2025 Minneapolis Housing Questionnaire — Ward 6

Neighbors for More Neighbors has partnered with Inquilinxs Unidxs Por Justicia, Wedge LIVE!, The Housing Justice League, Housing in Action and BikeMN to sponsor a housing questionnaire for the 2025 Minneapolis Elections. You can see all responses (mayoral and city council candidates) here.

We sent this questionnaire to all candidates who filed campaign finance reports as of April 16, 2025. We received responses from Jamal Osman (Incumbent).

You may view the candidate responses to each question by clicking on the “+” icon to the left of the question.

Question 1: One way to create complete, walkable neighborhoods is to legalize local commercial use within those neighborhoods. The existing zoning code prohibits commercial use on approximately 89% of Minneapolis lots.

Will you vote for zoning changes to allow local, low-impact small businesses (e.g. coffee shops, restaurants, corner stores, etc.) to be built in residential neighborhoods throughout our entire city?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Yes
    I would support zoning changes to allow small businesses like coffee shops and corner stores like this in residential neighborhoods across Minneapolis. To me these spaces simply strengthen community, support immigrant and BIPOC entrepreneurs, and make our city more walkable. And I’d ensure these changes reflect community input every step of the way.

Question 2: Some cities like South Bend, Indiana, have developed a set of pre-approved, residential project plans to help (1) lower the cost of construction by reducing design fees and (2) speed up approval times. These initiatives involve working with architects and engineers to develop a set of plans for one to six-unit homes that are permitted throughout the city.

Will you vote to create an accessible catalog of free or low-cost, pre-approved home plans for the City of Minneapolis?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Yes
    I’d definitely support creating a catalog of free or low-cost, pre-approved home plans to lower construction costs and speed up housing development. This would help residents build more affordably and support new housing types across the city – especially much needed one to six-unit homes for renters (and multigenerational families).

Question 3: Given Minneapolis’s history of redlining, exclusionary zoning, freeway construction through historically Black & minority neighborhoods, slum clearance, and urban renewal, what are your goals to address historic & ongoing harms–in an equitable and restorative way–to build a better and more livable Minneapolis for all residents?


  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Minneapolis’s legacy has definitely displaced generations of Black, Indigenous, and immigrant families. I believe we must repair that harm by investing in long-term stability, ownership, and a voice for historically excluded communities. Since 2023, I’ve championed social housing – drawing inspiration from Seattle’s public development authority model where government builds permanently affordable, tenant-governed homes.

    I’ll continue pushing for publicly owned housing that stays affordable across generations, expand support for community land trusts and tenant purchase opportunities (TOPA), and fund homeownership programs for BIPOC families. Restorative justice also means giving tenants power over the future of their housing. And with a people-first approach and public investment, Minneapolis can build a better city rooted in fairness, dignity, and belonging.

Question 4: Minneapolis currently allows property owners to build triplexes on any residential lot. In practice, on an average 5,000 square foot lot in Minneapolis, each triplex unit is constrained to ~800 square feet due to other size and height limitations in the code (these are built-form restrictions & floor-to-area ratios). Most of the triplexes that currently exist were built decades ago and would not be allowed today under current rules.

Will you vote to change city built-form restrictions so that new triplexes could be built if they stayed consistent with existing forms?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Yes
    I’ll vote to ease built-form restrictions so new triplexes can match the size and character of the older triplexes already in our neighborhoods. This change supports the Minneapolis 2040 Plan and gives families and renters more options to live in the communities they love.

Question 5: The Minneapolis 2040 Plan has been highly successful in allowing more studios and 1 to 2 bedroom homes to be built in the City, primarily in buildings with 20 or more units. However, 3 or more bedroom homes in these same buildings are rare; meaning families with children are competing for a limited supply of single-family homes.

