Met Council awards $15.8 million in development and redevelopment project grants

The Metropolitan Council (Met Council) has awarded $15.8 million in grants to 15 development and redevelopment projects across 10 cities in the seven-county Twin Cities metro region. The projects connect housing, jobs, transit and services to increase community livability.  

The funded projects will create 1,672 new affordable housing units, preserve 306 existing affordable units and add 484 market-rate housing units—a total of 2,462 homes. In addition, the developments will create or preserve 969 jobs, including 817 living-wage positions with benefits. The 11 grant recipients include Apple Valley, Bloomington, Brooklyn Center, Columbia Heights, Cottage Grove, Falcon Heights, Hopkins, Little Canada, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minn., as well as the Saint Paul Port Authority.  

"We know that families across the Twin Cities are finding it harder than ever to afford a place to call home," said Met Council Senior Manager for Housing and Livable Communities Sarah Berke. "These grants support communities working with developers to create much-needed housing, enabling people to live in the cities where they work. The financing to build and preserve affordable housing is extremely complex and relies on many partners."  

Met Council says that of the 1,672 new affordable units, the income distribution is:  

• 300 units affordable to households earning up to 30% of area median income (AMI)—approximately $39,700 annually for a family of four or a $19/hour full-time job.  
• 355 units affordable to households earning between 31% and 50% AMI ($39,701 to $66,200 annually).  
• 1,017 units affordable to households earning between 51% and 80% AMI ($66,201 to $104,200 annually).  

The Livable Communities Demonstration Account supports development and redevelopment projects that link housing, jobs and services while using community and regional infrastructure efficiently. Transit-oriented development (TOD) grants focus on high-density projects that contribute to a mix of uses in TOD-eligible areas.  

In the 2025 grant round, the Met Council received 24 applications from 13 cities, requesting $33.1 million—more than twice the available funding. Applications for the grants undergo a review process conducted by an internal staff team and the Livable Communities Advisory Committee, an external panel of professionals and content experts. Funding is distributed to the highest-scoring eligible projects within established geographic and award limits.