Dear listers, This list spans many Mpls topics - one reason I enjoy this list so much (beyond the humor). As we move forward with our campaign, many Minneapolis issues that I was unaware of have been brought to my attention that have not been discussed here to the best of my knowledge. The latest are accessory units.
When I speak about economic justice, affordable housing is inevitably discussed. Beyond just numbers of units, there are issues of predatory lending, property taxes, and sustainable development (to name a few) that surround "affordable housing". But I was compelled by a local urban planner who brought the issue if accessory units to my attention, and I was clear that this issue will be advocated for as a part of our platform see http://voteneumann.org - a work in progress - for more on this). But first, I'd like the landlords, tenants, planners, etc. on the list to weigh in on this subject. Just what are Accessory Units? These are secondary residential units in single family neighborhoods. Sometimes called "granny flats" or "mother-in-law units", they are typically studio or one-bedroom units above the garage. They are currently illegal in most of the US, including Minneapolis. They offer a few great opportunities, especially near colleges. Here are some "pros" for accessory units: 1) In these times of condo-ization, we are loosing rental units to ownership as apartments are being sold as condos. Accessory units provide additional rental units for students, single people, older folks, people whose jobs require a lot of travel, and anyone not ready to or not wanting to buy. 2) No/little absentee landlords. The landlord of an accessory unit typically lives on the property. This protects both the renter, as the landlord wants to maintain the property as it has a direct effect on her/his property value and the value of the neighborhood as rental units are maintained better than if the landlord lived elsewhere. Also, absentee landlords typically don't take as good care of their units as a landlord who lives right there. 3) Extra income for home owners. Accessory units help a home owner pay the mortgage, opening up the possibility of home ownership to many more people with lower incomes. 4) Increased density. More people in a neighborhood will support more transit and local businesses. But the density is not the oppressive, monolithic density of project towers or tenement apartments, it is well designed, contextual, and almost hidden from a visual perspective. 5) Dispersed Rental. There is a stigma to rental property, and some of it is warranted. Renters don't take as good of care of their home as an owner does, as they can always just move and have no capital investment in the property. This sometimes spirals throughout the neighborhood (its contagious), especially when coupled with absentee landlords, which makes the problem exponentially worse. With accessory units, rental housing is dispersed throughout the neighborhood, combating some of the issues of a contagious problem. I look forward to your thoughts. Aaron Neumann Sheridan Neighborhood, NE Candidate for Minneapolis City Council Ward 3 (Green) Neighbors for Neumann 1828 Marshall St. NE #18 Minneapolis, MN 55418-4211 612.788.1284 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://VoteNeumann.org "Bridging Diverse Communities" Effective Government * Healthy Environment * Safe Communities * Arts Advocacy "Politics isn't about big money or power games; it's about the improvement of people's lives." - Paul Wellstone REMINDERS: 1. Be civil! Please read the NEW RULES at http://www.e-democracy.org/rules. If you think a member is in violation, contact 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 Civil City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[email protected] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
