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Livability <br />Livability focuses on the quality of our residents' lives and experiences in our <br />region and how places and infrastructure create and enhance the quality of life <br />that makes our region a great place to live. With abundant and beautiful open <br />space, an active arts community, a range of housing options, and a reasonable <br />cost of living, the Twin Cities region is widely recognized for its high quality of <br />life. <br />The Metropolitan Council's focus on livability is on creating and renewing vibrant <br />places and underlying infrastructure, investing in regional parks and affordable <br />housing, and collaborating with partners to achieve the full range of possibilities <br />that make our region a great place to live. Livability adds value to our region by <br />helping to retain and attract a talented workforce, increasing living choices, <br />building community identity, highlighting the unique qualities of local places, and <br />supporting individual decisions that reinforce those qualities. The Council is <br />committed to increasing livability in the region through its authorities, its <br />investments in infrastructure, and its collaboration with others to sustain and <br />increase a high quality of life. Enhancing livability means: <br />• Promoting healthy communities and active living through planning and <br />investments; <br />• Increasing access to nature and outdoor recreation through regional parks <br />and trails; <br />• Supporting regional bicycle facilities to promote bicycling for <br />transportation, recreation and healthy lifestyles; <br />• Providing housing and transportation choices for a range of demographic <br />characteristics and economic means; <br />• Aligning resources to support transit -oriented development and walkable <br />places. <br />Livability helps attract and retain the people and businesses that our region needs to thrive and <br />compete economically. People are increasingly choosing where they want to live, especially <br />metro areas that offer attractive amenities and lifestyles, and then looking for jobs there. Young, <br />creative professionals today are highly mobile and can live anywhere they want. They are <br />choosing high -amenity places that have a diverse population, a rich arts and entertainment <br />culture, natural beauty, abundant recreation, and sufficient walkability and transit systems that <br />allow them to travel without a car. <br />Attracting younger talent through high -quality communities is also an investment in the future <br />market for our housing stock. Many young urbanites look for more space as they have children <br />and their lifestyle preferences change. As existing residents age out of their homes, these <br />