City Council - Regular Meeting

It's a good way to What do you think? Is loose. Thank you. The Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026 meeting of the Eden Prairie City Council is now called to order. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance.

I aliance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

It's customary for me to read at the beginning of each city council meeting an open podium invitation to our residents. Open podium is an opportunity for Eden Prairie residents to address the city council on issues related to Eden Prairie city government prior to each council meeting which typically occur the first and third Tuesday of each month. These open podiums occur from 6:30 to 6:55 right here in the council chamber. If you wish to speak at open podium, please do contact the city manager's office at 952-9498412 by noon of the meeting date with your name, your phone number, and subject matter so we can be better prepared for you. Open podium is not recorded or televised. If you have questions about open podium, please do contact the city manager's office. Mr. Mr. Gro, we have um I guess I would even say a fun proclamation. They're all positive, but u we have a good one this evening. Uh I'll turn it back to you.

We do. Thank you, Mayor. Uh it's related to our Eden Prairie uh polar plunge. And I will call up our police chief, Matt Sacket, to introduce the topic.

To bring up some special friends here, please. We have uh Elizabeth Neville who is one of our area Special Olympics athletes with us and Officer Jason Hunt who is the coordinator for our Polar Plunge this year. So want to go through a few slides just give you a little bit of an update on Polar Plunge. Um and Elizabeth has some great words for you and then we'll get on with the proclamation. So uh Polar Plunge really is about Special Olympics and raising money for Special Olympics. Um an exciting event. There's many different fundraisers for the year um uh in different locations. Polar Plunge has 29 locations this year in Minnesota. Uh more information can be fun found at uh plungemn.org. Uh this Saturday, I'm sorry, a week from this Saturday, March 14th at 12 p.m. is our event. U going to be a pretty exciting Riley Lake Park. Um last year we had 551 plungers raising over 176,000 just in Eden Prairie, just at our event. And through the 18 years that our event in Eden Prairie, they've raised over $2.3 million for uh Special Olympics. And I think that's a pretty amazing testament to our community and the people that get involved with that. We always have a large team from the police department um down there. Uh but it really takes the effort of a lot of people in our community to to do that. So, some pretty exciting stuff. Um a variety of pictures that come out of these from every year where it's jumping into the ice uh into the water, sorry. Um, we've had years where it's running in that upper left corner there. We don't know exactly what this year will bring. We'll see what the weather brings. But whether it's uh rain, snow, uh, ice, no ice, you you run in or jump in. And it's a pretty fun event. So, I could go on about it, but I think Elizabeth would have some better words and, uh, more knowledge about what Special Olympics means to her.

Hi, Elizabeth.

Hi. Hi, everyone. My name is Elizabeth Neville. I am representing Special Olympics and law enforcement torch run programs. I am an athlete and a leader. I am so honored to be here tonight. I would love to thank Officers Carter and Jason, Chief Matt, and the Eden Prairie City Council for your continual support throughout the year. I have been involved with Special Olympics since 2010. I participate in tons of different sports such as bowling, botchi, basketball, dance, poly hockey, golf, track, sulfate, tennis, and swimming.

I am also a special Olympics global messenger. So, Special Olympics is just not just about sports. It creates leadership opportunities, volunteer opportunities, and it builds friendship and inclusion. Did you know Minnesota is hosting the Special Olympics USA games this summer? There will be 3,000 athletes, 10,000 volunteers, and it's going to be held at the U of M, Blaine, and Brooklyn Center locations. As an athlete, I have won many gold medals last year, and I am so honored to be selected to the 2026 Special Olympics USA games on team Minnesota track. I will be running the 100 meter, 200 meter, and the 4x 100 relay. As a volunteer, Special Olympics also offers growth opportunities such as speaking events, leadership roles. I am the new 2026 L ER council member. We also do fundraising like cop on the roof, cop bagging, plane pole, and the polar plunge. So far, I've plunged three times in the Eden Prairie's Lake Riley. One year it was the snowstorm, one of them was running into the lake

and one of them was only 30°. Yes, every time it was freezing, but it was definitely for a good cause. Thank you again for cheering on Special Olympics, spreading inclusion, and supporting people like me. Thank you.

