Add Tribal governments as eligible recipients of certain Metropolitan Council grant programs

A bill for an act

relating to metropolitan government; adding Tribal governments as eligible

recipients of certain Metropolitan Council grant programs; making technical

changes; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 473.252, subdivision 1a;

473.253; 473.254, subdivision 6; 473.255, subdivision 1; 473.355, subdivision 2.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 473.252, subdivision 1a, is amended to read:

Subd. 1a.

Development authority.

For the purpose of this section, "development

authority" means a statutory or home rule charter city, housing and redevelopment authority,

economic development authority,
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and a
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port authority
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, Tribal government, or Tribal

development entity
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.

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EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION.

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This section is effective the day following

final enactment and applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey,

Scott, and Washington.

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Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 473.253, is amended to read:

473.253 LIVABLE COMMUNITIES DEMONSTRATION ACCOUNT.

Subdivision 1.

Sources of funds.

The council shall credit to the livable communities

demonstration account the revenues provided in this subdivision. This tax shall be levied

and collected in the manner provided by section
473.13
. The levy shall not exceed
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the

following amount for the years specified:
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(1) for taxes payable in 2004 and 2005, $8,259,070; and

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(2) for taxes payable in 2006 and subsequent years,
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the product of
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(i)
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(1)
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the property

tax levy limit under this subdivision for the previous year multiplied by
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(ii)
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(2)
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one plus a

percentage equal to the growth in the implicit price deflator as defined in section
275.70,

subdivision 2
.

Subd. 2.

Distribution of funds.

The council shall use the funds in the livable communities

demonstration account to make grants or loans to municipalities participating in the local

housing incentives program under section
473.254
or to metropolitan area counties or

development authorities to fund the initiatives specified in section
473.25, paragraph (b)
,

in participating municipalities. A grant to a metropolitan county or a development authority

must be used for a project in a participating municipality. For the purpose of this section,

"development authority" means a statutory or home rule charter city, housing and

redevelopment authority, economic development authority,
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or
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port authority
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, Tribal

government, or Tribal development entity
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.

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EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION.

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This section is effective the day following

final enactment and applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey,

Scott, and Washington.

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Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 473.254, subdivision 6, is amended to read:

Subd. 6.

Distribution of funds.

The funds in the account must be distributed annually

by the council to municipalities that:

(1) have not met their affordable and life-cycle housing goals as determined by the

council; and

(2) are actively funding projects designed to help meet the goals.

Funds may also be distributed to a development authority for a project in an eligible

municipality. The funds distributed by the council must be matched on a dollar-for-dollar

basis by the municipality or development authority receiving the funds. When distributing

funds in the account, the council must give priority to projects that (1) are in municipalities

that have contribution net tax capacities that exceed their distribution net tax capacities by

more than $200 per household, (2) demonstrate the proposed project will link employment

opportunities with affordable and life-cycle housing, and (3) provide matching funds from

a source other than the required affordable and life-cycle housing opportunities amount

under subdivision 3 or 3a, as applicable. For the purposes of this subdivision, "municipality"

means a statutory or home rule charter city or town in the metropolitan area and "development

authority" means a housing and redevelopment authority, economic development authority,
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or
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port authority
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, Tribal government, or Tribal development entity
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.

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EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION.

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This section is effective the day following

final enactment and applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey,

Scott, and Washington.

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Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 473.255, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Definitions.

(a) "Inclusionary housing development" means a new

construction development, including owner-occupied or rental housing, or a combination

of both, with a variety of prices and designs which serve families with a range of incomes

and housing needs.

(b) "Municipality" means a statutory or home rule charter city or town participating in

the local housing incentives program under section
473.254
.

(c) "Development authority" means a housing and redevelopment authority, economic

development authority,
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or
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port authority
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, Tribal government, or Tribal development entity
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.

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EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION.

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This section is effective the day following

final enactment and applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey,

Scott, and Washington.

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Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 473.355, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Grants.

(a) The Metropolitan Council must establish a grant program to provide

grants to cities, counties, townships,
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Tribal governments,
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and implementing agencies for

the following purposes:

(1) removing and planting shade trees on public land to provide environmental benefits;

(2) replacing trees lost to forest pests, disease, or storms; and

(3) establishing a more diverse community forest better able to withstand disease and

forest pests.

(b) Any tree planted with money granted under this section must be a climate-adapted

species to Minnesota.

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EFFECTIVE DATE; APPLICATION.

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This section is effective the day following

final enactment and applies in the counties of Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey,

Scott, and Washington.

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