In an affluent suburb of Minneapolis, Minnesota's first 'residential redevelopment coordinator' works as a buffer between aggressive builders and residents upset about the side effects of mansionization.
"Armed with a well-thumbed copy of the city code and a trusty pair of construction boots, Minnesota’s first city teardown enforcement official has started duty in Edina," reports Mary Jane Smetanka.
"Edina hired their 'residential redevelopment coordinator' because the city is a hot spot for developers who demolish small homes and replace them with bigger ones. Last year that happened more than 100 times, setting a record. So far this year, 52 permits for demolition of single-family detached homes have been issued."
"Construction work in some neighborhoods is intense, creating tensions beyond concerns about house size," explains Smetanka. "Unsure who to call, Edina residents have been peppering city departments from police to planning with complaints about dirt, parking, noise, congestion and alleged code violations."
"So City Manager Scott Neal suggested the city create a one-stop shop for both residents and builders by creating a city job that deals only with teardown issues."
FULL STORY: State's first city teardown enforcer makes her mark in Edina
Speed Limit Reform Spreading Across Minnesota
After the Twin Cities lowered speed limits in the urban core of the region in 2020, a trio of suburban cities are planning to follow. Two of the cities are planning to set some speed limits as low as 20 mph.
Discretionary Approval for McMansions
Redwood City, located on the San Francisco Peninsula, will make it harder to build homes that take up more than 45 percent of a residential lot.
Seattle Sets a New Standard for Residential Zoning
Seattle is the latest in a series of cities, states, and counties to alter the landscape of land use regulation by approving what the Sightline Institute describes as the "most progressive" ADU policy in the United States.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
Research Shows More Roads = More Driving
A national study shows, once again, that increasing road supply induces additional vehicle travel, particularly over the long run.
EV Chargers Now Outnumber Gas Pumps by Nearly 50% in California
Fast chargers still lag behind amidst rapid growth.
Affordable Housing Renovations Halt Mid-Air Amidst DOGE Clawbacks
HUD may rescind over a billion dollars earmarked for green building upgrades.
Has Anyone at USDOT Read Donald Shoup?
USDOT employees, who are required to go back to the office, will receive free parking at the agency’s D.C. offices — flying in the face of a growing research body that calls for pricing parking at its real value.
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