Just a couple more pictures to look at and and really to remember why we do this. Um it's a it's a meaningful thing for everybody that's jumping. It's a very meaningful thing obviously for our athletes. We have athletes that come jump with us. But u we are really excited about the USA Games being here in Minnesota. Um it's going to be a pretty spectacular event that will have a lot of volunteers helping. Um, and I know we we couldn't do our event um without all the volunteers we have to help with it. We have parks and recreation, fire department, police department, all work together within the city, but there is just a ton of volunteers that that help out and as well as our plungers. It really makes this event a fun thing and 19 years. Um, we're excited to see where it all goes. So, thank you. That's great.

Go ahead, Matt. It's this Saturday, you said, right? I'm sorry. A week from Saturday, the 14th week from And what time? Uh, jumping starts around noon. There's registration before um if you go to that website um that has a lot more information. You can register some the day before, but you can either sign up to Plunge or you can just sponsor a team that's out there. Um our police department team if you're looking for somebody to sponsor Subzero Heroes. Um and if some of our officers and other civilian staff are on that um I'll be cheerleading from the side, but you know still be there. So, and is there any on-site registration? Uh on-site registration I believe the day before the end. night before. So the event otherwise up to the event then you just you're in and going.

Can we sign others up because I know PG would really Yeah. Thank you. very much like to jump or we would very much like him to jump. If you make a donation, I'm sure you can sign up wherever. I I got I got into the the other one that he got injured. He got injured. Oh, no. You got injured. Oh. Oh, the dunk tank. That was years ago. Not gonna do the dunk tank. Um,

Elizabeth, we're so proud of you. Uh, that was so well um said and well spoken. So, thank you for doing that. I'm going to read now a proclamation uh which um is from the city council on behalf of all of us. It's a proclamation city of Eden Prairie, Henipin County, Minnesota, Eden Prairie Polar Plunge Day. Whereas whereas the Polar Plunge challenges thousands of brave jumpers, no kidding, at numerous locations around the state to get involved in supporting Special Olympics Minnesota's programming and events for more than 8,000 athletes statewide. And whereas the Eden Prairie Polar Plunge is an annual event to raise both money and awareness for Special Olympics Minnesota. hand. Whereas the 19th annual Eden Prairie Polar Plunge will be held at Lake Riley on Saturday, March 14th with a goal of raising over $175,000. And whereas Eden Prairie has raised over 2.3 million for Special Olympics Minnesota since the event's inception. And whereas the Polar Plunge showcases the great partnership between the Special Olympics Minnesota and the city of Eden Prairie. And whereas this event would not have been a success without its many volunteers, including members of the Eden Prairie Parks and Recreation Department, Fire Department, Police Department. Now therefore, be it resolved. The Eden Prairie City Council proclaims Saturday, March 14th, 2026 as Eden Prairie Polar Plunge Day in the city of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, and encourages residents to get involved in raising awareness and funds for Special Olympics Minnesota. Ronald Case mayor on behalf of council members Kathy Nelson, Mark Fryberg, Pina Ryan, and Lisa Tumi. And I'm going to come down Elizabeth and present this to you. And we're going to do I think pictures. So everyone stay there.

Ready for pictures? We'll turn on this. Okay. Parents, too. This one up here. How do this? Do you want to hold it or you want me to present whatever you'd like?

Shake hands here. Thank you. Thank you for all you do. Congratulations, too. Good luck jumping. Thank you. Don't get wet and don't get cold. And one more thing, I've been told Elizabeth's kind of a big deal. So, if you see the Culver's commercials out right now for Is it for the fish? Yes. She's starring in a national Culver's commercial debuted in the Olympics. So, kind of exciting.

Thank you. All right. So, next on our agenda is approval of the agenda and council member Tumi, I believe you have a council member report to add to the agenda. Absolutely. Okay. I think I believe on Southwest transit bus routes and things like that. Anything else to add to the agenda this evening? Can I have a motion then to approve the agenda as amended? I'll move to approve the agenda as amended. Sir, all any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I.

I oppose. Minutes from our February 10th meeting. We had both the workshop and the council meeting. Council, any um parts of those minutes you wish to correct or edit, question how it was written? If not, could I have a motion to approve both the workshop and the regular council meeting? Move to approve the following city council minutes. City Council workshop held Tuesday, February 10th, 2026. City Council meeting held Tuesday, February 10, 2026. Is there a second? Second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I.

