A recent opinion piece in the Star Tribune (“Counterpoint: Public initiative, not private incentives, are need to improve north Minneapolis,” May 26, 2017) highlights the need for public initiative to level the playing field in Minneapolis.

North Minneapolis, in addition to enduring structural racism since the 1930s, has suffered through the predatory lending practices of the early 2000s and the devastating tornado in 2011. Disinvestment has compounded these issues for this community.

Neeraj Mehta, director of community programs at the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs at the University of Minnesota, cites PRG as an example of what can be done with city subsidies. Our James Avenue Cluster project is an example of strategic development that we believe has lasting impact.

Mehta states: “PRG’s infill development strategy achieved numerous racial-, social-, and economic-justice outcomes.”