The leading zoning reform bill at the legislature, HF 2235 (Elkins), was heard in the House Housing Committee on Tuesday. For the past several years, Housing First Minnesota, has been leading efforts at the Capitol to have the crucial discussion on land-use and zoning decisions to address the state’s housing deficit and affordability issues.
Among many things, the bill includes provisions that:
- Would authorize a two-family property, like a duplex or single-family property with an accessory dwelling unit, as a permitted use in all areas zoning for single-family residential use.
- Prohibit a municipality from requiring a planned unit development (PUD) if the proposed development complies with existing city zoning ordinances, subdivision regulation, or qualifies as a conditional use.
- Prohibit a municipality from conditioning approval of a building permit, subdivision development, or PUD on specific materials for aesthetic reasons.
- Prohibit a municipality from requiring minimum square footage for a residential building or an accessory structure. Also prohibits a municipality from requiring more than one garage stall for a single-family dwelling.
- Caps the total value of park dedication at ten percent of the fair market value of the proposed subdivision.
- Requires the commissioner of labor and industry to establish a cost per square foot valuation of certain residential properties for the purpose of setting building permit fees by municipalities.
Nick Erickson, senior director of housing policy, was the first testifier and explained the significance of this bill.
“Absent Article 1 (impact fee authority), this bill is among the most progressive and comprehensive housing bills in the nation, Erickson said. “This is the same approach taken by California, Oregon and Massachusetts. It is the same approach being examined by Colorado, New York, Washington, and several other states.”
Peter Coyle, lawyer and lobbyist for Housing First Minnesota, thanked Rep. Elkins for his proposal.
“I want to acknowledge Representative Elkins genuine effort to try to get at a very vexing problem,” stated Coyle. “…It’s damaging Minnesota’s reputation nationally… that is the extraordinary high cost of building a new house in Minnesota.”
Further testimony on the bill came from nearly a dozen other interested parties including national housing thought leaders from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Zillow, the Vinyl Siding Institute, and more.
The Chair of the Housing Committee, Rep. Mike Howard (DFL, Richfield), cited his support for the bill, saying, “I think it is important to move this conversation forward. I do think the state has a vested interest in this issue, in this conversation.”
Representative Elkins stated in his closing comments, “I’ve been working on this bill for about a year and a half now and will continue to. The current situation is not in the interest of any individual city to foster more affordable housing.
After over an hour of robust discussion among the committee, the bill advanced out of the Housing Committee and was sent to the State and Local Government Committee for further discussion.
Your Housing First Minnesota advocacy team will continue to work with the legislature to advance proposals that will help provide more homeownership opportunities for all Minnesotans.