I opposed. Consent calendar is a little long this evening. It's those items that are important but nonetheless don't always need further discussion. We can clump them together. Council, you are invited, however, if you wish to question or pull any of these items for a separate vote, you may do that. Anybody have any issues or questions about any of these? If not, is there a motion to approve consent calendar items A through U? I'll move to approve items A to U on the consent calendar. Is there a second? Second. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. Opposed.

All right. We have no public hearings um or additional meetings within our meeting tonight. Payment of claims, the expenses that the city has incurred uh since our last meeting. Um council any um expenses that you of our pages and pages that you wish to learn more about or to question? If not, is there a motion to approve the payment of claims? Move to approve the payment of claim as submitted. Is there a second? Second. Further discussion? Roll call. Council member Fyberg. I. Council member Nion. I. Council member Tumi. Hi. Mayor Casease.

I. All right. Moving on then um tonight uh at this meeting because we've had this process going on for all the years I've been on the council where we open up to the public to invite them to apply to be on our commissions. We have seven active functioning ones. I believe I'm correct in that. Is that correct? Yes.

Um which we fill with um volunteers with our residents. um they're a tremendous help to us on the council. They're often the experts in their field. Um they advise us. Um they vet sometimes issues and problems and projects in some cases out there. So tonight uh after interviewing and selecting we have the honor of actually appointing uh commissioners to various commissions. So the first motion uh is five bullets long, but it's um appointing to five of those seven because two of them did not require additional appointments this year. So is do you maybe we just go down the line? Do you want to Lisa just make me to do the whole entire thing?

Yeah, all five bullets. Is that fine? Then we'll have um PG to do the next clump and go to Mark. Okay, I will move to appoint to the Flying Cloud Airport Advisory Commission Steven Bolig, Alan Matson, and Nick Rogers with terms ending March 31st, 2029. And appoint to the Heritage Preservation Commission, Nancy Cass, Rod Fiser, and Betsy Woods with terms ending March 31st, 2029. and appoint to the parks and recreation commission Cecilia Cervantes, Patrice Ericson, Kevin Harris, Dwayne Hookham, and Troy Parish with terms ending March 31st, 2029. And appoint to the planning commission Peter Palmisano, Steve Schumacher, and Puh Civet with terms ending March 31st, 2029. And appoint to the sustainability commission Michelle Frost, Musa Osami. O Osamani, sorry. And Haiku Peters with terms ending March 31st, 2029.

Second. Good job. It's always hard to read names. I'm sorry. Um I don't Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I opposed. All right. Um again, appreciate our volunteers from the community, the time and the effort and the energy they give to serving our residents, but also serving us in so many ways up here on the council. All right. Um, Mr. Gret, do you want me to toss it back to you each time? Maybe just to give it back to you on the board of appeal and equalization here.

Mayor, if I could, I just want to mention one thing. And you did say we have seven commissions and we're only taking action, just want to mention quickly only taking action on six because we didn't mention the Human Rights and Diversity Commission because we didn't have anybody with turns up terms up. So, I just want to mention that's why we didn't hear that commission mentioned. And then the board of appeal and equalization is a little bit different uh because this commission really only meets for one purpose for one time. I say one time typically it is one meeting. Sometimes they mean may need two meetings um to simply hear um appeals for um resident valuations that may come um through the property tax statement or through the tax statement. And so the council appoints um residents that are experienced real estate professionals um or professionals in the real estate field. And so we've been doing this for a number of decades and that is the board of appeal and equalization. So, these are people, several of them returning, who have extensive knowledge in the real estate market of um this area and Eden Prairie. And just as a reminder then out to all of our residents and we don't have a whole lot of people in the audience tonight, but there are maybe people listening at home or that we'll live stream this later. it wouldn't be a live stream. You'd stream it later on in the week or next couple weeks, but eval evaluations came out. Well, I got mine this week, so I'm assuming pretty much everybody received them this week. Um, and they are done um in consultation with the county, but we have to by state statute be within a certain percentage of what we believe is the actual valuation that if you were to sell your house, this is what you would get. If somebody is a resident and they, you

know, ardently, deeply disagree that their house, usually you don't want your house to be, you know, valued high, but when until you sell it, right? And then you want it to be high. I mean, but this is one of those times where sometimes it may shock people to see that their house is worth maybe more than they think. If they deeply believe it's wrong, this is the opportunity to come in and make that appeal. Is that correct? Yes. And I'll even take it a step. go ahead

back from there. So, first to cover your first point, there are absolutely many many um rules and standards and state statute that govern um how the valuation process works. Um in a nutshell though, you're right, mayor. Um first, it's based on sales sales of like properties in the area, plain and simple. Um and then secondly, you know, it does follow a process and as you said, a certain uh percentage that it must be um within, you know, other sales of property. Um but there is an opportunity and we encourage residents to actually contact um the city assessor's office.

