Pew Research Offers A Good Case Against Minneapolis Rent Control

According to a report from Pew Charitable Trusts published early last week, Minneapolis’ changes in property zoning codes are a housing development model for the rest of the nation to emulate.

Pew cited the elimination of parking requirements for new developments, allowing duplexes and triplexes and fourplexes to be built on all residential lots, encouraging multifamily housing development along transit corridors, and establishing building height minimums as helping Minneapolis make it easier for developers to add housing.

According to the study, between 2017 to 2022, the supply of housing in Minneapolis grew by 12%, rent went up just 1% and homelessness dropped 12%.

Statewide the supply of available housing units rose just 4%, while the cost of rent rose an average of 14%.

Pew cites research finding that finds cities that expand their housing growth actually end up slowing the rise of housing costs. Had Minneapolis rent increased at the same percentage as the rest of the state, residents would, on average, be paying a whopping $1700 more a month in rent.

Sadly, for this blogger anyway, just one percent of the city’s new housing consisted of duplexes, triplexes or fourplexes. That’s a far cry from what we all thought would happen.

Of course, the impact of the legal halt to the city’s 2040 plan has yet to be seen.

To read the study in full, click HERE.