Sponsor: Community & Economic Development
Title
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Fall 2025 Obligation of Housing and Redevelopment Authority Levy Toward Critical Corridors
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Recommendation
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1. Approve recommended projects and funding amounts totaling $1,900,000 for Critical Corridors projects.
2. Authorize the County Manager to enter into the necessary grant, loan or other agreements and execute amendments to these agreements in a manner consistent with federal, state and local regulations and requirements, in a form approved by the County Attorney’s Office.
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Background and Rationale
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Ramsey County has a need for place-based investments that support identified goals around affordable housing, economic development and community reinvestment. Ramsey County’s Economic Competitiveness and Inclusion (ECI) Plan prioritizes investments in place-based inclusion as necessary to create resilient and equitable communities. Countywide, there is a need for tens of thousands of new units of affordable housing, and hundreds more minority business enterprises are needed in order to match the U.S. business ownership rate.
The Critical Corridors programs enact three key strategies from the Economic Competitiveness & Inclusion Plan that address these needs: (1) fostering inclusive economic development- including affordable housing- within county transit, economic and cultural corridors; (2) developing pathways to entrepreneurship and business ownership in racially and ethnically diverse communities; and (3) supporting communities in equitable site development.
To obligate HRA levy funds, Community & Economic Development (CED) staff opened the Development & Infrastructure Critical Corridors solicitation on September 2, 2025. This solicitation closed on October 14, 2025. The solicitation was publicized on the Ramsey County website, in the CED newsletter, on social media and through direct outreach to partner organizations and cities. An informational webinar open to the public was held by CED staff on September 2, 2025. At the close of the solicitation, 23 applications were eligible and reviewed by interdepartmental evaluation teams.
Staff recommend that the HRA obligate $1,900,000 of the 2025 HRA levy to further strategies in the ECI Plan related to redevelopment activities through the Critical Corridors program.
The following projects are recommended for HRA levy funding through the Fall 2025 Critical Corridors Solicitation. Additional information on each project and geographic distribution of funds can be found in the attachment, Critical Corridors Funding Recommendations Fall 2025.
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Conway Park Expansion Project, The Sanneh Foundation, Saint Paul |
$500,000 |
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Larpenteur Avenue Senior, Velair Development Company, Falcon Heights |
$500,000 |
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The Heights, Saint Paul Port Authority, Saint Paul |
$500,000 |
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VEER, GRO LLC, Saint Paul |
$400,000 |
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Critical Corridors Fall 2025 Recommendations |
$1,900,000 |
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County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☒ Prosperity ☒ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Critical Corridors HRA levy funds are invested in projects that aim to reduce racial disparities related to redevelopment and small business district growth, in alignment with strategies from the ECI Plan. These strategies include promoting development activity in disinvested areas without displacing current residents and strengthening suburban small business districts by investing in pathways to entrepreneurship for racially and ethnically diverse communities.
A majority of the recommended projects represent significant place-based investments in historically Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and immigrant neighborhoods with intentional community engagement conducted by community-based organizations, nonprofits and developers. Projects range from an expansion of community social services targeting low-income communities to providing deeply affordable housing and enacting Affirmative Fair Housing Marketing plans to attract BIPOC residents to live in these new developments. For more details on individual project racial equity impacts, see attached project descriptions.
Community Participation Level and Impact
CED implemented a robust community engagement process in the creation of the Economic Competitiveness & Inclusion Plan and the approval of the HRA levy. This included engagement with residents, businesses, community organizations, other governmental agencies, elected officials and local municipalities. Community was informed about the competitive solicitations, one step towards the implementation of the community-driven Economic Competitiveness & Inclusion Plan.
☒ Inform ☐ Consult ☐ Involve ☐ Collaborate ☐ Empower
Fiscal Impact
In 2025, approximately $13,300,000 is available for eligible housing and redevelopment projects and programs under the HRA levy. As a result of the actions in this RBA, four projects are recommended for HRA levy awards with a total funding amount of $1,900,000 that will come from unobligated 2025 HRA levy funding. The remaining funds available for programming are expected to go towards recommended projects from the Emerging and Diverse Developers program.
Last Previous Action
On July 1, 2025, the Ramsey County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) approved the Environmental Response Fund obligations of $360,354 (Resolution H2025-012).
On July 1, 2025, the Ramsey County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) approved the 2025 Housing Development project obligations of $6,152,025 (Resolution H2025-011).
On May 20, 2025, the Ramsey County HRA approved the Spring 2025 Critical Corridors Planning and Commercial Corridor Initiative program obligations of $300,000 (Resolution H2025-010).
Attachments
1. Critical Corridors Funding Recommendations Fall 2025