Lake Street: Supporting an Inclusive Economic Recovery

Hear from City of Minneapolis staff and community partners about the precedent-setting community ownership strategies that are advancing economic recovery on Lake Street. Learn about parcel-by-parcel recovery and meet the people who are building Lake Street back- better than ever.

In 2020, people across the world experienced the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minneapolis experienced a unique dual crisis of the pandemic and historic civil unrest. On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) officer. In the civil unrest that followed, businesses on Lake Street and throughout the city were damaged or destroyed entirely.

In response to unprecedented challenges, the City of Minneapolis developed and accelerated strategies for equitable, inclusive economic recovery. These strategies included targeted support for emerging real estate developers and small business owners, including the implementation of precedent-setting real estate technical assistance and commercial development financing tools. Together, the City and community partners have invested in capacity building and local ownership towards creating resilience and wealth building for BIPOC business and property owners.

This practical, implementation-focused session highlights innovative financing and technical assistance programs that make wealth building through real estate more accessible to emerging developers and BIPOC communities. Featuring real-life project examples and the real estate and small business experts who are advancing work at a grassroots level.