Notes on Minneapolis Housing Crisis and Development

Cody Fisher: Real estate developer focused on building energy-efficient, carbon-smart housing.
Location: Big old house at Minnehaha Avenue and 36th Street in South Minneapolis.

Housing Shortage: A significant crisis affecting home prices nationwide.
Solution: Build more housing, specifically more small and mid-sized apartment buildings, referred to as "missing middle".

Definitions:
- Missing Middle: Small to mid-sized apartment buildings which are rarely built; characterized by 2-6 story structures housing multiple families or individuals in urban areas.
Context: The majority of housing consists of single-family homes or large apartment buildings (>100 units), creating a gap.
Importance: These buildings increase housing availability and diversity.

Overview: Ambitious housing plan passed by the city, aimed at addressing the housing crisis by:
- Eliminating single-family zoning to allow for denser living arrangements (duplexes, triplexes).
- Setting guidelines on building heights and density across neighborhoods.
Approval Process: Ensured streamlined procedures for developers.
Significance: Minneapolis became the first major city to abolish single-family zoning, setting a national precedent.

Cody Fisher's Two Projects:
1. The Blue and White Building: A successful project coming out of the new housing policies but faced neighborhood opposition due to NIMBY attitudes.
2. Yellow House Development: A proposal for a 32-unit mixed-use building facing legal delays stemming from an environmental lawsuit despite unanimous initial approval.

Passive-Aggressive NIMBYism: Neighbors displaying protest signs that demonstrate resistance to changes in their neighborhoods, common in local responses to new developments.
Public Engagement: City planning commissions often receive feedback only from immediate neighbors, potentially ignoring broader housing needs.

Environmental Review Lawsuit: An environmental group challenged the city's comprehensive housing plan, necessitating an environmental review that halted many projects.
Generational Perspectives: Differences in beliefs regarding development and environmentalism between generations, with younger populations favoring sustainable urban growth while older individuals may resist due to past negative experiences with development.

State-Level Action: Minnesota legislature stepped in to clarify legal processes associated with city planning to mitigate local resistance hindering the housing crisis solution.
Outcome: Potential road to a more streamlined building process by establishing state-level housing regulations.

Cody's Outlook: Optimism remains for Cody Fisher as he anticipates building starting in March 2025 after navigating regulatory challenges.
Implications for Other Cities: Minneapolis serves as a model for rethinking zoning laws and housing density, relevant for cities nationwide grappling with similar housing shortages.