For this month’s CURA Story, we are excited to share our 2024 Annual Report showcasing the impactful work of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs over the past year.

This year's report highlights 141 projects across Minnesota, including 77 faculty/graduate student research projects, 21 community-based research initiatives, and 43 technical assistance projects. Our work has connected 214 student participants with 151 community and government organizations across 14 research areas—from housing and public policy to racial equity and environmental justice.…

By James Miller

Surveying the Landscape

When Dr. Ceema Samimi first came to the University of Minnesota during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were eager to better understand the landscape of people and organizations cultivating meaningful change in the Twin Cities.

As a researcher, social worker, and actively-engaged community member, they were no…

The Resilient Communities Project (RCP) is accepting proposals from local government agencies anywhere in Minnesota for 2025-2026 partnerships to address your community's research and technical assistance needs. Proposals must include a minimum of three discrete projects intended to advance community sustainability, equity, and resilience.

RCP partners with local government agencies to build resilience and spark positive change through the power of university research. Each year, we support projects that address a broad range of local issues and needs, involving any department or division in your…

• Also, CURA’s support of anti-displacement work receives the 2024 Kingsley Impact Award
• And other legislative and policy news from 2024

Housing advocates and place-based community organizations are celebrating a $10 million initial investment from the Minnesota State Legislature in funding the new Anti-Displacement Community Prosperity Program…

The Hennepin-University Partnership, a program of the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, is accepting applications for the HUP Collaborative Research Assistantship (HCRA). The HCRA provides paid summer positions for six graduate research assistants to conduct applied research with Hennepin County, while partaking in learning opportunities as a part of a multidisciplinary cohort. This program is a unique opportunity to work with an innovative, nationally-regarded local government on research that addresses complex social challenges. Graduate students from any school or department who are interested in engaged research or careers in…

It is with great excitement that we introduce Amy Delahanty as the next director of the Hennepin-University Partnership (HUP). Amy brings extensive experience in cross-sector collaboration and higher education, most recently as the Chief of Staff for the National Center for Principled Leadership and Research Ethics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

The Blue Line Extension Anti-displacement Executive Summary is now available! The Blue Line Extension has been in the works for over a decade. For at least that long, corridor communities have been challenging governments and private sector actors to be considerate of the local population to ensure that they are not displaced as a result of development. In response to these concerns and to ensure the Blue Line Extension transit investment benefits current corridor residents and businesses, Hennepin County and the Metropolitan Council initiated an anti displacement initiative and contracted with the University of Minnesota’s Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) to work with…

CURA's Community Geographic Information Systems (CGIS) program and the Resilient Communities Project (RCP) are partnering with the Institute for Advanced Study, U-Spatial, University of Minnesota Libraries, and DASH to present this year's “Thinking Spatially Symposium: Indigenous Mapping.” Former CURA CGIS Graduate Research…