Collection on the Minneapolis Model City Program

In 1967, the Lyndon Johnson administration’s Model Cities program gave $11 million in grants to 65 projects in 63 cities across the country that ranged in size from New York City to Pikeville, Kentucky. Minneapolis was one of the recipients.

Beginning in 1968 and continuing into the mid-1970s, the Minneapolis Model City Program operated as a free-standing entity with its own staff, working in conjunction with the City of Minneapolis to improve urban neighborhoods by involving residents throughout the planning, implementation, and evaluation process. Minneapolis selected a large portion of south-central Minneapolis as its "Model Neighborhood Area." The program sought to address physical problems, such as substandard housing and deterioration, as well as social problems in education, healthcare, and other social services. The program received mixed reviews from local and national media. With constant cuts to funding, the program realized a fraction of its original goals, yet it ushered in a new generation of urban leaders, especially those from communities of color.

Part of a larger Minneapolis urban renewal plan that included projects in north Minneapolis, the Gateway District, Como, and the St. Anthony-Main neighborhood, the Model Neighborhood project covered 3.9 square miles and included several of the city's major institutions, industries, shopping districts, and parks. Its borders were: Lyndale Ave. to the west; Franklin Ave., 3rd Ave. S, 16th St., Marquette Ave., 5th Ave., 15th St., Portland Ave., and 17th St. to the north; Hiawatha Ave. to the east; and 32nd St., 15th Ave., and 36th St. to the south. Residents of the Central, Corcoran, Lyndale, Phillips, Powderhorn Park, Ventura Village, and Whittier neighborhoods all participated in the program.