ST. PAUL, MN-The task force appointed by the Metropolitan Council will evaluate strategies and come up with a plan for maintaining and creating affordable housing in the Twin Cities.

FARGO, ND-Alloway Industries, LLC's soon-to-be disbanded joint venture with John Deere results in the closing of a facility this summer. Alloway hires Philadelphia-based Binswanger/CBB to sell the property near two interstates and an airport here.

MINNEAPOLIS-The REIT says it is flush with cash and looking for commercial real estate opportunities after selling off 80% of the Stellent shares it received in the sale of its SmartCabinet Software Code.

MINNEAPOLIS-Andrew Rosivach, U.S. Bancorp Piper Jaffray REIT analyst, adds coverage of eight multifamily rental investment trusts. He bestows "outperform" ratings on five of them, "market perform" on the other three.

NORTH ST. PAUL, MN-A Twin Cities syndicator buys the 94-unit complex from a Los Angeles tax credit syndicator for nearly $58,000 per unit. The deal is put together by Marcus & Millichap's Seattle area office, with help from a Milwaukee associate.

MINNEAPOLIS-A Hennepin County condemnation commission assesses the property at $6.3 million, more than twice the $3 million the Guthrie Theater agreed to pay for the riverfront acreage. It's unclear who will make up the difference.

MINNEAPOLIS-Industry veteran William F. Harbecke will help the national food

MINNEAPOLIS-Rising land costs, which already account for about 25% of a single-family home's price, is leading to higher-density multifamily housing, says this year's president of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities.