Your Monthly N4MN Update - February 2024

Eventsnews

Mar 26

Written By

Upcoming: Webinar on How to Write an Effective Letter to the Editor (LTE)

A graphic detailing the date and time of the letter to the editor meetup. The event will be on Wednesday, February 28th, 2024 from 7-8pm on Zoom.

Writing a letter to the editor is a great way to get our message on housing heard by more people!

Plus, letters are often read by elected officials and their staff, and can help shape opinions.

During this online workshop, we will talk about what makes a good Letter to the Editor, and how to improve your chances of getting that letter published. We will also talk about other writing opportunities, such as longer-form commentary articles.

We hope you can join us!

A graphic detailing the date and time of the Thank You Letter Writing Party! The event will be held Thursday, March 14th from 6:30-8:00pm at Malcolm Yards.

Join a few volunteers to share the load (there are only about 40 total letters to write & address), enjoy a wine/beer/soda, and put that fancy pen you bought at the UMN bookstore to good use!

Alexa & Scott will have a table set up at Malcolm Yards - it's perfect for you to drop in & support N4MN with your time on a Thursday evening in Minneapolis. Come say hi!

A picture of the Transit Equity Celebration and the many people who attended!

Our volunteers have been BUSY in February!

We attended and co-hosted the Transit Equity Celebration at Dual Citizen Brewing (pictured above) with Sierra Club, MoveMN, Common Ground, & Sustain Saint Paul, and we had 11 members show up at the Capitol on February 20th to support the Missing Middle Bill.

& guess what's happening next week? Three N4MN members are traveling down to Austin, TX to attend the annual YIMBYtown convention and will bring back boat loads of knowledge to share!

Extra, Extra, Read All About It!

The 2024 Urbanist Legislative Agenda

Listen to N4MN members, Evan Roberts & Katie Jones speak with streets.mn about our legislative agenda for 2024 - it's an exciting year for More Neighbors!

Full Podcast and Transcription Here!

Newly Introduced Safe Outdoor Spaces Ordinance

Some council members have introduced a new ordinance to amend Title 12, Chapter 244 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances that may make it easier to provide individualized shelter to unhoused neighbors. We love to see it & will be keeping an eye on it.

The hottest trend in U.S. cities? Changing zoning rules to allow more housing

Check out Minneapolis's spotlight on being ahead of the pack in this NPR article, and hear from N4MN supporters Jim and Faith Kumon of the Sundial Building and how zoning changes were vital to it's construction.

"The Sundial is the sort of building many cities want more of: housing that offers options for people at different income levels and different stages in their lives, in neighborhoods that already have amenities like restaurants and transit routes."

Read the full NPR article here.

Highlights from the Planning Commission on 2/19/24

Approved - 2214 Bloomington Ave (Ward 6)
36 Homes
22 Parking Spots
Community Center
Approved - 3320 54th St E (Ward 11)
20 Homes
14 Parking Spots
No variances needed!

Our State Policy Task Force has been hard at work advocating for policy that supports more homes in more places across Minnesota!

Here are some of the bills we are watching closely:

Legalizing missing-middle housing statewide (SF 3964/HF 4009). One of our top priorities is legalizing “missing middle” housing: the housing forms such as townhomes, multiplexes, etc. which are desperately needed to combat high housing costs. This bill would allow construction of missing middle housing statewide, providing more homes for Minnesotans and giving us greater choice as to where we live.

Eliminating parking minima statewide (HF 3468/SF 3572). Minneapolis and Saint Paul have already done away with parking minima. But most Minnesota cities still require more parking than people want, making homes more expensive. This law will let Minnesotans decide how much parking they need and stop wasting valuable land on under-used parking.

Allowing single-stair construction (SF 3538/HF 3351). Our building code is outdated and makes homes more expensive by requiring homes in multi-family homes to have access to 2 staircases. Allowing people to build up to 6 stories with access to one staircase is a proven, safe way to make housing cheaper by reducing wasted space. By making buildings skinnier it allows more attractive development and better use of small sites in cities.

Allowing apartments in commercial districts by right (SF 3980/HS 4010). Right now, many cities do not always allow homes to be built in areas where stores and offices are. This bill will open up more land for housing and allow more housing closer to jobs and services by requiring that all cities allow residential development where they already allow stores and offices.

Allowing land value tax pilot programs (SF 175/HF 1342). Our current property tax regime levies taxes based primarily on the value of the structures built atop land. However, this creates an incentive structure which punishes home construction and rewards land speculation. An LVT (land value tax) would correct that, and this bill allows for districts within cities to take this powerful policy for a test drive. It will make communities more vibrant and affordable, while turning dynamic market energies towards providing for people instead of profits.

These may not pass without your support. We have a large base and sympathetic legislators in Minneapolis and Saint Paul. Support from suburban and Greater Minnesota legislators is important to ensure these bills pass. Please talk to your friends, family and colleagues who live in the Twin Cities or Greater Minnesota and urge them to contact their legislatures in support of these bills. Together, we can ease the housing and affordability crises and create a more prosperous and inclusive state.

Other Neighborly Events

February 29th: More Homes, More Racial Justice - Plymouth Town Hall Meeting.

We'll explore the history of discriminatory housing policies, the impact they still have today, and proposed housing/zoning bills we're supporting at the Minnesota Legislature this year.

RSVP Here!