A $100,000 Bet on the Front Door: The 2026 C.A.R.E. Grant Program and the Citywide Strategy to Strengthen Anoka One Façade at a Time

Anoka, MN

In Anoka, neighborhood identity is not shaped only by zoning maps or council votes. It is shaped by porch columns, trimmed hedges, repoured sidewalks, and front doors that signal care.

In 2026, the Anoka Housing and Redevelopment Authority will once again invest in that visible architecture of community through the Curb Appeal Residential Enhancement Grant Program, known simply as C.A.R.E.

For the upcoming cycle, the HRA has allocated $100,000 in total funding. Individual property owners may receive grants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per property. Because interest typically exceeds available dollars, recipients will be selected through a public lottery drawing.

Application deadline: Friday, February 28, 2026.
Lottery date: Monday, March 2, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.
Location: Anoka City Hall.
Public attendance is optional. Applicants do not need to be present to win.

A Strategic, Not Charitable, Program

Unlike many housing programs administered by municipal housing authorities, C.A.R.E. is not income-based. There are no income limits to participate. Instead, the program reflects a targeted stabilization strategy authorized under Minnesota’s housing and redevelopment statutes, which allow cities to preserve housing quality, prevent blight, and strengthen neighborhood vitality.

The grant covers 25 percent of qualifying beautification project costs. By structuring the program as a partial reimbursement rather than full coverage, the city ensures that homeowners remain financially invested in the improvements. The public dollars act as leverage.

The underlying logic is straightforward: visible exterior reinvestment supports property value stability, enhances neighborhood cohesion, and reinforces civic pride.

Who Is Eligible

While broadly accessible, the program maintains strict property and tax requirements. All of the following conditions must be met:

• Property must be located within Anoka city limits
• 1 to 4 unit residential buildings including single-family homes, townhomes, twin homes, or condominiums
• Owner-occupied with active homestead status verified through Anoka County property records
• Relative homesteads are not eligible
• Estimated market value must be under $350,000 according to Anoka County records
• Property taxes must be current
• Projects must be visible from the street-facing side of the home
• At least one qualifying beautification project must be included
• Work cannot begin until required paperwork is submitted and a Grant Award Certificate is issued and signed
• Projects covered by insurance claims are ineligible

The $350,000 value cap ensures funds are directed toward modest residential properties rather than higher-end redevelopment.

What Counts as “Beautification”

To qualify for reimbursement, applicants must include at least one project from the approved Beautification Project List. All improvements must be visible from the street in front of the home.

Primary Structural and Entry Upgrades

• Installation or replacement of front doors, storm doors, or garage doors
• Addition of sidelight windows
• Installation of columns at the front entry
• Construction of a covered front porch
• Alteration of the front roofline
• Installation of brick, stone, or shake siding

Landscaping and Hardscaping

• Permanent landscaping improvements including tree trimming, removal of overgrown or dead materials, and planting of new trees, shrubs, plants, or perennial flowers. Minimum $250 investment required
• Repair or replacement of driveways and sidewalks, including stamped concrete
• Addition, repair, or replacement of front-facing fences

Details and Screening

• Exterior lighting upgrades
• Window boxes or shutters
• Screening of utility boxes and garbage or recycling receptacles

The program is explicitly focused on front-facing visibility. Interior renovations do not qualify. The emphasis is on what neighbors and passersby can see.

Why Curb Appeal Matters

Urban planning and housing research consistently show that façade improvements and landscaping upgrades can influence neighborhood perception, deter deterioration cycles, and stabilize surrounding property values. Small-scale exterior investments often signal broader homeowner commitment, reinforcing collective standards across a block.

C.A.R.E. operates on this principle: that incremental, visible improvements across dozens of homes can cumulatively shape the character of an entire corridor.

Rather than large-scale redevelopment, this is preventative maintenance at the neighborhood scale.

The Lottery Process

Because demand frequently exceeds the $100,000 allocation, the city uses a lottery system to ensure equitable distribution.

After the February 28 deadline:

• Applications are reviewed for eligibility
• Qualified applicants are entered into the lottery
• The public drawing takes place March 2 at 1:00 p.m. at City Hall
• Selected homeowners receive official Grant Award Certificates
• Work may begin only after documentation is finalized

The lottery model removes discretion from selection and promotes transparency when public funds are limited.

Administrative Support

Homeowners with questions about property value verification, homestead status, or project eligibility may contact:

Darin Berger
Anoka Housing and Redevelopment Authority
Email: dberger@ci.anoka.mn.us
Phone: 763-576-2724

Residents are encouraged to confirm their estimated market value and homestead classification through Anoka County property records before applying.

A Front-Yard Strategy for Civic Stability

In a period of rising construction costs and tightening municipal budgets, cities often face difficult choices about where to invest. Anoka’s answer, at least in part, is to invest at the threshold of the home.

Not through sweeping redevelopment.
Not through spectacle.
But through the steady reinforcement of the visible public face of its neighborhoods.

If funded homeowners move forward this spring, the results will not be dramatic headlines. They will be cleaner rooflines, repaired walkways, new porch lights at dusk, and landscapes restored.

And in municipal planning, sometimes the quiet work of maintenance is the most enduring investment of all.

MinneapoliMedia