How can the Lake Street Council help you?

The primary purpose of the Lake Street Council is to assist Lake Street corridor businesses.

The following is a menu of items that we may be able to assist with at the LSC office, either with elected officials or their staff, or with one of the many departments or agencies located within the City of Minneapolis or Hennepin County.

• Business Start-up
• Concerns Business Plan information
• City regulatory issues
• Grant funding and budget issues
• Business loans
• Licensing issues
• Technical Assistance
• Zoning information
• Inspections
• Employee Training
• Compliance and legal questions
• Networking and business contacts

Each of these categories may have subsections that pertain to each item, many of which pertain to every business. The Lake Street Council can help you sort through these details to effectively assist your business.

"Adopt-an-Ash" Receptacle Program:

Minneapolis is looking for businesses to adopt ash receptacles. Ash receptacles are placed at appropriate locations throughout the city for pedestrian use to reduce cigarette litter in high traffic areas. Participating businesses will adopt a receptacle for at least two years. They will empty the receptacle regularly and work with the City to maintain it.

Read all the details here (PDF)

Minneapolis Loan Programs:

• Capital Acquisition Loan Program for business owners who want to purchase their building. Opportunity for long-term fixed rate financing below market rates available if property is in New Markets Tax Credit area. City finances up to 40% of the project, with a limit of $300,000.
   
• 2% Loan Program for small businesses to purchase equipment and/or make building improvements. MCDA provides half of the loan, up to $40,000, at 2% interest.
   
• 2% Commercial Corridor/Commercial Node Program for small businesses to purchase equipment and/or make building improvements on commercial properties located in designated Commercial Corridors and Commercial Nodes. MCDA provides half of the loan, up to $75,000, at 2% interest.
   
• Emerging Entrepreneur Capital Acquisition Loans to help newer businesses (two years or newer) purchase and rehabilitate small commercial, multi-use or industrial properties in the City. Large production or research equipment may also qualify. The City may lend up to $400,000, or 40 percent of the appraised value.
   
• "Starting a Business" guide, which covers details of starting a new business and a directory of organizations and agencies that can provide loans and grants to businesses.

Graffiti Information:

Download and complete a Community Impact Statement for the City of Minneapolis about how graffiti affects you.

For properties in the Central neighborhood: complete and return this form to Central Weed and Seed to participate in their graffiti removal program.

See this document (PDF) for strategies on removing different types of graffiti on different types of surfaces. Also see the city's graffiti section of their website:

http://www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/graffiti/

Lake Street Council supports a cohesive plan to combat graffiti that includes physical clean-up, improved legislation, police and judicial enforcement, a public information campaign and school-based related education.

Links:

The following is a list of business and community development organizations operating in the Lake Street corridor that may be able to assist you:

CPED's Business Finance Programs
Minneapolis Empowerment Zone
Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC)
Minneapolis Consortium of Community Developers (MCCD)
Neighborhood Development Center (NDC)
Seward Redesign
African Development Center (ADC)
Goodwill Easter Seals
Business & Career Center
United Way's Beehive

Lake Street Corridor Neighbors:

Franklin Area Business Association
38th & Chicago