirds of Bloomington’s commercial and residential development over the next 20 years and doubling employment and quadrupling assessed property value by 2050.

F. Planning

 Fort Snelling Upper Post Master Plan Implementation

Hennepin County and the State of Minnesota identified the need to establish an all-inclusive planning effort for Fort Snelling that includes historic preservation, BRAC, tribal communities and private sector entities. This effort includes designing and establishing an organizational, operational and ownership structure for Fort Snelling Area Lands, defining organizational and financial partners, developing a business plan, and identifying unique market activities that could successfully occur on these sites.

VI. Performance Measures

The WIB’s Program Evaluation Committee will provide oversight and evaluation of activities set forth in this plan. The committee will further define the following evaluation goals:

 Measure job development outcomes obtained from county investments supporting business and economic development activities in Economic Target Areas throughout the county.

 Document job retention and creation directly attributable to Workforce Development activities. Document housing, commercial/retail changes that occur in transit corridors following

completion of Community Works improvement projects.

A. Accomplishments

Over the past year Hennepin County made significant gains in the following projects:

 Minneapolis, North Library Project/1834 Emerson Avenue North

The North Library Project is the renovation of a 13,000 square foot historic building into a community employment and technology center run by Emerge Community Development, a nonprofit with a strong record in job training and placement for hard-to-employ youth and adults. The Center will link North Minneapolis residents to customized training and employment with a select group of employers in medical device, environmental and other fields; provide computer access and skill-building to community residents and offer training for new entrepreneurs. Emerge estimates that at least 75 jobs per year will be created through this venture. The project directly serves five neighborhoods with chronic high unemployment, where an estimated 55 percent of households have no computer or internet access at home. The building, constructed in 1893 as the first branch library in the Minneapolis system and closed in 1974, and is on the National Register of Historic Places. This project was awarded a

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$1.1 million Economic Development Administration grant to establish the Emerge Career and Technology Center.The Center will offer customized training and technology and human resources to fill the demand of industry sectors such as advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and “green” commercial property

management.The project is expected to create 438 jobs and generate $3.5 million in private investment.

 Radisson Blu Mall of America

The Mall of America has become a retail destination and an important engine of economic development in the region. In August 2010, the Hennepin County Board allocated $40.28 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonding authority to the Port Authority of the city of Bloomington. The Port Authority is using the bonds to help finance construction of the new $137 million, 501-room Radisson Blu Hotel, including meeting space, a spa and full-service restaurant, and a parking ramp containing more than 500 spaces next to the Mall of America. The hotel is within walking distance of the mall’s transit center, which is just a few stops from the airport by light rail. The project will create jobs for unemployed construction workers in the metro area during construction and permanent jobs for hotel employees once complete. The hotel will add approximately $60 million in market value to the Bloomington tax base, and the development will pay more than $2 million a year in property taxes annually once its tax increment financing (TIF) district expires in 2016.

 Minneapolis, Minnehaha-Hiawatha Corridor

Hennepin County and the Women’s Environmental Initiative, a nonprofit, received a $100,000 grant from the Environmental Protection Agency for a Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Level I grant to develop a community-based collaboration focused on increasing awareness of toxic environmental pollutants and risks in the Minnehaha-Hiawatha corridor area.

 Economic Gardening

Through joint Hennepin County Redevelopment Authority and Workforce funding, a pilot Economic Gardening Program was initiated to support high growth potential companies.

 Open To Business

Through a joint effort of Hennepin County Redevelopment Authority and suburban Hennepin County municipalities, on site entrepreneurial technical assistance is being provided.

 EDA Defense Conversion Veterans Revolving Loan Fund Request

Hennepin County has submitted a request to the Economic Development

Administration to use Defense Conversion funds as a business reestablishment and startup Revolving Loan Fund for post 9/11 veterans.

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 Sustainable Communities/Corridors of Opportunity and Living Cities

The Corridors of Opportunity Initiative (CoO) builds support to develop a world-class regional transit system in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul region and to promote

development along the emerging transitway system to advance economic vitality and benefit people of all incomes and backgrounds. It is funded by a Sustainable

Communities Regional Planning Grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and loans and grants from the Living Cities Integration Initiative. CoO brings these two funding sources together under one vision with combined governance and management structure and a common set of goals and principles. It is led by a 22-member Policy Board of elected and appointed public officials and representatives of foundations, nonprofit organizations, and community leadership, with additional coordination provided by a senior staff group. Its work is advanced by approximately 20 funded projects.

