Housing Affordability Institute, the housing policy think tank founded by Housing First Minnesota, held its first event on Dec. 14.
Members and non-members passionate about zoning reform gathered at Lake Monster Brewing Company to hear from M. Nolan Gray, researcher, planner, and author of Arbitrary Lines: How Zoning Broke the American City and How to Fix It. Gray spoke on how zoning impacts housing affordability and access, and what can be done about it.
“This was far more than a networking event; it is the beginning of a movement led by leaders in our industry to educate the public and return to the days when builders could build what their customers wanted for a reasonable price without the unjustifiable overreach of government,” said Bill Gschwind, Minnesota Construction Law Services. “I look forward to many more events and encourage all Housing First Minnesota members to support and participate in the Housing Affordability Institute’s important work.”
During the event, Gray touched on many topics that Housing First Minnesota has already been leading on, including:
- How zoning rules and land use regulations impact housing affordability
- How the prevalence of Planned Unit Developments illustrates that zoning is broken
- How zoning reform is necessary to address housing supply barriers
“This discussion further clarified that zoning modernization must be a top-tier item in the legislative discussion on housing, said James Vagle, CEO of Housing First Minnesota. “The depth of our housing supply crisis requires action in the upcoming session. With many states acting on zoning and our housing crisis growing, our state must get serious about housing.”
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