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r <br />The Metropolitan Council should recommend to the State of Minnesota that Star City <br />designation and state economic development assistance in the MetropoUtan area should go <br />to those cities which have integrated affordable housing elements of their economic <br />development action plans. <br />The MetropoUtan CouncU should assist the cities in working with the state and federal <br />governments. pubUc and private agencies, and academia and business in implementing <br />neighborhood strategies to make city neighborhoods more attractive places to Uve and <br />work. This should include pursuing new strategies for economic revitalization or removal <br />of abandoned units, which makes the choice of remaining in neighborhoods amactive. <br />The MetropoUtan Council should act as a faciUtator in solving problems, eliminating <br />barriers and implementing strategies rather than as an enforcer, setting targets itrKl <br />threatening retribution if targets are not met. <br />The MetropoUtan Council should take a leadership role in identifying barriers to affordable <br />housing and coordinate strategy planning and program implementation in an effort to <br />eliminate or reduce barriers. <br />The Metropolitan Council should encourage public poUcy which allocates public resoivces <br />fairly throughout the region - aU or a portion of tax doUars collected to provide a choice <br />in affordable housing opportunities should be reserved for implementing sub-regional <br />affordable housing strategies. If these resources are not utilized on a sub-regional basis <br />within a reasonable period of time, they would then revert to a regional pool. <br />Tlic MetropoUtan Council should develop incentives for cooperation betwwn cities, <br />counties, businesses and non-profit organizations. The CouncU should assist in identifying <br />specific projects with achievable goals for collaboration in providing affordable housing, <br />employment opportunities and transportation. <br />The MetropoUtan CouncU should encourage leadership from the public and private sectors <br />in identifying urban issues and searching for solutions. <br />The MetropoUtan CouncU should offer a positive approach of “opting in” to a propam to <br />create affordable housing throughout the region on a sub-regional or “cluster” basis. The <br />MetropoUtan CouncU should offer staff assistance and technical support in this effort. A <br />portion of any tax doUars coUected in ea..i sub-region should be reserved for plpi <br />implementation within that sub-region. If projects do not become a reaUiy within a <br />reasonable time frame those funds would “roll over” to the regional pool for <br />redistribution. <br />a Urban Strategies Task Force Report <br />J