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Metro Cities News 3/25/20

by: Mike Lund
Category: Newsletter
Mar
25


In This Issue:

 

 

Governor Walz Issues “Stay at Home” Executive Order

This afternoon Governor Walz issued a “Stay At Home” Executive Order for the state that goes into effect this Friday, March 27th starting at 11:59 pm, through Friday April 10. This order is intended to further limit mobility outside the home. Grocery stores, gas stations, liquor stores, pharmacies, clinics, shelters, law enforcement and other critical businesses and services will remain open. Retail stores will be closed. The previous order on bar and restaurant closures is extended to May 1, and distance learning measures will be in effect until May 4. The new order can be linked HERE.

Governor Walz indicated that he is using data prepared by the U of M Public Health Department and the State Department of Health to inform mitigation measures and their timing, and he indicated that measures are intended to significantly reduce contact so that infection peaks and demands on the health care system can be spread out over a longer period of time. The Governor’s office indicated that the Stay at Home Order is intended to be broad, and to allow local jurisdictions to maintain a level of decision making on what constitutes an essential service. Link HERE for an FAQ on the Stay at Home Order.

The Governor’s office is using a guide provided by the Department of Homeland Security that is included on Metro Cities COVID-19 web page—see below for further information.

Governor Walz earlier this week issued an Executive Order on evictions and writs of recovery of premises: Executive Order 20-14. The order is intended to allow households to remain sheltered during the peacetime emergency. The Governor’s administration staff stressed that the order is not a rent payment holiday and renters and homeowners are still bound by their legal agreements. The order is in place through the duration of the governor’s peacetime emergency or until 20-14 is rescinded.


Legislative Session Thursday

The House and Senate will convene on Thursday, March 26th, to take up a limited scope of legislation, focused on COVID-19 related measures. Work is occurring to set processes allowing members to vote remotely. Over the last week, legislators have been working on a variety of issues through informal ‘work groups (LINK HERE), and a series of items under consideration (LINK HERE) was released. The scope of issues for tomorrow’s session is likely to be very limited and focused on urgent COVID-related items and funding. Stay tuned for further information.


COVID-19 Information and Resources

Metro Cities has created a website page with resources on COVID-19. Please visit www.MetroCitiesMN.org/covid-19-resources-for-city-officials. This page will be continually updated with new information, so check the page frequently, as well as Metro Cities Twitter page, @MetroCitiesMN. All Executive Orders are posted on the site as well as links to other information and resources. Recent Executive Orders include a halt in renter evictions, and the establishment of a Small Business Emergency Loan Program, as well as today’s Stay at Home order.


COVID-19 Issues for Cities

Metro Cities staff is working with the LMC and other city organizations to identify critical local issues that may require legislative solutions, including funding for first responder needs, 60-day rule extension, open meeting law provisions, and several other issues. Please continue to communicate with Metro Cities staff; staff will also be reaching out to cities directly for information and feedback. Feel free to email me at [email protected] or reach me by telephone at 651-215-4002. All staff are available by email and telephone.


City Responsibilities for Building Inspections and 60-Day Rule Remain – FEEDBACK REQUESTED

Municipal responsibilities on land use applications and land use applications, under M.S. 15.99, remain subject to the 60-day rule and any extension requires legislative action. Additionally, initial city review within 15 days to determine application completeness, is still required. Metro Cities is seeking city feedback on local concerns with meeting the current 60-day rule – city ability to process applications during COVID-19 workplace restrictions, current pace of applications, workload at various staffing levels. Please send comments to [email protected].

Labor and Industry has provided guidance to local building officials, explaining “City officials must provide state inspection services unless specifically exempted by the governor. If your city has, or is considering, reducing services related to enforcement of the State Building Code, you must contact us to ensure that administration of the State Building Code is maintained in your municipality by the designated building official.” Cities with questions should contact DLI’s Rich Lockrem at 651-284-5868 or [email protected]. DLI has also created a Frequently Asked Questions document and the construction industry has released job site safety and health guidance.