So that's step one. So please call city the city and any any one of our city assessors will meet with any individual homeowner. will talk with any individual homeowner will come out to your property. This um this process, these individuals um are part of a meeting when you get to that board of appeal meeting. That is that I wouldn't call it that final process because then you still have an opportunity um legally if needed and we have very few properties that um go to that process. But I definitely want to I think it says on your statement if you have questions you can call the city assessor

and and just a reminder that if all property in the city went up exactly the same. All property goes up it doesn't even matter if it's a lot 20%. If everybody's property went up 20%. The good news is you in theory could sell it for 20% higher. But the other good news is that your taxes would basically if the city kept our budget exactly the same for next year, which is almost impossible to do because of salary raises and whatever, but if we did, then your taxes would stay exactly the same. In other words, your valuation can at times drive your taxes, but only if you went up and someone else did not go up in valuation, which occurs sometimes. Residential goes up, um, apartments go down, commercial stays flat. you know, there there's all kinds of moving pieces there. Um, but in and of itself, valuations going up doesn't instantaneously drive your taxes next year. It could impact it. Um, but it's not a onetoone correlation by any means or causation. Um, so just a thought on that, but so don't get totally freaked out. I mean, in a way, it's good news because if you did sell your house someday, um, that's good news that the valuation is going up. All right, with that, council, anything else? Anyone wants to add to that? We kind of went off on I think an important conversation, but then um Council Member Ryan, would you make the motion to appoint the Board of Appeal and Equalization?

Yes. Move to appoint the local board of appeal and equalization. Lyndon Buckquist, Nate Thompson, Steve Tessman, Mark Hoffman, Daniels Simonsson for the period of March 3rd, 2026 through May 31st, 2026 until the board of appeal and equalization completes its work. Is there a second? Second. Sure. Give it to whoever you want there. Um any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I.

I opposed. All right. So, we also when we do the appointment process um appoint chairs and vice chairs to all of these commissions. Often if they've been the chair and everything's been going great, we just simply uh reappoint to that position. Some of these are are new and some are are repeats or returns. Um, council, anything else to add to that or should we just go ahead and make the motion on chairs and vice chairs? Okay. Council member Fryberg, if you would make that motion.

Okay. I'm move to appoint Mark Mohawk uh chair and Nick Rogers, vice chair of the Flying Cloud Airport Advisory Commission, and appoint Robert BS, chair, and Paul Thorp, vice chair of the Heritage Preservation Commission, and appoint Patrice Ericson, chair, and Pedro Curry, vice chair of the Parks, Recreation, and Natural Resource Commission. and appoint Trisha Duncan, chair, and Ed Farre, vice chair of the planning commission. And appoint Aaron Aaron Poke, chair, and Cindy Hoffman, vice chair of the sustainability commission. And appoint Gregory Leaper, chair, and Barbara Khan, vice chair of the human rights and diversity commission.

Great. Is there a second? Second. choice again. Any further discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I. Opposed. All right. Uh, council member reports. Council member Tumi. Um well uh there was an article in the uh Star Tribune about um the um high density routes of uh that they were talking about with the uh buses and Southwest transit was mentioned in there. Correct. Oh yes. You Oh yeah. Am I the you hadn't read the article yet? No, I have not. So, I understood you wanted me to talk about this because I'm on the

Do you want me to preface it a little bit or I will do that? Happily. Sorry. Um, no, no, not a problem at all. Um, I I'll read the Star Trip in the morning and sometimes there's an article relating to Eden Prairie, so I'll give our city manager a call. Um, not not before 5:00 in the morning. I try not to, but um I I'll call him. Um this particular article talked about a a discussion topic that's been been talked about for really decades probably but for sure in the last five, six, seven, eight years where when back in the 90s money was pulled from the um particularly Minneapolis but the core city bus systems, the transit systems and divvied back out to the suburbs as opt outs. they they had the choice actually to opt out of the city m um Minneapolis St. whatever bus system, metrotransit or stay with it. The opt outs at the time had a funding stream that was pretty stable and constant. Since since that time, the legislators um played with it and the funding now channels through Met Council and goes touches metroransit. It's it's much much messier. often metransit that feels they don't get enough money eyes that money that pot of money that's going out to suburbs like we want it back. Part of the problem is some of these optouts have done a phenomenal job. I think our if you have ridden our bus system, Metro TRA or um Southwest Transit um it's well they win number one awards across the nation they're just phenomenal in the quality of their hardware their buses and their drivers and in the way that uh our customers are treated. It's just an amazing system. Um and I think it I think our Eden Prairie residents would really not like to see our Southwest Transit go away. Um, so in the

