Curb Appeal, by Lottery: Inside Coon Rapids’ Front Door Grant Program

Coon Rapids, MN

In neighborhoods where winter salt lingers on sidewalks and siding weathers under four distinct seasons, the smallest upgrades can reshape a street’s identity. A new front door. A repaired driveway. A porch column restored to symmetry. In Coon Rapids, those changes are not just aesthetic choices. They are part of a city-backed effort to strengthen neighborhood pride, one façade at a time.

The city’s Front Door Grant Program, now in its 2026 cycle, is accepting applications through Wednesday, February 25. As in past years, demand is expected to exceed available funding. Recipients will be selected by public lottery on Wednesday, March 4 at 6 p.m., broadcast live on CTN Channel 799 for Xfinity subscribers and streamed on the city’s YouTube and Facebook platforms, according to the city’s Housing Division.

For homeowners weighing whether to apply, the clock is ticking.

A Grant Designed for the Street View

The Front Door Grant Program is structured to enhance street-facing exterior improvements. Unlike income-restricted housing assistance, this initiative has no income limits. Eligibility is determined by property characteristics and compliance with city guidelines, not by household earnings.

Grants range from $1,000 to $5,000 and do not require repayment, provided the project is completed according to program standards. Funding covers 15 percent or 25 percent of eligible project costs, depending on the category of improvement.

To qualify for the minimum $1,000 award, a homeowner must invest at least $4,000 of their own funds. Tool purchases and rentals are not eligible for reimbursement.

The program’s guiding principle is visibility. Work must be clearly seen from the street directly in front of the home. If a qualifying project is completed on the front façade, associated work extending to other sides of the house may also be eligible, according to city guidelines.

Who Can Apply

To enter the March 4 lottery, applicants must meet the following criteria established by the City of Coon Rapids Housing Division:

• Property must be a 1–4 unit residential structure: single-family home, townhome, twin home, or condominium.
• Home must be owner-occupied and have homestead status with Anoka County.
• Estimated market value must be under $400,000.
• Property taxes must be current.
• Homeowners who received a Front Door Grant between 2019 and 2025 are not eligible this year.

The application must be submitted by the owner listed on the property title through the city’s Online Permit Portal.

All applicants, whether selected or waitlisted, are typically notified by email and U.S. mail within two days of the drawing.

What Qualifies: Beautification First

Every application must include at least one “Beautification Project,” which is eligible for 25 percent reimbursement. These projects emphasize architectural presence and curb appeal.

Required Beautification Projects (25 percent grant)

• Street-facing front, storm, or garage doors
• Covered front porches or decorative columns
• Brick, stone, or decorative shake accents on the front façade
• Permanent landscaping with a minimum project cost of $500
• Driveway or sidewalk repair or replacement

Additional projects may be included at the 15 percent reimbursement level, but only if paired with a qualifying beautification improvement.

Secondary Basic Projects (15 percent grant)

• Roofing
• Siding
• Gutters and fascia
• Exterior painting
• Window replacement

The structure of the program reflects a deliberate policy choice: encourage improvements that are both structurally sound and visually transformative.

Demand Exceeds Supply

The lottery format underscores the program’s popularity. In recent cycles, applications have outpaced available funding, necessitating a random drawing to allocate grants fairly.

The public broadcast of the lottery adds a layer of transparency uncommon in municipal housing programs. Residents can watch the selection process unfold live, reinforcing civic trust in how funds are distributed.

Pairing Grants With Loans

For homeowners planning more extensive renovations, the city frequently collaborates with the Center for Energy and Environment, a Minnesota-based nonprofit that offers low-interest “Home for Generations” loans. These loans can be used alongside the Front Door Grant, allowing residents to leverage both city and nonprofit resources to complete larger projects.

Why It Matters

Curb appeal may sound cosmetic, but city officials frame the program as a neighborhood investment strategy. Well-maintained exteriors contribute to property stability, strengthen block identity, and signal collective care.

In communities like Coon Rapids, where single-family homes and townhomes define much of the residential landscape, small improvements ripple outward. A repaired driveway prevents water damage. A new front door improves energy efficiency. A landscaped yard softens the geometry of concrete and asphalt.

The Front Door Grant Program positions those improvements not as private luxuries, but as shared civic gains.

With four days remaining before the February 25 deadline, homeowners have a brief window to decide whether their next exterior project could become part of the city’s 2026 transformation.

Applications are available through the City of Coon Rapids Online Permit Portal.

MinneapoliMedia