Community Investment via Transit Expansion

To:

Transportation Committee Members

Co-Chair Jon Koznick

Co-Chair Brad Tabke

Prioritizing Community Investment in the Blue Line Extension Project

Dear Co-chairs,

We are writing to you today as concerned and impacted residents and stakeholders in the communities surrounding the proposed Blue Line Extension. For us the Blue Line Extension project has never been about a train, but rather about the opportunities that investment can bring in to our neighborhoods.  We understand that the cost of this transit expansion project is a significant concern for you and your colleagues. While the technical specifics of the rail project itself, and the associated costs, are subject to necessary debate, we urge you to look beyond the immediate issue of the “train” and focus on what this project truly represents: a generational investment in our communities.

Our communities, particularly those slated to be served by the Blue Line Extension, have historically faced underinvestment in crucial areas. We see this project not merely as a transit line, but as a catalyst for equitable community development and economic opportunity. The true value of this project for our constituents lies in the associated infrastructure and development opportunities it unlocks; and on the ongoing initiatives working to address displacement pressures before, during and after construction of the BLE project. 

This project is a vehicle for the following critical community investments:

Economic Development and Job Creation

The construction and operation of the Blue Line Extension will directly create thousands of jobs. Furthermore, strategically planned transit-oriented development (TOD) along the corridor provides a unique opportunity to:

  • Support Local Businesses: Creating new commercial centers and improving accessibility for customers and employees.
  • Generate Tax Revenue: Increased property values and commercial activity will create a stronger, more stable tax base for our cities and state.
  • Long-Term Workforce Access: Providing reliable, affordable transportation connects our residents directly to major employment hubs.

Equitable Housing Solutions

Our vision of abundance for this corridor includes deeply affordable and affordable housing opportunities across the corridor, for long term residents, renters, workers. This infrastructure investment can and must be leveraged to combat displacement and ensure that current residents benefit from—rather than are priced out of—the resulting development. Funding for the transit project must be paired with anti-displacement strategies; such as homeownership opportunities, rental assistance and development of affordable housing in transit oriented development opportunities. 

Infrastructure Modernization and Safety

A significant portion of the project’s cost is tied to modernizing antiquated infrastructure, including roads, utilities, and pedestrian/bicycle facilities. This project will deliver:

  • Improved Road Safety: Necessary upgrades to crossings and surrounding roadways.
  • Enhanced Pedestrian and Bicycle Access: Creating opportunities to connect long term residents to have a choice to drive or not to drive.
  • Utility Upgrades: Modernizing essential utilities that would otherwise require costly, separate municipal projects.

The current focus on the “cost of the train” is overshadowing the undeniable community benefits and the potential for a transformative return on investment. The long-term costs of not investing—including continued economic stagnation, poor air quality, traffic congestion, and a failure to provide equitable access to opportunities—far outweigh the project’s construction price tag.

We urge you to support the Blue Line Extension as a strategic investment in the well-being and future prosperity of our communities. We ask for a commitment to ensure that community benefits, including affordable housing and local job creation, are non-negotiable components of the final project. Our communities have been waiting long enough. 

Sincerely,

Ricardo Perez
Coalition Organizer – Blue Line Coalition
The Alliance for Metropolitan Stability

Brandon Detvongsa
Program Coordinator
Lao Assistance Center of Minnesota

Denise Butler

Associate Director

African Career, Education, and Resource Inc. 

Jessica Zsuminzki
Policy Attorney
Housing Justice Center

Lee Guekguezian
Director of Community Based Research
Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, University of Minnesota
Anndrea Young
Executive Director
Heritage Park Neighborhood Association

Daylon Prochaska
Transit Justice Organizer
MN 350

Karla Arredondo
Executive Director
Pueblos de Lucha y Esperanza

Candy Bakion
Community Organizer Minneapolis Chapter
Metropolitan Interfaith Council on Affordable Housing