Housing on the Hill
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How zoning broke the American city
Q & A with M. Nolan Gray, researcher, planner and Mercatus Center-affiliated scholar This is an edited excerpt from the let’s Talk Housing podcast interview with M. Nolan Gray Q: Let’s start with a little background information. How did you get into city planning and what drew you to focus on poor zoning policy and […] Read More
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Housing inventory remains low even as housing market shifts
Across the country rising mortgage rates and inflation have had a stifling impact on the housing market. It is no surprise when considering that from the start of the year, mortgage rates have more than doubled, increasing from 3% in January to rates now over 6% this fall. Permits for new single-family homes have fallen […] Read More
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State Supreme Court hears Puce v. Burnsville park fee case
The Minnesota Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Puce v. Burnsville on Oct. 4 in the Minnesota State Capitol. Puce v. Burnsville is a challenge to the city’s park fee ordinance. Under Minnesota law, any development fees or dedications must have a direct connection to the project and the impact must be specific to that […] Read More
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45L tax credit returns for energy-efficient new home construction
When Congress approved the climate change bill known as the Inflation Reduction Act in August, it brought back the 45L tax credit for energy-efficient buildings. The tax credit criteria is set by the U.S. Department of Energy. The 45L tax credit, which provided builders a tax credit for energy-efficient new homes, expired in 2021. The […] Read More
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What to look for in the upcoming 2022 elections
Q&A with Todd Rapp, Minnesota Political Expert Housing Industry News recently sat with one of the state’s premier political forecasters, Todd Rapp, to get his perspective on what Minnesota voters are thinking about as they engage with their ballots this fall and how the political landscape could impact our elections. Q: Just weeks remain until […] Read More
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Department of Labor and Industry commissioner retires
Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI) Commissioner Roslyn Robertson announced her retirement effective Aug. 12. Robertson started at the agency as a student worker and worked her way up to the agency’s top position. She was appointed commissioner by Gov. Tim Walz in January 2021. “Commissioner Robertson’s years of work to improve workplace safety […] Read More
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Legislators honored with Housing Leadership Awards
Housing First Minnesota has named 23 Minnesota state legislators as recipients of the 2022 Housing Leadership Award. This honor recognizes legislators who worked to promote housing affordability and homeownership during the 2022 legislative session. “As more and more homebuyers face roadblocks to the dream of homeownership, these legislative leaders rose to the occasion to fight […] Read More
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Primary elections determine November ballots
On Aug. 9, Minnesota voters went to the polls to determine who would advance from the primary elections to the general elections. At the top-of-the-ticket, Gov. Tim Walz (DFL) and Dr. Scott Jensen (GOP) both easily won their primaries. Additionally, GOP-endorsed candidate Jim Schultz beat 2018 candidate Doug Wardlow handily 52%-35% in the attorney general […] Read More
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Interest rates and affordability cause cooling
effect on Minnesota’s housing marketAs the Federal Reserve continues to raise interest rates in an attempt to bring down 40-year-high inflation, it has had a clear impact on the local housing market. Minnesota was facing a housing inventory and affordability crisis prior to the Fed raising rates, which was pricing many families out of homeownership. With the Fed’s efforts […] Read More
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Dayton examines limiting development amidst housing inventory crunch
The city of Dayton is examining a new growth management plan for the city. The proposal released earlier this spring would increase side setbacks 33% in its R-3-zoned area and place a cap on new home growth at 400 units per year. In a letter to the Dayton Planning Commission, Housing First Minnesota questioned the […] Read More
