Albert Lea adds EDA to tackle housing, redevelopment gaps

ALBERT LEA, Minn. — The Albert Lea City Council voted to create an Economic Development Authority to complement the existing Port Authority and Housing and Redevelopment Authority.

City officials say the new authority will help address economic development opportunities that fall between the traditional roles of the Port Authority and the Housing and Redevelopment Authority. The Port Authority focuses on industrial and infrastructure projects, while the Housing and Redevelopment Authority focuses on public housing.

The Economic Development Authority is intended to provide greater flexibility to support redevelopment efforts, market-rate housing and broader community economic growth. One area of focus will be workforce housing to help employers fill job openings...

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Leo’ s notes: Many communities have a housing authority, an economic development corporation, and planning staff—but significant workforce housing projects often fall into the spaces between those organizations. Albert Lea offers an example of how organizational structure can be just as important as funding in moving projects from concept to construction.