Notes on Minneapolis Housing Crisis and Development

Introduction to the Housing Crisis

• 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.

Current Housing Landscape

• 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".

Missing Middle Concept

• 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.

The Minneapolis 2040 Plan

• 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.

Challenges in Implementation

• 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.

Legal and Community Responses

• 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 and Regulatory Issues

• 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.

Legislative Response

• 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.

Conclusion and Future Perspectives

• 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.