Dave Stack wrote: > Many get concerned when a middle income area is changing into a low income > area, and there are calls for revitalization and redirection. Many get > concerned when a low income area is changing into a middle or upper income > area, and there are calls to stop gentrification and displacement of the > poor. I would sure like to think that there are ways to have livable, > friendly, sustainable mixed income neighborhoods. The twin cities is > reported to be one of the most, if not the most, segregated large urban > areas in the nation. Income segregation is closely related to racial > segregation. Is there public policy that can help to mix more low income > people into middle and upper income neighborhoods? And are there ways to mix > more middle income people into low income neighborhoods? >
Trying to accomplish this via public policy requires controlling affordable / market-rate housing. Often, the city of Minneapolis requires developers to build a certain percentage of affordable units, though I believe they waived this requirement for waterfront properties. Conversely, in places like Heritage Park, the city has left a number of houses as market-rate. I have my doubts about whether this works, because it's fairly artificial. It is difficult for public policy to help *create* diverse neighborhoods. However, one of the fantastic things about cities is that mixed neighborhoods should occur naturally. Of course, I understand that we don't have very many diverse neighborhoods -- this is because public policy often *prevents* them from existing. In theory, a healthy urban neighborhood should have many features that create a diverse residential population: A variety of building ages -- new buildings need higher rents to pay off their mortages, but a buildings that's 90 years old should be all paid off, enabling lower prices. A variety of sizes & styles -- as you said, every neighborhood goes through its ups and downs. Often, there are buildings left over from the "downs" which are smaller and lack the frills of luxury buildings. Mixed-use apartments -- often, low-rise apartments with retail at the bottom (especially in older buildings) are cheaper, because the retailers pay a lot of rent. --Jeff Rosenberg Cedar/Riverside . . . Where we're pretty close to functioning like a real urban neighborhood. REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