legislature right now, they're they're looking some of the legislators, particularly the ones that represent more urban core city areas, are looking at grabbing at that money. And so they looked at the per writer subsidies.

That was what the article was about. Yeah. And some people don't even realize that when you get hop on a bus down in Minneapolis, the government pays five bucks instantly to have you hop on that bus. Um, and some of the bus routes are eight bucks or 10 bucks. Some of the bus routes that are south of the river were like $28 per rider the moment a rider jumps on that bus. Now again, if society deci decides that's which I think in often around urban areas across the United States of America, they decide that is an expense. Um, it's an equity issue. Um, that that is an expense that we want to carry. But I asked Lisa to comment on this because we got pulled into that mix I think unfairly and that's what I think I'd like you to respond to.

Yeah. So um what they spoke about in the article was a lot of the um high density routes and um um considered high subsidy for the routes. So, of the 28 total routes that were listed between 1, two, three, four, five different providers, um, nine of them are Met Council routes and 18 are other optout providers. Uh, Southwest Transit has no routes that are considered high subsidy. Um,

based on their list, right? Absolutely. And it's unfortunate, you know, anyways, but Southwest Transit Express bus routes are 20% less expensive to operate than Met Council's comparable routes. Um, our passenger subsidies in 2024 were $12.7 per passenger compared to $1542 for the Met Council. Southwest Transit operates a very efficient system. And not only that, they were also the fastest growing transit agency in the state with ridership growing 14% in 2025 compared to 2024. And um this is something that I think is really important. It's important to know that as Mayor Case said, there are some peop some at the legislator that a legislative uh legislature, sorry, that would like to take Southwest Transit away from Eden Prairie. And that's unfortunate. So, um, we're urging people to tell your legislators how you feel about losing this critical service. To contact them, you can go to swtransit.org and click on the leg legislative action page to find out more about how you can help keep Southwest Transit in Eden Prairie. And it's just yeah, as as Mayor Kay said, it's just a phenomenal service and consistently when winning awards and and um I think it's, you know, would be a shame if anything happened. And I don't have my facts exactly correct. I'll have the idea. I think um you can go look it up. But people don't realize that every form of transportation in the United States of America that the public has access to is subsidized. Now, I've I've read it before. I don't know what it is, but when you get in your car and you drive on 494, I think I've heard things like every mile there, we're subsidizing you 50

cents a mile, something like that. It's not it's not insignificant. We subsidize everything. That's what that's what government does. supplies services. Now, there are limits to that, right? And if you do get, you know, one uh type of ride, maybe a person almost a taxi or something, sometimes prime gets in that the subsidies get high. You know, if you're subsidizing $50 per person for this ride over here when we could do it much less expensively over here for $10 or something, that that makes lots of sense. Um, LRT, you're going to hear a lot about per rider subsidies. Um, I would just encourage everyone to keep a more open mind that there are lots of reasons governments uh get in the business of of public transportation. And one of those paybacks is economic value to the region. And I just I'll just throw this out since I'm digressing famously tonight. So if with um with the LRT, which a lot of people are very upset, 2.8 8 billion and all the cost overruns. Uh I just heard a number uh that the Met Council I think confirmed. Um there's already been 6.5 billion dollars of economic development along the Green Line extension in the last five years. Well, maybe that's 10 years. But point is 2.8 billion has generated 6.5 billion of economic growth in this region. So everything's more complicated than just hearing 2.8 billion, what a waste of, you know, there's other factors that get involved in other variables. Anyone else want to add anything to this?

No, but thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak. Did I take it away from you? Oh, yes. Yes, Council Member F.

