The Nov. 3 election votes are in and largely counted. Attention is already being turned to the Minnesota State Legislature (once again with a DFL trifecta), the Democratic-controlled Congress taking office in January, and more. These bodies shape decisions that impact us every single day. Their action—or inaction—affects where housing gets built, how we move between places, what happens to vacant buildings, where public investments are directed, and how communities balance development with environmental protection.
And with a new governor, changes in legislative control, and a shifting balance of power in Washington, the 2026 election raises important questions about the future of land use and transportation throughout Minnesota.
At Streets.mn, we’re interested in exploring those questions in the coming months (and always). And—as per usual—we’re inviting writers and community members to help us do so.
A Changing Political Landscape
Minnesota enters 2027 with a Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) trifecta for the first time since 2024. Senator Amy Klobuchar will become governor (following Governor Tim Walz), and the DFL has secured majorities in both the Minnesota House and Senate.
At the federal level, Democrats have won control of both chambers of Congress under Republican president Donald Trump.
What these changes at the state and federal level mean for Minnesota’s natural and built environment, however, remains an open question and a topic of much discussion.
But as we all know, party control does not automatically translate into policy outcomes. Land-use and transportation decisions involve competing priorities, limited resources, and multiple levels of government—from the Minnesota State Legislature and the Governor to local municipalities and more.
Because we’re facing another new political reality, and because so many of these issues need discussion, exploration, and action, here are some of the stories we’re interested in exploring—and asking for your help in doing so:
Housing and Zoning Reform
Housing policy is one obvious place to begin. During the 2026 legislative session, Minnesota lawmakers considered proposals to change local zoning and land-use regulations, but no statewide residential zoning preemption legislation became law. With the DFL assuming control of both legislative chambers, some of those proposals may receive renewed attention if introduced once again.
Governor-elect Klobuchar has outlined plans to increase housing production, simplify permitting, encourage rehabilitation of existing buildings, and address housing shortages in rural communities. Here are some of the questions we’re hoping to discuss in the coming weeks and months:
Will the next Legislature pursue statewide zoning reforms? How might changes affect housing affordability, neighborhood density, local decision-making, and development costs? What policies could encourage new housing while protecting existing residents from displacement? And how might the answers differ between Minneapolis–St. Paul, suburban communities, and rural communities throughout Greater Minnesota?
Transportation: What Gets Funded, Built, or Maintained?
Transportation policy will also warrant attention. State transportation investments influence much more than how people travel. Roads, bridges, transit systems, sidewalks, trails, and bicycle infrastructure shape access to employment, education, health care, public spaces, and housing. They also influence where communities grow and how public resources are distributed.
Minnesota’s next governor and Legislature will face decisions about transportation funding, infrastructure maintenance, roadway expansion, public transit, and pedestrian and bicycle safety. Meanwhile, federal transportation spending and administrative policies will continue influencing projects across the state.
What might the new political landscape mean for passenger rail proposals, local transit service, highway projects, or efforts to make streets safer for people walking and biking? How will lawmakers balance investments in maintaining existing infrastructure against proposals for new construction? And what do transportation choices mean for rural communities, where options beyond driving may be limited?
Planning for Minnesota’s Future
The election also arrives during an important period for regional planning. In February 2025, the Metropolitan Council adopted Imagine 2050, a regional development framework addressing land use, transportation, housing, water resources, and regional parks. Communities throughout the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area are now preparing updated comprehensive plans, generally due to the Metropolitan Council by December 31, 2028. Governor-elect Amy Klobuchar will also have an opportunity to shape the Metropolitan Council through appointments, as the current terms of its 16 district representatives expire on January 4, 2027.
Here are some questions we’re hoping to explore?
How will legislators approach housing growth, transportation connections, infrastructure needs, and the preservation of open space particularly as it relates to historically-marginalized urban communities and underserved rural communities? What opportunities will residents have to participate in comprehensive planning? And how will regional priorities interact with the different needs of individual municipalities?
Beyond the Twin Cities
Across Greater Minnesota, communities face questions involving agricultural land preservation, workforce housing, aging infrastructure, downtown redevelopment, and access to transportation and essential services. Some communities are accommodating growth. Others are working to maintain existing housing, businesses, and public infrastructure. Some questions we are hoping to explore?
What policies could help smaller communities rehabilitate vacant properties, develop housing, maintain transportation connections, or support local economic development? And what legislators will be focusing on these issues? How might state and federal investments influence the future of rural downtowns and agricultural communities? And how will the legislature and local municipalities develop land-use policies that respond to different local conditions rather than assuming that solutions developed for one community will work everywhere? What works for Minneapolis does not even necessarily work for St. Paul, let alone Moorhead, St. Cloud, Willmar, and rural communities across the state.
Land, Resources, and Community Decision-Making
Other questions concern the relationship between development, environmental protection, and community authority. Minnesota will continue confronting decisions about renewable energy facilities, industrial development, data centers, mining, farmland conversion, water resources, and public lands. These issues involve overlapping responsibilities among federal, state, local, and Tribal governments. They also raise questions about economic opportunities, environmental impacts, infrastructure capacity, and whose interests are represented in development decisions. Data centers were a huge topic of discussion and deliberation for this past election—it remains to be seen how they’ll be discussed at the Minnesota State Legislature. Some questions to consider?
What does the election change about these debates? Where might state and federal priorities conflict? How do communities navigate competing demands for land and resources?
And, perhaps most importantly, who has the opportunity to participate in decisions that will shape these places for generations?
The future of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) presents another important discussion we must have more deeply. Earlier this year, Congress overturned a 20-year federal ban on mineral leasing in portions of the Boundary Waters watershed, prompting Governor Tim Walz to issue an executive order (signed on Aug. 18, 2026) restricting state permitting and leasing for nonferrous mining in the Rainy River Headwaters watershed. Some questions to consider:
Could Minnesota’s newly elected DFL-controlled Legislature establish permanent protections against copper-nickel and other nonferrous mining in the watershed? Will Governor-elect Klobuchar maintain or strengthen the existing executive protections? And could the new Democratic-controlled Congress pursue legislation restoring federal safeguards, even with a Republican president in the White House?
Help Us Explore What’s Next
These are only some of the questions emerging from the 2026 election—and we know there are so many more. That’s where you come in.
Streets.mn welcomes contributors interested in exploring how transportation, land use, and development affect Minnesota communities. We’re interested in reported stories, policy analysis, local perspectives, personal experiences, photography, and other approaches that help readers better understand the places around them.
You might have an idea that connects directly to the election. Or you might see an important issue we’ve overlooked entirely.
Streets.mn readers know these issues and they know these communities — we’re inviting you to join our team of volunteer writers. Help us make sense of this new political reality.
If you’re interested in pitching a story, please email us at [email protected].