I know this story has been out there awhile, but the Strib's biz columnist Neal St. Anthony has a lengthy round-up of the Ward 2 battle between Steve Minn's Stone Arch Apartment project and the nearby businesses and neighborhood association.
http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/2209073.html David Brauer King Field - Ward 10 ############################################### What a surprise to see a city leader standing in the way of more housing! I'm shocked! Okay, now I'll dispense with the sarcasm. But seriously, how many people in this city who constantly complain that the city needs desperately to do something about the "affordable" housing crisis are going to be in favor of telling the Marcy Holmes Neighborhood Association and Councilmember Paul Zerby that this project is going to happen regardless of their opinions on the matter? Does anyone see a relationship between the growing power of neighborhood organizations and the inability to move forward with redevelopment in the city of Minneapolis? We like to chastise suburban municipalities (and rightfully so) for using their zoning and development approval powers to weed out more moderately priced housing developments by requiring minimum square footage, minimum garage requirements, maximum units per acre, single-family only zoning, etc. However, who are we, citizens of Minneapolis, to preach to others when we don't practice what we preach? Again, the price of housing, like other commodities, is a function of supply and demand. In order to make this commodity more affordable throughout the metropolitan area (and in the city of Minneapolis in particular) we need to increase the supply more quickly than we increase demand. Politicians and bureaucrats, as well as quasi-governmental agencies, i.e. neighborhood organizations, are exacerbating the "affordable" housing crisis rather than addressing, or simply getting of the way and letting the market address the problem. Admittedly, I do not have all the specific information about the details of this project, but it does not seem like a unique situation. I welcome any comments from anyone who would like to tell me why the "neighborhood" should have any say into whether this housing development occurs or not. I use the term neighborhood loosely, because the people who speak on behalf of the neighborhood are certainly a small minority of the neighborhood population who are politically active and have the time to attend neighborhood meetings. I do not know Councilmember Zerby. He may be a swell guy, but it would appear that he would rather pander to some of his constituents rather than welcome some new ones into some badly needed housing conveniently located near existing transportation and jobs. Paul Lambie Lowry Hill __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax http://taxes.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
