11-14-1994 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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INTRODUCTION r'Tn he Association of Metropolitan Municipalities (AMM) is a service and lobbying I organization representing 71 municipalities in the Minne^olis/St Paul Metropolitan area. ^ The AMM has traditionally provided a forum for recommending legislative action and positions on a wide variety of municipal topics unique to the Metropolitan area. AMM formed the Urban Strategies Task Force in 1993 to address two basic concerns: (1) the need for all cities to better understand the causes of urban blight and (2) to develop recommended strategies to address these problems in a meaningful and effective way. The task force was asked to examine long-term and short-term answers and make recommendations to the board, the Legislature and others about what can be done to deal with urban decay and troubles at the core. The task force membership includes re|»esentation from approximately 24 cities including Minneapolis and St Paul; first ring suburbs Richfield, Robbinsdale, Roseville. Columbia Heights and St Louis Parit; suburbs that have reoendy been fully developed or nearly fully developed such as Burnsville and Miruietonka; and developing suburbs like Shakopee and Maple Grove. In examining the results of the 1990 census and other surveys, legislators and other organizadons have become increasingly concerned about the troubles at the core and their impact on the region as a whole. The Legislature has debated alternative solutions to these problems in the last two sessions. In 1993, the AMM Metropolitan Issues Task Force conclud^ that government action is necessary to arrest deterioration in the Metropolitan area. In 1992, The Metropolitan Council issued the report, *Trouble at the Core,*’ and prepared a plan to address these problems in 1994. A Governor's Task Force on Metropolitan Housing Policy and the Citizens' League have also recendy conducted studies and prepared reports related to these problems. The work of the Urban Strategies Task Font was divided into three basic components; (1) basic research (2) developmen: of findings and (3) development of recommendations. The committee’s basic research iiKluded presentations by John Adams from the University of Minnesota, review of previous legislative efforts to address urban issues, a tour of central city and inner ring suburbs and discussions exploring a variety of issues. In addition, committee members have reviewed the similar efforts undertaken by the Citizens’ League, Governor’s Task Force. Mitmeapolis Chamber, Metropolitan Council and the Department of Housing and Urban Development The findings are the basis of the recormnendation which include actions to be considered by the federal, state and local governments.