[Mpls] State of a city/A boost for north Minneapolis

[Shawn Lewis]

It is nice to see north minneapolis getting some attention and
help.
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Editorial: State of a city/A boost for north Minneapolis
May 3, 2004
One of Minneapolis' nicest problems is that increasing 
numbers of people want to live in the city. More than 
3,000 new housing units were built over the last two 
years. Prices and home values are rising in nearly 
every neighborhood.

Much of the North Side lags behind, however. In his 
State of the City address last Friday, Mayor R.T. Rybak 
suggested that Minneapolis is rapidly becoming two 
cities -- one upwardly mobile and often affluent, the o
ther stuck in dead-end poverty. That's why his 
announcement of a major new housing initiative 
for north Minneapolis came as such welcome news. 

Cynics and government-bashers should take special note. 
City Hall set aside $1 million last December and by last 
week had multiplied it into a $41.8 million fund, thanks 
to hard work by talented city officials and to 
two $20 million commitments from the Minnesota 
Housing Finance Agency and Franklin National Bank.

The new fund will renovate boarded and vacant property, 
encourage private housing renewal and boost home ownership 
opportunities for minorities. Officials say the new fund 
may benefit as many as 700 North Side households. 

That's huge for a city on an extremely tight budget. 
Instead of whining about lack of money, Minneapolis 
has aggressively sought public and private partners 
on a number of important initiatives.

Rybak was right on Friday when he said that striving 
for more affordable housing cannot be separated from 
striving for better jobs. Many people hoping to buy or 
rent one of those newly rehabbed homes will need job 
training and higher incomes. 

That's where another public-private collaboration comes in. 
A new "close the gap" partnership with private employers 
and local colleges aims to place 2,400 people on career 
ladders. It's an ambitious experiment based on a 
successful program at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.

These two initiatives on housing and jobs tell much 
about the state of the city in 2004. As with any such 
address, mayors tend to list accomplishments and initiatives. 
Rybak's list reflects his energy and optimism. Minneapolis is, 
indeed, thriving and growing. Most crimes continue to 
decline. The economy is improving. Downtown housing and nightlife is booming.

http://www.startribune.com/stories/561/4752776.html
Posted by Shawn Lewis, Field Nieghborhood


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