Brooklyn Park staff outline anti-displacement package tied to Blue Line extension; council to review grant applications in July

City of Brooklyn Park staff on Tuesday presented a package of anti-displacement programs aimed at protecting residents and small businesses ahead of the Blue Line Extension construction, and said they will prepare grant applications to the corridor anti-displacement board after council direction this summer.

The proposals, developed since February and shaped by a community survey, include residential cost-assistance, small-business grants for rent or property tax increases, revenue-loss and façade programs, a construction trades workforce program and discussion with a community land trust. Staff said the programs are designed to operate from 2026 through 2030 so that ACPP board funding can be spent by June 30, 2030, and that the city will return to the council in July with more-developed materials to support grant applications.

Why it matters: The Blue Line Extension runs through neighborhoods with concentrations of lower-income and racially diverse households. City staff said the corridor’s historically disadvantaged communities are at higher risk of being displaced as investment and development accelerate, and the proposed package is intended to mitigate that risk before and during construction.

Staff presentation and survey results Cara Donovan, a city staff presenter, summarized a monthlong survey conducted in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Hmong and Somali that received 166 responses; staff cautioned the sample skewed toward white and female respondents and does not fully represent Brooklyn Park’s demographics. Donovan said 149 responses identified as residents; 17 as business owners; 59 as local employees; three as students; and three as community leaders. The survey and outreach identified recurring concerns about crime, efficient use of funds, and businesses or residents being displaced by rising costs and construction impacts.

Key program proposals and budget outlines - Residential cost-assistance (household gap support): Designed for households within one mile of the line, eligible households could receive up to $1,000 annually for up to four years (a $4,000 total per household). Donovan said homeowner income limits would be set at roughly 115% AMI, with renters capped at about 60% AMI; staff estimated the design could assist about 375 households if eligible for the full term. The presentation included a funding request of $750,000 from the corridor board (paired with a matching $750,000) for a $1.5 million program fund.

- Small-business cost-assistance (tenant rent / property tax increases): Targeted at small businesses (defined in the packet as those with annual revenue of $2,000,000 or less), proposed assistance would focus on businesses within roughly a quarter mile of construction impacts. Staff modeled a $1,000,000 program that would support an estimated 75 businesses and said the city’s request to the anti-displacement board for that program would be $500,000 (with an anticipated match to reach the $1,000,000 total).

- Small-business revenue-loss grants: Modeled on prior LRT corridor efforts, staff proposed grants up to $25,000 per retail business to offset construction-related revenue loss. The design would support roughly 45 businesses; staff proposed a $1,000,000 total program and said a $500,000 request from the corridor board would be included in applications.

- Facade improvement grants: A re‑establishment of a prior city program, staff proposed a $250,000 program (city request $125,000) with a maximum award about $10,000 per business and a small match (about 5%) that could be cash or sweat equity. Staff said the program would target roughly 25 businesses.

- Construction trades workforce program (WorkLink-style training): The program would prioritize local hire for construction jobs on the Blue Line and related projects, with cohorts of about 30 participants twice per year. City staff said the current budget and local matches would support about three cohorts (around 90 participants) and emphasized interest in local-hire language and partnerships with employers.

- Community Land Trust (Partnership & Prosperity Community Land Trust / PIP CLT): Staff described early-stage discussions with a commercial-focused CLT exploring city land near Brooklyn Boulevard and Zane as potential sites to preserve long-term affordable commercial space for BIPOC-owned small businesses. No formal funding request was made; staff said the topic will return to council when partners are ready.

Board process, timing and funding Ricardo Perez of the Alliance for Metropolitan Stability, who staffs the Blue Line Coalition and chairs the corridor anti-displacement board, described the multi-city governance and a $10 million state appropriation the board will allocate for anti-displacement activities along the corridor. Staff said the ACP/ACPP board will release RFP(s) in July, that the project board’s review process will include community reviewers, and that award notices could come in early fall. Donovan and other staff cautioned the board’s process is competitive among four eligible corridor cities and that funds are not guaranteed; staff said match funding cannot be state funds but may be federal, county, local, philanthropic or city dollars.

Public comments and coalition perspective Ricardo Perez and Brandon Saab of the Blue Line Coalition urged council members to center affected residents and to use programs to secure long-term affordability. Resident Tamita (Tamira) Gaines testified about her personal displacement experience and urged stronger tenant protections; staff and councilors separately noted evictions are a different legal process than the typical market-driven displacement anti-displacement programs target, but also said the city should continue to prepare safety-net supports.

Next steps and council direction Donovan said staff will finalize program designs, continue partner outreach, and return in July for EDA (Economic Development Authority) review and for council direction on which applications the city should submit. Staff also said city staff will help prepare grant applications when the board’s RFP is released and will coordinate community partners where they are already offering services.

No formal council vote was recorded during the session. Staff requested council feedback and indicated they will bring back detailed materials, including the anti-displacement report executive summary and program packets, in advance of the July meeting.