Our region has a history of discriminatory planning and policy decisions that have contributed to persistent racial inequities and disparities. Discriminatory practices such as redlining, racially restrictive covenants, and disproportionate investment have left lasting impacts on Black, American Indian, and people of color across the entire region. Such practices have resulted in:

· Disparities in income and homeownership rates

· Hindrance to generational wealth-building opportunities

· Disparities in generational wealth between white and Black, American Indian, and people of color

· Disproportionate exposure to environmental injustices that contribute to health disparities

· Inadequate provisions and access to green spaces

· Stifled community connection and cultural connection

· Adverse impacts on job access and educational opportunities

· Constrained transportation options across the region

Although the government has prohibited overly discriminatory planning and policy decisions, gaps between white people and Black, American Indian, and people of color continue to widen. These policies have been replaced by seemingly race-neutral policies that reinforce barriers to more equitable outcomes. As we move forward, it is imperative to not only acknowledge the historical faults embedded in our land use policies but also to actively engage in collaboration with communities that have borne the brunt of discriminatory decisions to work towards an equitable region.

Provide technical assistance, tools, and resources for equitable land use planning and development practices. This includes exploration of potential funding sources to encourage more intentional planning for equity issues in local comprehensive plans beyond improved community engagement practices at the local level. (Met Council)

Develop a public dashboard to share progress toward equity goals and ensure that the data is regularly updated. Regular public reporting would ensure visibility of regional progress and identify any needed re-evaluation of actions where progress is lacking. (Met Council)

Provide technical assistance for developing and implementing decision-making tools to prioritize equitable outcomes across capital projects. (Met Council)

Acknowledge inequities and disparities that exist within local jurisdictions and across the region and identify strategies to address them. (Met Council/Local Government)

Support and partner with Just Deeds (Just Deeds Project) to discharge racially restrictive covenants from housing deeds. (Met Council/Local Government)

Evaluate existing and proposed programs and policies, procedures, and planned development for disproportionate impacts on marginalized and underrepresented communities. (Met Council/Local Government)

Expand representation of marginalized and underrepresented populations on boards, commissions, and committees. (Met Council)

Partner with organizations that represent marginalized and underrepresented populations to inform program and policy development with a focus on cultivating trust, forming long-standing relationships, and valuing lived experiences consistent with Regional Goal: Our region is equitable and inclusive. (Met Council/Local Government)

Invest in and partner with community organizations to support building community capacity to understand and engage successfully with local and regional government processes. (Met Council)

i Work to eliminate barriers to individual and community-based organization participation in planning processes, including developing a streamlined and accessible procurement process created in partnership with community. (Met Council)

ii Provide an example of how the procurement process can be accomplished as a technical resource to others. (Met Council)

Identify and eliminate barriers to engagement participation including location, timing, transportation, and access to childcare. (Met Council, Local Government)

Build staff and partner capacity to conduct culturally responsive and inclusive engagement, including language services, ADA services, community assessments, and best practices. (Met Council)

Reimburse community members participating in engagement for their time and expertise. (Met Council)

Develop strategies to restore community connections in areas negatively impacted by planning and investment decisions. (Met Council/Local Government)

Explore the opportunity to establish a reparative action fund to finance mitigation measures for known and acknowledged past harms to the environment, to American Indian communities, to Black communities, and communities of color unjustly harmed by past local or Met Council actions. (Met Council)

Apply the Anti-Displacement Framework identified in the Equity Goal chapter to ensure Met Council investments and policies center and align with community needs and reduces harm to communities. (Met Council)

Provide technical assistance to create an analysis methodology utilizing the Equity and Environmental Justice Framework outlined in the Equity Goal chapter to evaluate how projects benefit or harm different communities and demographics. (Met Council)

Create/design a set of criteria to measure equitable impacts of development and local investments on Black, American Indian, people of color, and other vulnerable communities. (Met Council)

Work with Tribal nations and American Indian partners to develop regional tools, resources, and guidelines that may benefit local planning practices to mitigate the volume of individual requests received by American Indian organizations.

Engage in Tribal consultation and collaborate with adjacent and affected Tribal governments throughout project planning and regional planning processes.

Create a power sharing structure to partner with American Indian organizations and community members in planning processes.

Update the Met Council’s processes for Tribal consultation and partnership with the American Indian communities in the region.

Include accountability measures and a public reporting structure to evaluate implementation of the Met Council’s commitments to the region’s American Indian communities.

Produce data and metrics that are clear, accessible, inclusive, and relevant to American Indian communities.