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Housing & Economic Development <br />A strength of the regional economy has been its economic diversity. Greater MSP and the <br />Metropolitan Council have identified multiple industry clusters and sectors that employ a <br />specialized, trained workforce and support entrepreneurs in developing new businesses. <br />Partnerships and collaborations among the state and local levels of government, higher education <br />and industry should continue to develop, to commercialize new technologies and to support <br />efforts to enhance the economic vitality of the region. <br />While cities are the primary unit of local government responsible for the implementation of <br />economic development, counties have an interest in supporting local economic development <br />efforts. Any creation of a county CDA, EDA or HRA with economic development powers <br />should follow M.S. 469.1082 that requires a city to adopt a resolution electing to participate. <br />Cities can work with the public and private sectors to support the region's economic growth by <br />reducing barriers to economic participation by people of color. <br />Metro Cities supports state funded programs that support new and expanding businesses, <br />infrastructure development and public -private partnerships. This includes the Minnesota <br />Investment Fund, Job Creation Fund and Angel Tax Credit. Programs using statewide <br />funding should strive to award funds balanced between the metro region and greater <br />Minnesota. Metro Cities supports competitive funding for statewide grant programs such <br />as the Minnesota Investment Fund (MIF) as opposed to direct legislative appropriations for <br />projects from these funds. Metro Cities supports a percentage of MIF loan repayments to <br />cities. <br />Metro Cities supports economic tools that facilitate job growth without relying solely on <br />the property tax base; green job development and related innovation and <br />entrepreneurship; programs to support minority business start-ups; small business <br />financing tools including a state new markets tax credit program mirrored on the federal <br />program; tools to attract and retain data centers and other IT facilities; and maintaining <br />existing municipal authority to establish a special service district (SSD). Metro Cities <br />supports further study of allowing mixed -use buildings that have both commercial and <br />residential uses to be included in an SSD. <br />3-K (2) Redevelopment <br />Redevelopment involves the development of land that requires "predevelopment." The goal of <br />redevelopment is to facilitate the development of "pre -used" land, thereby leveling the playing <br />field between greenfield and brownfield sites so that a private sector entity can rationally choose <br />to locate on land that has already been used. The benefits of redevelopment include a decrease in <br />Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMTs), more efficient use of new or existing public infrastructure <br />(including public transit), ameliorated city costs due to public safety and code enforcement, and <br />other public goods that result when land is reused rather than abandoned and compact <br />development is encouraged. <br />Metro Cities supports increased funding from state and regional sources. The Metropolitan <br />Council's Livable Communities Act programs fund redevelopment activities that support <br />cleanup and tax base revitalization. Metro Cities supports allowing a maximum levy amount <br />2018 Legislative Policies <br />28 <br />