In This Issue:
- TNC Committee Holds Final Meeting
- 2024 Housing Tax Credit Program
- Community Development Committee Recommends Grant Funding
- Thank you and Happy Holidays!
TNC Committee Holds Final Meeting
The Governor’s Committee on the Compensation, Wellbeing, and Fair Treatment of Transportation Network Company (TNC) Drivers held its final meeting on Tuesday. The Committee, created by Executive Order 23-07 is tasked with analyzing the working conditions of TNC drivers and is required to provide recommendations for state policy and legislative changes related to driver compensation and fair treatment of drivers. Recommendations are due by January 1, 2024. The committee has 15 members, one of which represents the interests of cities. Click HERE to view the webpage for this committee.
Dept. of Labor and Industry (DLI) Commissioner Nicole Blissenbach began Tuesday’s meeting by presenting preliminary findings from a study on TNC trends. This study is being conducted using data provided to the state by TNC companies as well as data from the Metropolitan Airports Commission. Preliminary findings show that approximately 19 million TNC trips occurred statewide in 2022, with 93% of those occurring in the seven-county metropolitan region. 62% of all statewide trips began in Hennepin County, and airport trips accounted for 12% of statewide trips. The study has examined the extent to which TNC drivers use multiple apps and how many hours drivers are operating per week. DLI also examined driver demographics and overall growth of this industry in the state. Drivers will be surveyed as part of a next step for this study. The study will conclude in March 2024.
The remainder of the meeting was spent discussing potential committee recommendations on the topics of insurance and compensation (the topics of pay transparency, deactivations, and driver support were discussed at the December 5 meeting). This discussion was facilitated and meant to help committee members reach consensus on items to be included in a final set of recommendations. On insurance, consensus was reached on several recommendations including that TNC companies should provide drivers with insurance coverage that would cover medical expenses, lost compensation, and disability benefits.
No consensus was reached on compensation. TNC companies argued it was too difficult to meaningfully negotiate on a specific per mile and per minute pay rate without first ironing out other areas related to pay, the pay period, and other benefits like earned sick and safe time. Two other important sticking points for Uber and Lyft were a desire for some level of state preemption over local jurisdictions and language that would define TNC drivers as independent contractors. These items were nonstarters for other members. DLI will compile a final report that includes a set of consensus recommendations.
Contact Mike Lund at [email protected] or 651-215-4003 with any questions.
2024 Housing Tax Credit Program
Round two of the state’s Housing Tax Credit (HTC) program is now open and accepting applications through Minnesota Housing. Round two is typically the smaller round with the remaining available HTC funds for the year.
There are about $487,000 in HTCs available for this round. Pre applications are due on February 8th, and final applications are due on February 22nd, 2024. There is more information about the application and program HERE, and can you submit the application HERE.
Community Development Committee Recommends Grant Funding
On Monday, the Metropolitan Council’s Community Development Committee heard funding recommendations for Livable Communities Programs, including the Local Housing Incentives Account (LHIA) programs, homeownership program and multifamily grant program. Recommended applications for the homeownership program include $2.8M in total funding and include the Golden Valley HRA, St. Paul Port Authority, and cities of Minneapolis, Minnetonka, and Edina. View selected projects HERE. The committee recommended funding five projects for the multifamily grant program, totaling $2.5 million to Edina, Carver County CDA, Maplewood, Brooklyn Center, and Minneapolis. View selected projects HERE.
The committee also heard funding recommendations for round two of the 2023 Tax Base Revitalization Account (TBRA) grant program. This program provides funding for the planning and environmental cleanup on a site before construction. The committee recommended $2.8M in total funding for this round. There was one project through the Seeding Equitable Environmental Development (SEED) program recommended to be awarded to the City of Saint Paul. The committee recommended eleven cleanup requests, for Minneapolis, St. Paul, Maplewood, Shoreview, South St. Paul EDA, Maplewood, North St. Paul, Newport, and Bloomington. View selected projects HERE.
Finally, the committee heard from council staff on preliminary ideas for program changes to the Livable Communities Act 2024 fund distribution plan. Staff suggested potentially streamlining the process for scoring proposals for the Livable Communities Development Account and the Transit Oriented Development grant programs. Staff suggested considering some adjustments to the homeownership pilot program and creating a scattered-site pilot program to support communities with multiple sites in need of TBRA funds. Some committee members indicated an interest in considering program criteria in more detail, as changes are considered. View information on the potential 2024 program changes HERE. Metro Cities will closely monitor proposed changes to programs as they are considered.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ania McDonnell at [email protected].
Thank you and Happy Holidays!
On behalf of the Metro Cities Board of Directors and staff, thank you for your trust in and work with Metro Cities to represent metropolitan cities’ shared interests at the State Capitol and Metropolitan Council in 2023. Thank you for joining committees, attending meetings, providing legislative testimony, and other ways you show interest in the issues that matter to metropolitan cities. Have a safe and happy holiday season and new year! We look forward to working with you in 2024.