Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities

With support from the Metropolitan Council of the Twin Cities and City of Saint Paul, plans to redevelop vacant property surrounding the METRO Green Line’s Central Station are advancing. Under a tentative developer agreement, Indianapolis-based Flaherty & Collins will work over the next year to meet the terms and conditions needed to have a purchase agreement in place by the end of 2026. The development company is currently proposing two buildings that would be connected by a new skyway crossing the light rail line. Together, the buildings would have 300 market-rate housing units and 10,000 square feet of retail space. Learn more about the plan and the regional push to bring more housing and jobs to sites that are similarly well-served by transit: https://lnkd.in/gr6sXG_y

Council Member Dolkar was appointed in 2023 to serve District 15 and celebrated her final week at the Met Council this week. Council members are a key part of the Met Council's policymaking process. They help reinforce our connection with communities and serve as liaisons with local stakeholders as we develop and implement a regional vision. Council Member Dolkar served on the Transportation and Community Development committees, bringing her unique perspective and expertise to these committees' work. We are especially appreciative of the time and efforts she devoted to helping develop the 2050 regional development guide. It has been a pleasure to have her on the Council, and we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

Tune in to our State of the Region livestream this afternoon! Streaming starts at 1:55 p.m.: https://lnkd.in/d2iwMG8A

The 2025 State of the Region will take place on Thursday, January 30, at 1:55 p.m. The event will feature remarks from state and regional leadership. Watch our livestream of the event here: https://lnkd.in/gnU_B3cD

Come intern with us! We are now accepting applications for our 2025 internship program. Applications close January 21. Learn more and apply today: https://lnkd.in/gy7eYRDu

Last Friday, Chair Charlie Zelle and Council Member Toni Carter participated in ReConnect Rondo's 2024 #ReconnnectingCommunitiesSummit to discuss the importance of transformative investments in communities and ways to ensure that those impacted by development have a seat at the table when it comes to decision making.

Your voice matters. Our draft regional development guide, Imagine 2050, is available for public comment. Imagine 2050 provides policies for how the region can plan and interact with land, transportation, water, housing, and parks and trails, and seeks to address climate, equity, and public health issues. We want your input on how these policies will impact your ability to thrive in the region, and whether these plans are headed in the right direction. Provide your input anytime between now and October 7. Learn more and comment: https://lnkd.in/gUTfJjMH

Applications are open to volunteer on our paratransit appeals panel! ? The Met Council facilitates an appeal process for individuals who have either been denied eligibility for Metro Mobility or those whose Metro Mobility service has been suspended due to conduct or “no-show” violations.? We are seeking individuals who have a professional background in working with people with disabilities to volunteer to serve on a three-person panel for these appeals. Applying to be in the database does not commit you to serving on a panel. When a hearing is needed, we will reach out to individuals in the database who may be a good fit for that panel based on the disability of the particular appellant. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gkpw5aqm For our initial review period, please apply by October 1. However, applications are reviewed and accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.?

We've been honored to have a talented cohort of interns join us the past few months for the opportunity to learn more about the work we do throughout the region and further develop their skills. Here are just a few of the faces joining us this summer: Juanjo Palos (he/him) is a wellness intern with the Fit for Life team in the Regional Administration division. Juanjo’s work with the Fit for Life team has helped keep the more than 4,000 Met Council staff members healthy through programs designed around nutrition, movement, stress management, and more. Hoang P. (she/her) is a content management intern with Metro Transit. One project Hoang has been working on this summer is testing the usability of the Met Council’s intranet, ensuring that all staff are able to easily access company-wide information. She has enjoyed meeting with managers and staff to understand their perspectives and experiences.? Devin Rhoades (he/him) is an Environmental Services geographic information systems (GIS) intern. His time with the Met Council this summer has included updating maps for the Metro region. Devin said it has been fun to visit different Met Council and Metro Transit facilities to assist with his projects.? Kelunda Moore (she/her) is a Safety Intern with Metro Transit. One of her main responsibilities is to visit construction sites along the Green Line Extension transitway and check that proper personal protective equipment is worn and help ensure the safety of those working on the line. Kelunda said that it has been nice to get her hands on a lot of different projects this summer.

Our Metro HRA is celebrating 20 years of being recognized with a High Performer Status under the Section 8 Management Assessment Program from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. In the past 20 years, our team has issued $1 billion to over 1.5 million households using housing vouchers, having a 90% or above accuracy rate for verifying income and calculating rent shares to keep rent affordable for tenants. With a total of 478 years of experience across the Metro HRA team, we're committed to providing safe and affordable housing opportunities throughout the region. Learn more about the work we do: https://lnkd.in/g6em7w6V