Will you vote to change zoning restrictions to encourage the development of 3-bedroom units–in multi-unit buildings–for growing Minneapolis families?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Yes
    Minneapolis families need spacious, affordable places to call home too. I’d support zoning changes to encourage 3-bedroom units in multi-unit buildings so growing families (especially in low-income and BIPOC communities) have more options beyond the single-family home.

Question 6: Across the country, many cities and states are updating their zoning codes to allow more homes near high-quality transit. For example, Washington State legalized six-plexes within a half-mile of major transit stops.

Will you vote for zoning reforms in Minneapolis to support more homes on all land within a half-mile of major transit stops, including LRT, BRT, and ABRT lines?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Yes
    I believe transit-oriented development supports affordable, sustainable growth. So I support – and I’ll vote for – zoning reforms to allow more homes within a half-mile of major transit stops (LRT, BRT, and aBRT) while always prioritizing affordability – so everyone can benefit from accessible, car-free living.

Question 7: What specific anti-displacement measures will you support to ensure these zoning changes benefit existing residents and prevent displacement of low-income communities for current and future projects?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Zoning changes must work for the people already here. I support a strong anti-displacement agenda that includes: rent stabilization to prevent unfair rent hikes; advancing TOPA so tenants have the first chance to buy their homes; expanding funding for community land trusts and limited equity co-ops; and, just-cause eviction protections to keep renters safely housed.

    I also support creating a publicly owned, tenant-governed housing developer that can build and preserve deeply affordable homes – so they stay off the speculative market and remain accessible for future generations. I do believe that every zoning decision must center the voices of our neighbors – especially low-income and BIPOC residents – with clear tools like relocation assistance, targeted affordable units, and community engagement built in from the start. Displacement does not have to be inevitable – we can prevent it with the right commitments.

Question 8: Minneapolis residents, City Council, and the current Mayor are all concerned with rising homelessness rates, which increase the prevalence of local encampments.

Do you support the current mayoral administration’s policy of encampment clearing?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Abstain
    Encampments are unsafe – fires claimed two lives in 2025, shootings took four in 2024 – but clearing them without a compassionate, housing-first process fails our unhoused residents and neighbors. I’ve supported closures – but only when done responsibly, with housing and services as the priority. Minneapolis can and must do better, ensuring dignity and stability for all involved.

Question 9: What will you do to protect people who see encampments as their only option, while increasing and expanding access to stable, permanent and deeply affordable housing for all people in Minneapolis?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Encampments reflect a failure of systems – not a failure of individuals. According to the 2025 Point-in-Time Count, ~427 people in Hennepin County were unsheltered – with another ~2,651 in shelters or transitional housing. For many, encampments are the only option left. But they are unsafe – at least four people were killed in shootings across multiple Minneapolis encampments in late 2024, and fires have displaced residents and damaged nearby homes too. That’s unacceptable.

    We need long-term solutions, not short-term removals. I will vote to expand emergency shelter options that are safe, trauma-informed, and connected to long-term housing pathways. We also need to fund permanent supportive housing and deeply affordable units, especially for households at or below 30% AMI (where the need is most urgent). And I support establishing a publicly owned, tenant-governed housing developer to build and preserve homes outside the speculative market.

    This work also requires strong partnerships with Hennepin County – and outreach teams that can connect people with housing, health care, and addiction services. And we must engage directly with unhoused residents and neighbors to ensure that transitions from encampments are voluntary, dignified, and effective.

    In 2024, Hennepin County committed $17.9 million to homelessness response. Minneapolis must build on that by accelerating housing production and investing in prevention – with stronger tenant protections, expanded rental assistance, and clear standards for how encampments are handled. Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to call home. I’ll keep working to make that a reality.

Question 10: Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) gives current tenants the first right to purchase the property that they live in should their landlord want to sell. A policy such as TOPA advances opportunities for community ownership as well as a transfer of wealth back to renters. If you are elected, will you vote to advance TOPA?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Yes
    Yes. I support TOPA because it gives renters a fair chance to stay in their homes and build wealth – especially in communities that have faced generations of displacement. I’ll vote to advance TOPA and work to ensure it’s funded, accessible, and effective in helping tenants become owners.

