The entire Council is poised to vote NO on the 101 unit Marshall St. River Run Apts. at tomorrow's Council meeting. This is a major litmus test for the Council, many of whom were elected on affordable housing. The project should be the City's poster child, as it meets ALL the City's own housing policies & priorities. Instead, Council members are falling in line behind Ward 3 Council Member Don Samuels who withdrew his support in response to
last minute NIMBY opposition. It appears to be political cronyism at its
worst.
Consider the assets of this development:
- In addition to meeting the required 20% set aside for affordable housing, 67% of the units will be affordable to households earning below 60% MMI, and 16 units are Section 8.
- It is located in a "non-impacted" neighborhood on a transit route, just blocks from two major transit corridors.
- The project has received FULL support from CPED and planning department staff, and it received full support of the Planning Commission.
- The developer has met with neighborhood organizations 22 times over the past three years, and has adjusted its plans significantly to accommodate neighborhood wishes.
The motivations underlying much of the neighborhood resistance include racism and classism, pure and simple. Neighbors have overtly stated that "low-income renters do not deserve to live on the river." One northeast resident was told "we are Polish American here in NE Minneapolis and we took our costumes off a long time ago." Another prominent northeast leader made the remark "we should have made the Plymouth Ave. bridge a draw bridge so we could keep those people out easier."
Consider the implications if the Council votes it down:
- $11 million in Housing Revenue Bonds earmarked for affordable housing will be LOST to the City, and returned to the state.
- The City risks legal liability for taking public action that has a disparate adverse impact on people of color by disproportionately depriving them housing opportunities, according to the Fair Housing Act. The City has received a letter from the Housing Preservation Project laying out some of these possible implications.
- The City will have sent the message that: 1)nimbyism and its underlying prejudice is acceptable; 2)the Council's political hides are more important than the good of the City; 3)commitments to affordable housing and the City's own policies are optional.
Come to the Press Conference and Council meeting tomorrow and ask City officials to vote YES for the Marshall Street River Run Apartments, and YES to good government. Call or e-mail your council member and the Mayor today.
City Council: 673-2201, 2202, 2203, etc. (according to ward number)
Mayor: 673-2100.
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
The Press Conference will be outside Council Chambers at 9:00. Bring signs. Look for someone handing out Affordable Housing stickers.
City Hall is at 350 S. 5th St., Council Chambers in Room 317.
For further info, contact Joan Pearson at 871-8980 ext. 105.