I would, mayor. Last year, I served at the Southwest U Transit Commission. I served as the chair. And one thing that should be important to interject here is that in 2024, Southwest Transit was awarded um the number one public transit transportation bus company as far as in Minnesota. Um something that might help is that others look at what's right about Southwest Transit and why they won that rather than try to take it away, you know. And it is important to contact um you know your your elected officials over in St. Paul. I did. I got immediate responses. So it didn't sit very long before I got some responses back. Encourage you all to do that if it's important to you to have Southwest Transit in Eden Prairie. And by the way, our legislators that represent Eden Prairie have been fantastic. You're you're not going to have to convince them of anything. Um if you are listening to this and Southwest transit covers a little bit larger they cover Chanhaz and Chaska. So there are other legislators that are important to call but um our senator um Swadzenski and representatives um Carly Kotisa Watun and Alex Falconer they've been um just really excellent wonderfully supportive of Southwest Transit. But I would they like to talk to you anyway. So give them a call or at least email them or something. And if you have friends over in Chesca and Chan, maybe um really chat with them as well. Anything else? Thank you, Council Member Tumi. All right. Um Mr. Gro, do you want to introduce community development director item here or just send it right over to Julie?

We can send it right over. Mayor, members of the council, thank you for the opportunity tonight to share with you some exciting news about a couple of new funding sources that the city has access to in terms of being able to support affordable housing here in Eden Prairie. The first fund that I'd like to talk to you about is the local affordable housing aid or also known as LAA funds. So that was passed by the state legislature in 2023 and is funded through a sales tax in the sevenount metro area and then a uh funds are distributed to the seven counties and cities within the sevenount metro area because it is based on sales tax. The annual allocation varies from year to year of course depending on sales and those LAA funds have to be used towards affordable housing programs and initiatives and they set a uh income level for ownership projects at 115% of AMI and for rental it is at 80% AMI. So, if you're wondering kind of what are the dollar values associated with that, 115% is 152,000 per year for a family of four. 80% is 104,000 for a family of four. Of course, it varies based on family size, but family size of four is typically what's referenced. Eden Prairie receives those allocations of LAA funds twice a year. Um and those funds must be spent within three years of receipt on eligible or um qualifying projects in support of affordable housing and annual reporting is required to Minnesota housing. So when we take a look at how Eden Prairie is uh spending its dollars in order to support affordable housing here in Eden Prairie, those funds are used in a variety of different ways for both home ownership and rental. So, through a first-time

home buyer loan program, that's a program that city staff facilitates and implements through applications and income verification. Also, residential rehab loan programs. So, think about folks who maybe need new windows or need a new roof and they're low to moderate income and they uh would qualify for loans of this sort. a pilot program that the city has just kicked off within the last year is a first generation first-time home buyer loan program. So, the additional requirement there is that you would be the first person in your family uh history to uh own a own home. And then rental assistance is something that the city supports through PROP. uh dollars are provided to Prop and they distribute those funds through their rental assistance program. And then kind of looking down the road for longer term plans, the city has also set aside some funds in terms of larger residential rehab projects. So think about some of the older town home projects that were built maybe in the late 70s, early 80s. They're getting to a point where they need u across the board improvements. St. John's Woods is a project like that last year that had um projects of sighting and windows. So then in those instances, city staff gets a lot of requests from owners in those projects asking or in those developments rather asking for some assistance. So putting aside some money, anticipating that over the three-year term that we get to keep LAHA funds on the books that we would have those dollars available to help support residents. And then also looking at future redevelopment projects, uh setting aside or earmarking some additional dollars if there is a project that maybe it's an older apartment building that needs some improvements or it's a naturally occurring affordable

project that uh is looking at maybe some other improvements or reconstruction that they would be looking to the city to help support with that. And looking at all of these um potential uses for the LAAHA fund, city staff has built into its policy that as we're getting towards the uh sunset date of that three years or we see that there are programs that are underutilized, staff would have the ability to reallocate funds to where there might be emerging needs. So, say for instance, a first generation, firsttime home buyer application doesn't come in within the time frame that the city needs to spend those dollars, we could then reallocate those to rental assistance or a rehab loan program or wherever there is additional need. And so looking at the LAAHA impacts to date because we have received uh two years worth of LAHA payments. There have been five first-time home buyer loans distributed, 18 rehab loans distributed. 45 households have received rental assistance in 2025. Now, the city recently provided uh a commitment to PROP to provide $125,000 in rental assistance. That of 45 households does not include that recent allocation. So, we were early in 2026, so we haven't received the updates of how how many of those dollars or how many households have been supported. The second uh funding source that I'd like to share with you is the city's affordable housing trust fund. Again, this is something that is uh there is authority in statute for cities to create a an affordable housing trust fund and the city did that in 2022 anticipating that there would be grant dollars available for the state and wanting to put in place a tool to support affordable housing for the community. And the city was um fortunate

