Minneapolis Turns Abandoned Lots into Community Gardens
By: Kelsey Ganes
Published: May 18, 2011

The Homegrown Minneapolis initiative has recently acquired 12 vacant lots throughout the city and made them available to be leased for 3-5 years by qualifying groups - with the express purpose of being a community space. The city believes that this project will be "promoting access to good nutrition, improving the ecological footprint of the city, encouraging active and healthy living and providing spaces for human interaction, food production and beauty in our daily lives."
But the project isn't limited to facilitating community gardens - the Homegrown project also connects available kitchens, as well as prep, processing and preservation spaces with community members, small business owners, and home cooks who a place to work their magic! The Homegrown initiative, in conjunction with Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers, is also responsible for the Homegrown Business Development Center, which helps Minneapolis-based businesses involved in the marketing, production, distribution and processing of locally sourced food products find financing to expand. 
"The city that gave you Betty Crocker is now supporting the new wave of local food entrepreneurs whose products will be on tomorrow’s dinner tables,” said Mayor R.T. Rybak. “This new tool will help us grow the cutting edge of our economy and meet the growing demand for sustainable local food at the same time."