During the 2024–2025 academic year, RCP is partnering with the City of Blaine, City of Chaska, City of New Brighton, City of Shoreview, Hennepin County, the Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC), and the Metropolitan Council on projects to advance community sustainability, equity, and resilience. You can learn more about the projects below.
Does your local government agency have a project idea to build community resilience that could benefit from research or technical assistance? Learn more about how to apply for an RCP Partnership!
Blaine: Manufactured Home Rehab & Replacement
Project Goal: Research manufactured home replacement program design and funding options to help retain the community’s affordable housing stock (Project Brief)
Partner: City of Blaine
Project Lead: Elizabeth Showalter, Community Development Specialist, City of Blaine
Course Matches: TBD
Chaska: Pedestrian and Bicycle Evaluation Plan
Project Goal: Develop an evaluation program that establishes baseline data for pedestrian and bicycle usage so the City can track progress over time, assess unmet needs, and make strategic infrastructure investments (Project Brief)
Partner: City of Chaska
Project Lead: Ashley Cauley, City Planner, City of Chaska
Course Matches: TBD
Chaska: Defining Properties for Historic Nomination
Project Goal: Research historic buildings in Chaska to support the City's goal of nominating more properties that are eligible to be added to the City’s local register (Project Brief)
Partner: City of Chaska
Project Lead: Elizabeth Hanson, City Planner, City of Chaska Community Development Department
Course Matches: TBD
Chaska: Downtown Paseo Placemaking and Activation Toolkit
Project Goal: Create a placemaking/activation plan that can be used by the City, businesses, and the local business district as a guide and inspirational tool to foster social activity in newly constructed paseos in order to bring more people downtown to socialize, shop, eat, and explore (Project Brief)
Partner: City of Chaska
Project Lead: Julie Grove, City of Chaska Economic Development Coordinator
Course Matches: TBD
Chaska: Strategies for Metro Area Sales and Use Tax for Housing
Project Goal: Determine best strategic use for new Metro Area Sales and Use Tax for Housing fund to support affordable housing opportunities for residents (Project Brief)
Partner: City of Chaska
Project Lead: Nate Kabat, City of Chaska Community Development Director
Course Matches: TBD
Chaska: Neighborhood Traffic Calming Toolbox
Project Goal: Create a traffic calming toolbox and evaluation process to help City staff identify possible interventions and programs (Project Brief)
Partner: City of Chaska
Project Lead: Alex Mollenkamp, Assistant City Engineer, City of Chaska
Course Matches: TBD
Hennepin County: Baseline Heat Risk Assessment
Project Goal: Create a baseline heat risk assessment, including public health indicators and impacts, and refine the County's climate vulnerability index. (Project Brief)
Partner: Hennepin County
Project Lead: Jessica Spanswick, Climate and Resiliency Project Manager, Hennepin County
Course Matches: TBD
Metropolitan Airports Commission: MSP Airport Rates and Charges Review
Project Goal: Evaluate current fees, rates and charges the MAC charges to non-airline companies operating at MSP, conduct a benchmarking review of rates structures at other large-hub airports, and recommend changes based on these insights. (Project Brief)
Partner: Metropolitan Airports Commission
Project Lead: Tim Simon, Chief Financial Officer, Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC)
Course Matches: TBD
Metropolitan Airports Commission: Standardized Method of Hiring Personnel Versus Consultants
Project Goal: Develop a standardized set of criteria and triggers to guide the MAC about when to hire an FTE, when to hire an external consultant or contractor, and when to change from a consultant to FTE (Project Brief)
Partner: Metropolitan Airports Commission
Project Lead: Nicole Kiefer, Assistant Director of Human Resources, Metropolitan Airports Commission (MAC)
Course Matches:
- HRIR 6801: MHRIR Experiential Learning Capstone (Instructor: Stacy Doepner-Hove)
New Brighton: Manufactured Home Parks Engagement
Project Goal: Investigate possible funding for manufactured home maintenance and outreach strategies that City staff could employ to reach residents and park owners and connect them to available resources. (Project Brief)
Partner: City of New Brighton
Project Lead: Craig Schlichting, Director, Community Assets and Development
Course Matches:
- Coming soon!
Shoreview: Multifamily Housing Outreach
Project Goal: Investigate barriers to participation in civic activities for multifamily housing residents and conduct case studies of successful city engagement strategies. (Project Brief)
Partner: City of Shoreview
Project Lead: Renee Eisenbeisz, Assistant City Manager
Course Matches:
- Coming soon!