Several cities have implemented new strategies to conduct inspections, including video and photograph strategies to address proximity concerns. Building officials are encouraged to meet their obligations while providing for human health and safety.


Small Business Assistance – Federal, State, Local Funds Authorized

DEED
The Governor authorized two new strategies to help small businesses impacted by the executive orders on closures for businesses. The state Small Business Emergency Loan Program coupled with expanded city authority to use local revolving loan fund dollars were announced by DEED Commissioner Steve Grove to address business shutdown concerns.

The small business loan program is intended to help businesses temporarily closed under Executive Orders 20-04 and 20-08, which stopped onsite customer dining at restaurants and bars and closed an extensive list of other small businesses whose owners may not have adequate cash flow to withstand temporary closure.

Executive Order 20-15 directs DEED to create a Small Business Emergency Loan Program by making available $30 million from special revenue funds. These dollars will be used by DEED’s lender network to make loans of between $2,500 and $35,000 for qualifying small businesses. The 0% interest loans will be 50% forgivable. If other financing becomes available to small businesses that received an emergency loan, such as federal funding, the emergency loan must be repaid. These emergency loans will be made by an existing network of lenders DEED works with across the state. Depending on the size of the loans offered to businesses, DEED estimates this emergency loan program will provide needed resources to between 1,200 and 5,000 businesses. DEED has announced it expects loan applications to be available later this week through its existing 23-member lender network. Program details, including eligibility and application information can be found on the DEED website.

Cities with local revolving loan funds, such as those seeded with MIF loans, now have greater capacity to use those loans. Previous uses, including retail and service providers, were ineligible uses. Under the order, those uses are now authorized for 90 days and gives cities another tool to address local economic needs. Loans outside a city’s RLF geography can be funded through a transfer of funds to larger regional body (e.g., a county or other regional body) that covers that geography. Cities should contact their DEED loan officer to assist with the documentation of this fund transfer.

Small Business Administration Disaster Loans Now Available
The U.S. Small Business Administration is offering loans to small businesses in Minnesota. This program can provide low-interest loans of up to $2 million to small businesses and private nonprofits. These loans can go toward working capital to meet needs including payroll, accounts payable, and fixed debt payments that can’t be paid due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current interest rate is 3.75% for small businesses and 2.75% for non-profits. Loans have long-term repayment options, up to a maximum of 30 years. Online applications for these loans are open to Minnesota businesses at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/ For more information visit the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan web page.


Transportation/Transit Updates

Metro Transit has reported that transit ridership is significantly down, with some bus routes losing 90% of ridership. All transit service, including light rail, will be reduced by 40%. Metro Mobility has implemented changes in its operations to allow for social distancing including halting shared rides. This creates a need for more drivers, even with overall ridership down. At this time, Metro Mobility has a sufficient number of drivers. For more information on route changes, click here.

Metro Mobility has also implemented a new food delivery service for Metro Mobility riders. Those who qualify can order food online through a retailer and have the order delivered to their door. Medications are not eligible for this service.

Metro Transit is communicating and coordinating with suburban transit providers. All suburban transit providers are reporting significant drops in transit ridership and have reduced service in response. Follow the links below for more information on each transit provider:

Plymouth Metrolink

Minnesota Valley Transit Authority

SouthWest Transit

Maple Grove Transit

MnDOT offices are open and are providing services. This includes maintenance and construction and rest areas. All previously scheduled MnDOT-hosted meetings, conferences, trainings and other programs have been postponed. Open houses for upcoming constructions projects are postponed until at least April 15th.

MnDOT is encouraging the public to do business by phone, email or online. Some options are:

 

 

Real ID. The Federal government has delayed the October deadline for the full implementation of REAL ID to a yet to be determined date. A bill to make changes to the documentation needed for REAL ID is being discussed informally by members of the legislature. SF 3091 – Newman and HF 3964 – Hornstein, could be considered Thursday. The bills are not identical, with the House version eliminating background checks for registrar officials that do not handle a REAL ID applicants documents.


