Equity in Affordable Housing

We are experiencing a major growth in market-rate housing in Minneapolis. But this is also creating an untenable rise in rents for low-income families. We must implement creative mechanisms to develop more affordable housing options. We need to look at zoning policies that discourage families and friends from creating affordable living situations. We need to lower the price points for single-family homeowners to convert their properties to include opportunities for rentals.

We need to:

• support seniors by addressing rises in property taxes that make their homes unaffordable

• develop more affordable senior housing options so that seniors can stay in their neighborhoods

• work with our regional partners—like the Metropolitan Council, Hennepin County, and the State of Minnesota—to create more affordable housing policies throughout the region

• continue to strengthen our partnerships with entities like the City of Lakes and Community Land Trust

• increase wages through policies like the $15.00 minimum wage so that low-income workers are better able to find housing that costs less than 30% of their income.