This is the second in a series of posts addressing the arguments against Minneapolis’s Draft Comprehensive Plan; the first is here. It Doesn’t Achieve “Affordability” I’m not an economist, or an affordable housing expert. So I want to start with a link to this post by Atrios, who is (or, at least, has been) an […]
Let’s talk about ADUs. First the definition from the City of Minneapolis: An accessory dwelling unit (ADU) – also referred to as a granny flat, mother-in-law apartment, or carriage house – is a self-contained living unit that can be located within the walls of an existing or newly constructed home, or that can be an […]
Word has leaked of a very preliminary plan to legalize fourplexes in virtually every neighborhood in Minneapolis. It’s one part of a larger draft comprehensive plan that hasn’t yet been made public. If implemented, it would be the boldest land-use reform in the country, reversing a decades-long trend of restrictions that have contributed to higher […]
What happens when “history” becomes a gatekeeping mechanism to dictate who lives where — especially when voiced by “white hobbyist historians”?
The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that you have a right to an attorney in criminal prosecutions. The Supreme Court has interpreted that right, most famously in Gideon vs. Wainwright, to include an attorney provided by the government if you cannot afford one. Hopefully, the reason behind this is obvious: your liberty […]
I believe housing is a human right, and that we are facing a housing crisis that will impoverish a generation if we do not act quickly and aggressively. I would support nearly any policy that would increase access to affordable housing, reduce the number of rent-burdened households, and reduce or eliminate displacement. But I […]
Good news, y’all: For the first time ever, this year the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota is adding an explicit pedestrian focus to its 2018 conference, the appropriately titled Bike + Walk Minnesota Conference (formerly the PedalMN Conference) which will be held April 29 – May 1 in Rochester. As one of the conference organizers, I’m writing […]
Today, Curbed has a great summary of a recent report on affordable and rental housing in the US, that comes out of the annual Harvard report on rental housing. The report and the piece are full of eye-opening charts and data, but here’s just a sample: Compared to ten or twenty years ago, a […]
The podcast this week is a conversation with Ginger Jentzen, who is running for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 3. Jentzen is a community organizer who formerly ran the successful 15 now living wage campaign that raised the minimum wage in Minneapolis this year. Now she’s running for Council as part of the Socialist Alternative […]
The Great Minnesota Get-Together is now in full swing (and still time to get there for my favorite Stock Dog Trials tomorrow starting at 9), it is back to school time, and early voting for Minneapolis and Saint Paul elections starts in only a few weeks. Here’s the week on streets.mn: Join us You’re Invited […]