At the heart of Woodberry's vibrant community is our commitment to ensuring housing opportunities for all. Housing is best implemented at the local level where we can tailor solutions to meet our unique needs. I'm excited to share updates on our efforts to enhance housing affordability and accessibility while advocating for thoughtful growth policies that preserve Woodbury's high quality of life. From restarting a key home ownership program to engaging in critical legislative discussions, we're working to shape an effective and an impactful housing strategy for Woodbury. Following a year of discussion and strategic planning, it is exciting to announce the relaunch of the firsttime home ownership program operated by the Woodbury Housing and Redevelopment Authority since 2009. This initiative provides lowinterest deferred loans to incomequalified firsttime home buyers, helping cover down payment and closing costs, the biggest barriers to home ownership for many. By addressing the rising costs of entry into the housing market, this program opens doors to home ownership for Woodbury families. Beyond this program, the city supports affordable rental housing through tools like federal and local grants, density bonuses, and taxexempt conduit bonds. We're also leveraging Metro local affordable housing aid funds to create new strategies and expand existing ones, ensuring a diverse range of housing options for seniors, individuals, and families. Our long-standing commitment to housing diversity has been effective with Woodbury ranking sixth in affordable housing construction in the Twin Cities from 2018 to 2022, according to the Metropolitan Council. While we celebrate local successes, we're also actively engaged in broader conversations to shape the future of housing. Our comprehensive plan, which we'll begin updating next year, serves as our blueprint for strategic growth over the next 20 years. It identifies housing needs and guides residential development to ensure Woodbury remains a welcoming community for all ages and lifestyles. Recently, there has been proposed state legislation that would undermine these local efforts in planning tools, and we're advocating to protect our ability to plan thoughtfully. Statewide discussions over recent legislative sessions have raised concerns about proposals that could limit city's ability to manage growth. Some proposed legislation would reduce local zoning authority, allowing additional housing units on residential lots with minimal city review, eliminating minimum lot sizes, and restricting our ability to regulate the design of housing, including large apartment buildings. Most concerning is the potential reduction in resident feedback in the development process, which is critical to building trust and ensuring transparent decision-making. Woodbury's approach rooted in our comprehensive plan has proven effective. For example, our decadesl long commitment to ensuring 50% of new housing is multif family, which includes town homes, twin homes, and apartments, has driven the production of attainable housing while maintaining community character. Our thoughtful planning, including phased development and master planning, streamlines the development process for developers while ensuring efficient delivery of infrastructure needed to accommodate housing growth. This approach has earned Woodbury national recognition as a great place to live and raise a family. Woodbury's commitment to housing diversity and affordability remains unwavering. By restarting programs like the firsttime home ownership program and advocating for local control in state level discussions, we're building a future where everyone can find a home in our community. We'll continue to use our comprehensive plan to guide thoughtful growth, ensuring Woodbury remains a vibrant, inclusive place to call home. Stay tuned for updates as we prepare for our 2050 comprehensive plan and continue to champion housing solutions that work for our residents. For more information on the firsttime home ownership program or to share your thoughts on housing in Woodbury, visit our website or contact the Woodbury HR. Together, we'll keep Woodbury a premier community in which to live, work, and thrive.