August 20 public hearing on framework and funding of NRP

On Wednesday, Aug. 20, members of the public will have a chance to respond to the proposed “Framework for the Future” report, which addresses the future of the Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP). The meeting begins at 5 p.m. in City Council chambers, room 317 of City Hall, 350 S. Fifth St.

For additional information, see Neighborhood Revitalization Plan: To be continued ... or not?

The NRP Work Group — consisting of representatives from the City Council, mayor’s office and NRP Director Bob Miller — is recommending that NRP be transitioned to a new city department of Neighborhood and Community Relations and overseen by an 18-member advisory board with nine representatives elected by neighborhood organizations, seven appointed by the City Council and two appointed by the mayor.

Last week, the mayor proposed a funding plan for the program, committing $8 million a year for ten years, beginning in 2011, from tax-increment financing from Downtown development projects. Annually, $3 million would be split between Minneapolis’ neighborhood groups for administrative support, and the remaining $5 million would be split between a Neighborhood Investment Fund (90 percent) for neighborhood-designated priorities and a Community Innovation Fund (10 percent), from which neighborhood associations could apply for grants to pay for other initiatives.

The exact amount of funding and “final allocation decisions” will be determined by the mayor and City Council, according to the report.

You can read the full final report here (click on “amended report”). The Committee of the Whole will hear the public comments at the Aug. 20 hearing and is expected to review the recommendations at its regularly scheduled meeting the next day, Aug. 21, at 10 a.m.

Public comment on the Framework for the Future can also be submitted until Sept. 11 to Committee Clerk Anissa Hollingshead at anissa.hollingshead@ci.minneapolis.mn.us or by mail to Council Committee Clerk, 350 South 5th Street, Room 304, Minneapolis, MN 55415.