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<br /> <br />DATE: March 6, 2026 <br /> <br />TO: Ramsey County City Administrators and Community Development Directors <br />FROM: Josh Olson, Director, Community & Economic Development Department <br />CC: Ling Becker, County Manager <br /> Kari Collins, Deputy County Manager, Economic Growth & Community Investment <br /> <br />RE: Ramsey County EDA Implementation Next Steps <br /> <br /> <br />Thank you for your ongoing support of the Ramsey County’s housing and redevelopment <br />programming. I look forward to the continued partnership in ensuring all in Ramsey County <br />are valued and thrive. <br /> <br />I am reaching out to provide you with information regarding the next steps to enhancing <br />programming for entrepreneurs and small businesses as result of last year’s approved ‘EDA <br />Bill.’ On December 2nd, 2025, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners took an initial step <br />to formally create the Ramsey County Economic Development Authority. This was a required <br />first step, prior to the beginning of this year’s legislative session, but it is the first of many steps <br />required to allow enhanced business programming to be funded through the Ramsey County <br />Housing and Redevelopment Authority levy. <br /> <br />While the legislation allowed for the creation of the Ramsey County Economic Development <br />Authority (EDA), it outlined two important conditions: <br />1. The EDA will have no taxing authority. This was intentional as the EDA will only <br />receive and spend funding from the existing Ramsey County Housing and <br />Redevelopment Authority (HRA) levy. Expansion of the HRA to include EDA powers, as <br />described by state statute, allows the county to utilize a portion of HRA levy funding for <br />purposes of small business support and enhanced business programming. <br />2. Each City is required to ‘Opt In’ to this enhanced business programming. <br /> <br />‘Opt-In’ Process <br />The process for a City to Opt-in requires a city resolution by June 1, 2026. Receipt of <br />approved resolutions from cities will create a map that shows the EDA’s Area of Operation. <br />Ramsey County would then establish the EDA Area of Operation on or by June 15th, 2026. <br />Enhanced business programming will begin January 1, 2027. A draft resolution for city council <br />approval is provided below. <br /> <br />Tentative Programming <br />Tentative plans continue to plan for an allocation of $1.5 - $2 million yearly from the existing <br />Housing and Redevelopment Authority levy towards business focused programming. <br />Programming and total budget allocation have not yet been formalized as the County awaits