Transit Oriented Communities

Transit-oriented communities are a sum of the parts, more than individual development projects, sidewalks, or businesses in isolation. The relationships between the types of uses people visit during a day, the connection options between those uses, and the details of the buildings and public realm matter in creating human-centered communities. Hennepin County’s Transit Oriented Communities (TOC) program invests in creating these vibrant places that prioritize people and walking, biking, and transit as viable mobility options.

TOC funding supports hard construction costs of transit-oriented development real estate projects and public infrastructure projects soon to get underway.

2026 TOC application

Hennepin County anticipates releasing the 2026 TOC Request for Applications (RFA) on January 8, 2026, pending board approval.

Please sign up for development news and announcements for the most current information about the upcoming RFA and other TOC news. 

Important dates

• Information session: Hennepin County will hold a virtual information session on the 2026 TOC RFA and the 2026 Coordinated Affordable Housing RFP on Thursday, December 18, 10 a.m.-noon. The TOC presentation will begin at 11:30 am. Join on Microsoft Teams.
• TA sessions: Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss their project prior to applying. Technical assistance (TA) sessions are available December 1-23, 2025. Sign up for a TA session.
• TOC RFA opens: January 8, 2026
• Applications due: 3 p.m. (CST) February 5, 2026
• Awards: Anticipated in May 2026

Who can apply 

Developers, nonprofits engaged in development/redevelopment, government agencies and related development authorities. 

Funding available

Approximately $2.2 million is available for TOC and TOC Predevelopment Assistance in 2026. 

Related links and materials

• 2026 TOC guidelines (forthcoming) 
• TOC eligible areas (interactive map)
• TOC Predevelopment Assistance
• Coordinated affordable housing development request for proposals website
• Site cleanup and assessment funds
• Building deconstruction and material reuse grants

Project examples

• New development or redevelopment of housing, mixed-use, and commercial projects, including substantial rehabilitation, renovation, or expansion
• Comprehensive public infrastructure projects by local government agencies that are independent of individual development projects and improve walkability and transit-oriented development potential
• Strategic property acquisition by local government agencies to preserve land for future transit-oriented development 

Community impact

Transit-oriented communities include a mix of places to live, work, and play that are well connected to one another, where walking, biking, and transit are easy options for getting around. With housing, jobs, and other activities more easily accessed without requiring a car, individuals' housing and transportation costs can be reduced, and people can see improved health outcomes. Transit-oriented communities also provide positive environmental benefits and economic resiliency due to more efficient use of infrastructure and land.

Since 2003, Hennepin County has awarded approximately $46.7 million to over 160 projects along key Hennepin County light rail transit corridors and other high frequency and express bus routes. These investments have created or retained more than 13,000 housing units, 3,300 jobs, and more than 2.5 million square feet of commercial space across the county.

2025 impacts

In the 2025 funding round, $2 million was awarded to six projects. Funding for the six projects will support 110 new or retained jobs and create a combined 149 housing units and 48,800 square feet of commercial space, including five affordable commercial spaces. TOC funding will leverage approximately $80 million in total investment value and improve connections to rail transit, bus rapid transit, and within the high-frequency bus network.

2025 TOC program awardees

Highlighted TOC funded projects include:

• The Coliseum, Minneapolis: The redevelopment of the historic Coliseum Building on East Lake Street provides 70,000 square feet of commercial space for 25 local Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) professionals and firms and will create 120 new jobs. Completed in 2024.
• 501 Mainstreet, Hopkins: The redevelopment of a vacant, city-owned site in downtown Hopkins that will incorporate passive house design standards for energy efficiency and provide 41 housing units.
• Minneapolis American Indian Center, Minneapolis: The redevelopment of the half-century-old cultural center and community anchor on Franklin Avenue that included the substantial renovation of 43,500 square feet and new construction of 21,500 square feet and will provide educational and social services to more than 10,000 members of the Minneapolis American Indian community annually. Completed in 2024.