Despite a boom in population, Minneapolis has managed to keep rents relatively steady through a combination of legislative action and private investment.
Zoning and permitting changes in Minneapolis helped spur a development boom in recent years even as the population grows steadily, writes Conrad Zbikowski in Streets MN. "Collective legislative action and private investment powered one of the largest increases in residential population in the history of Minneapolis, all while keeping rents for preexisting apartments relatively stable."
According to Zbikowski, one major factor was legalizing “intentional communities” — essentially legalizing a larger number of unrelated roommates and the physical changes to homes that make that type of living possible.
"The second major change was the Minneapolis 2040 Comprehensive Plan that legalized higher-density development around the University of Minnesota." According to HUD, Minneapolis built over 32,000 new housing units between 2013 and 2024.
Read the full story: How Zoning, Home Building, and “Intentional Communities” Kept Rent Lower in Minneapolis
LA delays state housing mandate with 'low-rise ordinance'
The new ordinance allows the city to delay implementing SB 79, a state law requiring more density near transit.
Atlanta's Beltline hits 79% of its affordable housing goal
The walking, biking, and transit corridor set a goal to create 5,600 affordable housing units in the area by 2030.
Report: MBTA Communities Act has Created Just 7,000 New Housing Units
The Massachusetts law requires cities to rezone appropriate neighborhoods for denser housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Data reveals that NYC’s bet on congestion pricing has paid off
After almost two years of the program, reports show positive impacts on traffic and air quality and no disruptions to parking.
HUD modernizes 50-year-old manufactured housing framework
The Next Generation Manufactured Housing Action Plan establishes new energy-efficiency standards for manufactured homes, and new guidelines for anchoring them.
Small single-family homes are illegal in most of MA. Voters can change that
Most land zoned for single-family housing in Massachusetts requires at least 40,000 square feet of land per house.
Public steps inside U.S.’s first battery-powered train
Metra’s groundbreaking train feature modern seats and a futuristic battery car.
Companies show off AI technology, new innovation hubs at APTA Expo
Nearly 700 companies attended the American Public Transportation Association’s Expo last week, which happens once every three years.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
One Hundred Miles
County of Mendocino
planning NEXT
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Montrose County
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority