South Hastings BUILD Grant

At approximately 3:45 pm on Wednesday, January 29th, City staff submitted the completed grant application to the U.S. Department of Transportation for the City's planning project, titled South Hastings Neighborhoods, A Stronger Connected Community for the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD).

Staff would like to thank the support of community members, community organizations, City Administration, and the City Council for their support and input.

The submitted grant application can be found here.

The grant award announcements should be made on or before June 28, 2025.

In the evening of January 24, 2025, the Trump Administration's Department of Transportation issued an amendment to the Notice of Funding Opportunity that changed the name of the grant that the City is pursuing from RAISE to Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) and substantially changed the program goals and objectives, definitions, a number of merit criteria, and the funding amount for this grant. These changes relate to President Trump's executive order regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion topics.

City staff discovered these changes on Tuesday, January 28th, as they were finishing the grant application and preparing it for submission. After discovering the changes, staff quickly went to work to update the grant application to fit the new grant program's merit criteria. Staff worked through most of the evening on the 28th and throughout the day on the 29th to complete the revised grant application.

Ultimately, the planning project to study and design for transportation improvements in South Hastings does not change.

Here is a memo sent to the City Administrator and Council about the revised grant application.

The City appreciates the support and input on the grant application from the community.

A Big Thank You to everyone who could attend the Public Open House held at Lincoln Elementary School on January 23rd.

There were over 25 people in attendance to learn about this grant opportunity and provide their vision for the South Hastings neighborhoods, and issues and solutions for improving transportation in these neighborhoods.

Following a short introduction from Ward #1 Councilmen Anderson and Huntley, City staff gave a brief presentation on the grant opportunity that the City is pursuing.

Then, the meeting attendees were asked to visit 4 stations to provide their vision and input on important transportation issues facing the neighborhoods in South Hastings.

Station #1 - Sign in and a location map of where the attendee lives in or around Hastings

Station #2 - Looking Into The Future Instructions: We all know change happens. Having a plan for when it happens is helpful because it can help us direct or adapt to the changes. One way a community helps inform positive future development is by sharing what they envision happening to their neighborhood for future generations. The results of this station can be found here.

Station #3 - Room For Improvement Instructions: Thank you for joining us this evening. We are excited to provide information on this grant opportunity and to learn more about your issues, wants, and needs regarding traveling through South Hastings and the City of Hastings. Participants were asked to write a note about issues, wants, and needs and to place them on a map of South Hastings. The compiled comments can be found here.

Station #4 - Other Thoughts Or Comments Instructions: Thank you for coming to this open house. We appreciate your participation in our stations to share your vision, ideas, and needed improvements for South Hastings. Other thoughts and comments can be found here.

A combined list of all comments, in typed form, can be found here.

This input is valuable to complete the grant application. Thank you to everyone for sharing your thoughts, concerns, and insights.

If the City is awarded the grant, more opportunities for input from neighbors in South Hastings will be made throughout the grant project - stay tuned!