Research
 

Research


Both national LISC and LISC Twin Cities pursue continuous research and offer a variety of learnings on community development topics.

LISC Twin Cities Research

The report, Turning the Corner in the Twin Cities, details the results of a mixed-methods study that examined indicators of gentrification and neighborhood change in three Twin Cities neighborhoods. The study, conducted by LISC Twin Cities, the University of Minnesota Center for Urban and Regional Affairs, and Wilder Research, with support from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis and the McKnight Foundation, was part of a national initiative led by the Urban Institute and the Federal Reserve-Philanthropy Initiative aimed at understanding displacement pressures in moderately strong housing markets. Findings offer key insights into which data indicators are most useful for monitoring gentrification risk, and what interventions community stakeholders can pursue to mitigate residential and commercial displacement.

As the first new tax policy targeting economic development in a generation, Opportunity Zones shows great promise while also raising significant concerns including displacement. This research commissioned by Twin Cities LISC is intended to provide a roadmap to investors and stakeholders to make the most of the promise, while mitigating potential damage to low-income communities.

The learnings and impact of our creative placemaking programming are captured in our 2018 Creative Placemaking Review.

The Big Picture Project , progress reports and convening summaries from a cross-sector partnership to coordinate affordable housing development along the 11-mile Green Line light rail line connecting the two downtowns, 2012-2017

Moving Beyond the Gap, research on the populations and geographic areas we focus on:

Findings from a Financial Survey of East African Households in the Twin Cities (January 2020)

The Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area is home to more than 20,000 East African immigrant households, many of which are Muslim. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the extent to which this population utilizes mainstream financial services and products. Traditional loan products that charge interest are contradictory to principles found in Islamic law. For many East African households, this presents a barrier to accessing the credit needed to purchase a car, start a business, or buy a home. Fewer than 1 in 5 East African households in the Twin Cities area own their homes, and the homeownership rate is likely lower for East African households that practice Islam. Alternative finance options—that is, lending products that do not charge interest—could enable East African Muslim families—many of which are, increasingly, upwardly mobile professionals—to expand homeownership and wealth-building opportunities. 

In order to better meet the financial services needs of this population and support its access to credit, Local Initiatives Support Corporation Twin Cities (LISC Twin Cities), the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Minnesota Housing, and Minnesota Homeownership Center partnered on this crucial study.

National LISC Research

LISC research report, Growing Taproots, provides rigorous evidence about the impact of our investments, and the work of both community organizations and “anchor institutions.” In South Minneapolis, strong community partnerships and commitments from hospitals and corporations stabilized and boosted home values, without contributing to accelerating prices and gentrification.

LISC research on the value of credit-building loans, an analysis of our new research on the value of credit-building loans, a financing tool that is helping low-income people build positive credit and make critical strides toward financial stability, 2017

Mapping a Road to Financial Wellbeing, an evaluation report on LISC's Financial Opportunity Centers, 2016

Museums, Libraries, and Comprehensive Initiatives: A First Look at Emerging Experience, an exploration of the catalytic role that museums and libraries are playing in revitalizing challenged neighborhoods, 2015