Question 11: Will you support using city resources to establish locally-owned housing–sometimes referred to as social housing–that is permanently affordable, protected from private market forces, publicly owned, and under democratic governance by the tenants?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Yes
    For years I’ve been closely following Seattle’s Social Housing Developer – a new public development authority created by voters to build permanently affordable, tenant-governed housing – and I believe Minneapolis can take that idea and make it our own. We need to build homes that aren’t driven by profit – but by purpose. That means using city resources to create housing that’s publicly owned, protected from speculation, and shaped by the people who live there.

    This is especially important for folks at 30% AMI and below – people who’ve been left behind for too long. A public developer gives us the chance to do things differently: to build with dignity, to create stability, and to make sure everyone has a real shot at a safe, affordable home. That’s the kind of city we must be working toward.

Question 12: Today, city property taxes are set primarily on the “improvements” or value of the buildings on land. As a result, “low value” land with parking lots or vacant lots pay very little in taxes while making surrounding neighborhoods less livable. This incentivizes low-value land owners to engage in land speculation for years or even decades until they get a big payout. A Land Value Tax (LVT) doesn’t change their taxes to the city; it shifts how taxes are set to be primarily based on the value of the land to discourage land speculation.

If the state passes legislation to allow it–pending special session outcomes–will you vote to pilot a LVT to encourage development of under-used land in Minneapolis?

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Yes
    If the state authorizes it, I’d support piloting a Land Value Tax in Minneapolis. Right now, we tax the buildings we need more than the empty lots – and that’s holding our neighborhoods back. A Land Value Tax would flip that – discouraging land speculation and encouraging development, especially for affordable housing. I think it’s a smart tool to put underused land to work for the public good.

Question 13: Rent stabilization continues to be considered in Minneapolis. Supporters hope to discourage unfair rent gouging and displacement. Opponents worry it could stifle the development of new homes.

How would you evaluate rent stabilization policy? What components could you vote for and which would you not be able to vote for?

Examples of policy components include, but are not limited to: a specific percentage cap on rent increases, a new construction exemption, vacancy decontrol, just cause eviction, etc.

  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Rent stabilization is one of several tools we need to keep renters from being priced out of their homes. I’d support a policy with a reasonable cap on annual rent increases – something like 3-5%, or tied to inflation – along with just cause eviction protections to make sure people can’t be pushed out unfairly.

    At the same time, we need to keep building housing. I’d support exemptions for new construction and vacancy decontrol, as long as the core protections stay strong for existing tenants. We can protect renters while still encouraging growth.

    I’ll work with tenants, small landlords, developers, and housing advocates to get this right. Rent stabilization should be about fairness and stability – not fear or political division. People deserve to stay in their homes without being hit by unpredictable rent hikes.

Question 14: Evictions in Minneapolis have skyrocketed since the eviction moratorium was lifted and far too many renters are one paycheck away from losing their home.

What ideas do you have to reduce evictions in our communities?


  • Jamal Osman (Incumbent)
    Evictions are one of the most destabilizing experiences a family can face – and far too many people in our city are one paycheck away from losing their home. To reduce evictions, we need to expand emergency rental assistance so families can stay housed during tough times. We also need to increase funding for legal aid and tenant navigation services to make sure renters know their rights and have support during the eviction process.

    Just cause eviction protections are essential to prevent no-fault or retaliatory evictions, especially in neighborhoods where speculative landlords are flipping properties. I also support more tenant organizing and outreach, particularly in buildings at risk of being sold or redeveloped, so renters have a real voice and tools to stay in place.

    At the root of it, we have to address what’s causing these evictions – unaffordable rents, lack of tenant protections, and decades of disinvestment. Keeping people in their homes isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the most effective and cost-efficient strategy we have to prevent homelessness and keep our communities stable. I’ll keep fighting for a Minneapolis where every renter has the stability and support they deserve.