Council Member Lynette Dumalag, who is a commercial real estate broker, said generational, family-owned developers should be asked to expand their networks to include diverse companies with the intent of using real estate as an opportunity to create upward mobility.
She rejected the thought that there aren't enough people of color to hire, adding that access to capital in construction is "a big deal," and the intent of the city should be looking at "who is actually getting these dollars in a meaningful way.
"This is not just about hiring minority-owned businesses," she said. While the state and Hennepin County set similar goals and their work serves as a benchmark, Dumalag believes the work of St. Louis Park "delves deeper" and the city's initiative "is going to be one of the first."