The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has awarded more than $19 million total in grants to small cities around Greater Minnesota. The money, divided into 35 separate grants—one per city or community—will go toward rehabilitation and infrastructure projects.
 
Administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and funded by Congress, the program helps repair housing and commercial buildings and update public infrastructure in small cities and counties. The investment comes from the Small Cities Development Program, a Community Development Block Grant sub-program catering to the needs of cities and townships with less than 50,000 residents or counties with less than 200,000 residents.
 
“The vitality of our communities depends upon strong infrastructure and good, affordable housing,” said Governor Mark Dayton in a statement. “These grants will help improve those essential resources in communities throughout Minnesota.”
 
Furthermore, by supporting this redevelopment and improving housing options, the funds will subsequently boost the region’s economic activity, said DEED commissioner Shawntera Hardy in prepared remarks.
 
Counties and communities that apply for a Small Cities grant must meet at least one of three purposes: Projects must benefit residents of low or moderate incomes, eliminate slum and blighted situations, or eliminate an urgent threat to public health or safety.
 
This round, the grants were awarded to the following cities:

Brainerd, $638,338 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, and commercial building rehabilitation
Caledonia, $824,698 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, and commercial building rehabilitation
Clarkfield, $1,107,430 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, commercial building rehabilitation, and a public facility project
Deerwood, $554,893 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, and commercial building rehabilitation
Elgin, $303,600 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
Emily, $229,000 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
Eyota, $287,500 
Rental housing rehabilitation
Granite Falls, $625,888 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, and commercial building rehabilitation
Kensington, $600,000 
Public facility improvements
Kerkhoven/DeGraff, $320,625 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
Lake Benton, $634,800 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and commercial building rehabilitation
Lake City, $809,400 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and commercial building rehabilitation
Lake/Silver Bay, $508,750 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and commercial building rehabilitation
Mahnomen, $354,775 
Rental rehabilitation
Marshall, $603,750 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and commercial building rehabilitation
Melrose, $315,600 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and commercial building
Menahga, $236,700 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and commercial building rehabilitation
Morris, $421,875 
Rental housing rehabilitation
Onamia, $600,000 
Public facility improvements
Pine River, $595,000 
Public facility improvements 
Raymond, $437,000 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
Red Lake Falls, $593,400 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and commercial building rehabilitation
Sabin, $258,525 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
St. James, $663,320 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, and commercial building rehabilitation
St. Joseph, $178,624 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
Starbuck, $941,260 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, commercial building rehabilitation, and streetscape
Tyler/Ruthton, $460,000 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
Verndale, $600,000 
Public facility improvements
Warroad, $599,955 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and rental housing rehabilitation
Willmar, $1,205,177 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation, rental housing rehabilitation, and commercial building rehabilitation
Willow River, $345,711 
Public facility improvements due to flooding damage
Windom, $418,600 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
Winger, $600,000 
Public facility improvements
Winnebago, $869,100 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation and public facility improvements
Winona, $296,349 
Owner-occupied housing rehabilitation
 
Per terms of the program, projects must be completed within 30 months, with deadlines based on size and scope.