enough to be selected and we have secured a grant for $150,000 from Minnesota housing. And again, similar to LAA, there are some income limits and there are qualifying and eligible expenses. Those qualifying and eligible expenses under the affordable housing trust fund are very similar to those for LAA. So, uh the only difference in terms of the income levels is that the state median income is applied in terms of the affordable housing trust fund. Judy, yes. Yes. 150,000 is onetime grant. Correct. Okay.

Correct. And so those funds as well must be spent within three years and there is reporting that needs to go back um to the Met Council, excuse me, to Minnesota housing uh for from which uh the city received the grant. So, when we look at how the city anticipates spending uh those trust fund dollars, again, supporting first-time home buyer, rehab, first generation, first-time home buyer rental assistance. Um the additional opportunity here is with the community land trust. As we've talked about in in other conversations, there are roughly 20 to 22 homes in Eden Prairie that are owned by a community land trust, and the city does provide uh support to that organization as well. And then through this grant, the city is also able to use a small portion of the grant proceeds to support administrative costs of the grant.

I have a couple of question. Yes sir. Um is this information is uh described in our website detail-wise so people ask questions we can just point it to to them in terms of all the different variant. Absolutely. Specifically in terms of the first-time home buyer, the rehab, the first generation, all of that information is on our website along with the specific staff member that's most knowledgeable in administering those programs and they would be the best person to contact to get specific information and the new LAA fund as well there.

Correct. There's information on the website as about that as well. Is that I haven't I was thinking about googling it while you were talking then I said I'd rather listen to you so I didn't do that. So is that spread around or is it really consolidated into you know so somebody comes in they don't have to search again different places to find out different fund is it

when a person comes forward to the city requesting funds for a loan whether it's rehab or first-time home buyer there are multiple sources from which their uh their loan can be funded so whether that is funded through LAA or the affordable housing trust fund it's all the same form term the funding source is something that's handled administratively

in the website also do we describe I know we do lot of I don't know how many units currently is under affordable housing rules or I don't know what the the what the word word is but do we describe how many units are there that we are currently in

so member mayor mayor members of the council rather with our multifamily projects that receive tiff, they are providing uh affordable units as a part of the tiff agreement. They're also providing some inclusionary housing units at affordable rates. All of that information is on our website as well with regard to which project has uh those units in and what number of units are in each of those projects and contact information for that specific development in case you know do you want to live in uh a certain apartment building over another. Thank Thank you, Judy. The reason I'm asking is I got I did talk to Mr. Go got some misinformation from people. They they just confused. So I was just wondering, hey, if you want to get the facts, go here, right? Rather than just listening to rumors. That's the reason I was asking about the website and so on. Thank you.

All right. Anything else? Thank you so much for the information. So for um anyone in the audience or at home um and just a reminder to our council, we are going to move into close session now for our city manager's annual review. And just as a reminder, legally, the council um can really only go into close session without the public, you know, watching what we do uh for two reasons. One is if we have a pending lawsuit or something legal and the second is to deal with um basically HR or employee issues or reviews and we only have one employee. So um we don't go into close session very often for employee employer relations but um what we will do is um close um adjourn the city council meeting from that room. So we won't will not come back out here. So, anyone in the audience tonight, you're free to go home. Thank you for for being here. Um, and then at a future, I believe the first meeting in April, um, I will read a statement um that we develop about what we uh feel and believe about our city manager and at that time we'll set any salary increase uh that he would receive for 2026. I think that's all that we'll do at that time. So, um, council, any questions before we do? Um I will entertain a motion here to well actually vote on this one to um close the meeting but not adjourn. So if someone would like to read the motion.

So I'll move to enter into close session pursuant to Minnesota statute section 13D.05 subdivision 3C for the purpose of conducting the city manager review. Second. Okay. Any discussion? All those in favor say I. I. I oppose. All right. This we will move into close session. um and then adjourn from there. Thank you.