Request for Regional Solicitation Feedback

Last week, the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB) extended the deadline for the 2020 Regional Solicitation applications from April 16 to May 15.

The Metropolitan Council is asking potential applicants to help identify areas where there continue to be concerns, even with the extended due date. They would like to know if there is data or other information applicants may not be able to gather by the May 15 deadline and whether applicants have other areas of concern. For example:
Obtaining letters of support from partner jurisdictions
Gathering student travel data for Safe Routes to Schools

Please email Elaine Koutsoukos at [email protected] by March 30 to provide any input or feedback. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) will meet on April 1 to discuss the input and identify additional options for assisting applicants.

Please refer to the Regional Solicitation web page for information on applying.


LMC Webinars

This week the League of Minnesota Cities is hosting a series of webinars geared toward city officials and emergency responses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The webinars begin at noon every day. Monday’s presentation focused on technology and the logistics of meeting virtually. Tuesday’s webinar covered due process and statutory requirements to keep in mind when operating telephonically. The presentation also covered important deadlines and advice on maintaining city business in the context of COVID-19 and social distancing (i.e. conducting inspections and issuing permits).

Wednesday’s webinar focused on human resources issues that emerge during a public health emergency. Thursday’s presentation will include a legislative update from the Capitol. On Friday, all speakers from this week’s series will answer any questions.

Click here to view webinar descriptions, register for upcoming presentations, and access recordings from earlier this week. LMC has also set up a link on this page to submit questions for presenters and panelists.


Supplemental Budget Update

Governor Walz released an updated supplemental budget on March 23. It includes funds for programs in Minnesota Housing, Department of Human Services, Commerce, DEED, Veterans Affairs and Minnesota Management and Budget. It includes:

DHS

  • $30 million Emergency Child Care Center Grants
  • $560,000 state dollars and $14 million federal TANF for Assistance for MFIP Families (Minnesota Family Investment Program)
  • $9 million increase for Minnesota Food Shelf Program
  • $13M FY20 and $44M FY21 for DHS Temporary Emergency Authority
  • $1.5M Additional Emergency Homeless Shelter Space
  • $5M for Hygiene and Sanitation Supplies for Homeless Shelters
  • $14M for Isolation and Motel Based Quarters
  • $6M for Overtime and On-Call Homeless Shelter and Medical Staff
  • $6.5M to Temporarily Increase Housing Support Rates by 15%

 

Minnesota Housing

  • $10M for Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance

DEED

  • $10M for Small Business Loan Guarantee Program

Veterans Affairs

  • $6.2M for Special Emergency Grants

MMB

  • $200M for a state COVID-19 Minnesota Fund be disbursed, or transferred to agencies, as necessary to protect Minnesotans from the COVID-19 outbreak, and to maintain the operations of government during the peacetime emergency.


U.S. Senate Bill Includes Housing Supports

A federal stimulus bill agreed to in the U.S. Senate on March 25 includes a number of funding items to support housing. These include:

  • $4B in emergency solutions grants to assist homeless shelters and outreach workers
  • $5B in CDBG funds which can be used for rental assistance
  • $685M for public housing
  • $1.25B in tenant based rental assistance
  • $1B in PBRA
  • $300M in tribal housing grants
  • $2.5M for fair housing
  • $150B in flexible funds for state/local governments that can be used for rental assistance and community development needs related to coronavirus

Metro Cities will continue to follow developments at the federal level and include updates in future newsletters.


Metro Cities Welcomes New Office Manager

Metro Cities is pleased to welcome Jennifer Dorn as our new Office Manager. She will begin employment with Metro Cities this Friday, March 27. Ms. Dorn worked for the city of New Brighton as its Event & Administration Coordinator. Her background in municipal work will be a strong asset to Metro Cities. Please welcome Jennifer as she settles in and feel free to stop in and introduce yourself once our physical offices are open again!

Jennifer can be reached via email at [email protected] or phone at 651-215-4004.

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