Minnesota Legislator Proposes Parking Reform Bill

Minnesota state Senator Omar Fateh will introduce the People Over Parking Act this year, a proposed law that would eliminate parking requirements statewide and let builders and business owners make market-based decisions on how much parking to build. 

As Tim Harlow explains in the Star Tribune, “Efforts to reduce excessive parking have been gaining momentum following the decision by Minneapolis in 2015 to become the first city in the nation to get rid of a mandate requiring a minimum number of parking spots at transit stations.” Minneapolis, along with other cities such as Austin, Texas, later eliminated parking mandates citywide.

“Ditching city-imposed parking requirements would let developers build more units on the same plot of land, allowing more people to secure affordable housing,” said U.S. Representative Ilhan Omar, who represents Minnesota’s 5th District and plans to co-sponsor a similar bill in the U.S. legislature. Rep. Fateh said the bill is necessary to reduce emissions and improve housing affordability, two urgent issues. “We need our policies to focus on building housing for people, not more housing for cars,” Fateh said.