Several accomplishments highlight the first year of CoO, including dispersal of more than $350,000 in Community Engagement and Outreach award grants to ten

organizations working to build capacity and connect low income, minority, immigrant and other under-served communities to the transit and land-use planning process. Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council initiated competitive grant programs for transit-oriented development, aligned with CoO priorities and principles. CoO adopted fair and affordable housing recommendations (including corridor-wide housing plans) across all corridor initiative projects. A small business grant and loan program was developed to support businesses affected by Central Corridor Light Rail construction. The Corridors of Opportunity Housing/Transit-Oriented Development Loan Program ($14.3 million) began receiving proposals for the acquisition, rehabilitation, construction, and preservation of single family, small multifamily affordable housing, and large multifamily affordable housing or mixed-use transit-oriented developments along Hiawatha, Central and Southwest. Southwest LRT Community Works and the Southwest LRT Project have established a shared governance and committee structure that supports the integration of transit and land-use planning efforts in the Southwest Corridor.

 Medina, Open Systems International, Inc.

In December 2009, the Hennepin County Board and the Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority authorized the city of Minneapolis to issue $18,000,000 in tax exempt revenue bonds for the project. Open Systems International, Inc., a privately-held company was located in leased space in Plymouth, Minnesota and had been in business over 15 years and employing over 187 persons. The expansion created 58 new jobs. The company provides advanced power automation systems that include specialized computer software, software development, training, and support and computer hardware to electronic utility customers primarily in North America. The new 100,000 square foot building includes technology labs, warehouse, training areas, and general meeting/cafeteria space. Business representatives and State of Minnesota Business Services Specialists are working together to secure appropriate candidates to fill new high tech positions. (www.minnesotaworks.net will list new jobs.)

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 OSI Award

Hennepin County received the 2011 Economic Development Innovation award from the Economic Development Association of Minnesota and Finance and Commerce for the Open Systems International Common Bond Fund project in Medina.

Contact Information

Patrick Connoy, Senior Administrative Manager Department of Housing, Community Works and Transit Hennepin County

701 Fourth Avenue South, Suite 400 Minneapolis, MN 55415

612-348-2215

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Agenda No: 9I

Hennepin County, Minnesota

RESOLUTION NO.

04-4-193

The following Resolution was offered by the General Government Committee:

BE IT RESOLVED,That the Hennepin Scott Carver Workforce Investment Board

(WIB) be assigned responsibility for oversight of the Hennepin County

Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy and that the WIB be designated as the CEDS Committee in accordance with the requirements of the Economic

Development Administration of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The question was on the adoption of the Resolution and there were 7 YEAS and 0 NAYS, as follows:

COUNTY OF HENNEPIN

BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

YEA NAY OTHER

Michael Opat X Mark Stenglein X Gail Dorfman X Peter McLaughlin X Linda L Koblick X Penny Steele X

Randy Johnson, Chair X

RESOLUTION ADOPTED ON 04/20/04

ATTEST:__________________________ Clerk of the County Board

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Hennepin County, Minnesota Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) 2012 Update October 9, 2012

Hennepin County, Minnesota

Comprehensive Economic Development

Strategy (CEDS)

2012 Update

October 9, 2012

Hennepin County

Workforce Investment Board

701 Fourth Avenue South, Suite 400

Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415-1843

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

I.

Organization of Hennepin County Comprehensive Economic Development

Strategy (CEDS) Committee

II.

Analysis of Regional Economy, Partners, and Resources

Table 1: Hennepin County Labor Force Data*

Figure 1: Comparison of Hennepin County and National Unemployment Rates*

Table 2: Demographic and Economic Data for Target Areas

Table 3: Hennepin County Distinguishing Industries and Recent Trends (Average

Private Sector Employment)

III.

CEDS Vision Statement, Goals, Objectives, and Priorities

IV.

Community and Private Sector Participation

V.

Strategic Projects, Programs and Activities

Figure 3: Youth Training Clients

Figure 5: 2011 Environmental Response Fund, Transit Oriented Development Grant

Locations, and Open to Business Sites

Figure 6: Hennepin County Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy Projects

2012

VI.

Performance Measures

Hennepin County, Minnesota

RESOLUTION NO.