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HED-4 METROPOLITAN COUNCIL ROLE IN HOUSING Metro Cities does not believe a mandatory inclusionary housing approach can achieve desired levels of affordability solely through these steps. Several cities have established local inclusionary housing policies, in some cases requiring the creation of affordable units if the housing development uses public financial assistance or connecting the policy to zoning and land use changes. The Metropolitan Council, in distributing the regional allocation of housing need, must recognize both the opportunities and financial limitations of cities. The Council should partner with cities to facilitate the creation of affordable housing through direct financial assistance and/or advocating for additional resources through the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency. Metro Cities supports the location of affordable housing in residential and mixed-use neighborhoods throughout a city. Metro Cities supports a city’s authority to enact its own inclusionary housing policy. However, Metro Cities does not support passage of a mandatory inclusionary housing state law imposed on local governments that would require a certain percentage of units in all new housing developments to be affordable to households at specific income levels. Metro Cities supports a clarification to state statute that statutory and charter cities may collect a payment in lieu of the inclusion of affordable housing units that will be directed to a local housing trust fund to support affordable housing preservation, development, and housing stabilization in alignment with individual city goals. The Metropolitan Council is statutorily required to assist cities with meeting the provisions of the Land Use Planning Act (LUPA) under Minn. Stat. § 473. The LUPA requires cities to adopt sufficient standards, plans and programs to meet their local share of the region’s overall projected need for low and moderate-income housing. The Council’s responsibilities include the preparation and adoption of guidelines and procedures to assist local government units with accomplishing the requirements of the LUPA. The Metropolitan Council also offers programs and initiatives to create affordable housing opportunities, including the Livable Communities Act programs and operation of a metropolitan housing and redevelopment authority. Unlike parks, transit and wastewater, housing is not a statutory regional system. The Metropolitan Council’s role, responsibilities and authority are more limited in scope, centered on assisting local governments by identifying the allocation of need for affordable housing, projecting regional growth and identifying available tools, resources, technical assistance and methods that cities can use to create and promote affordable housing opportunities in their communities. The Metropolitan Council should work in partnership with local governments to ensure that the range of housing needs for people at various life cycles and incomes can be met. Metro Cities opposes the elevation of housing to “Regional System” status. Metro Cities supports removing the Metropolitan Council’s review and comment authority connected to housing revenue bonds under Minn. Stat. § 462C.04. 42