Podcast Summary
Housing Crisis Solutions: Former nonprofit worker and education administrator, Cody Fisher, uses skills to tackle housing crisis with energy-efficient apartments, but faces challenges in construction despite city's ambitious housing policies.
Cody Fisher, a former nonprofit worker and education administrator, is now using his skills and optimism to tackle the country's housing crisis by building energy-efficient, carbon-smart housing. His company, Footprint Development, aims to fill the "missing middle" gap in the housing market with small to mid-size apartment buildings. However, despite gaining unanimous approval for a 32-unit project in Minneapolis, construction was halted due to a major issue, causing uncertainty for the future of the project and the city's housing plans. This incident highlights the challenges and complexities of addressing the housing shortage, even in a city that's leading the way with ambitious housing policies.
Minneapolis zoning policies: Minneapolis eliminated single-family zoning, aiming to increase housing supply, ease regulations, and address racial justice and climate change with specific policies in its 1,200-page 2040 plan, potentially transforming single-family homes into multi-unit buildings.
Minneapolis made headlines by becoming the first major city in the nation to eliminate single-family zoning as part of its comprehensive 2040 plan. This bold move aimed to increase housing supply and ease regulations for developers, all while addressing racial justice and climate change with specific policies and goals. The 1,200-page document, which is longer than "War and Peace," lays out a clear roadmap for achieving these objectives, including varying height restrictions for different neighborhoods. This significant shift in zoning policies could potentially transform single-family homes into multi-unit buildings, contributing to the city's goal of increasing housing density.
Minneapolis housing development: Minneapolis's pro-development stance has led to the construction of new 'missing middle housing' projects, increasing density, energy efficiency, and access to public transit, but faces opposition from neighbors, leading to contentious fights.
Minneapolis's approach to encouraging new developments, or becoming "yimby's" instead of "nimby's," has led to the construction of new "missing middle housing" projects, such as the blue and white apartment building discussed. This infill project, which replaces a small single family house with several units, is increasing density, energy efficiency, and access to public transit. However, these projects often face opposition from neighbors, leading to contentious fights and negative signs like the one seen in this example. Despite these challenges, the city continues to push for such developments to meet its goals.
Local government priorities: Local governments should prioritize addressing housing crises by considering where new developments should be built, rather than focusing on the preferences of immediate neighbors.
Local governments often prioritize the preferences of immediate neighbors over the collective need for new housing, which can hinder efforts to address housing crises. Journalist Jerusalem Demes argues that local governments should shift their approach by acknowledging the housing crisis and asking where new developments should be built, rather than asking if they should be built at all. This can help ensure that new housing is constructed in a thoughtful and equitable manner, taking into account the needs of the community as a whole, including those who may not have a voice in local planning processes.
Development vs Environment: Older generations tend to view development negatively due to past experiences, while younger generations focus on reducing carbon emissions and increasing urban density, leading to a complex debate requiring dialogue and compromise
The ongoing debate around development and environmental concerns is a complex issue with different perspectives, especially between older and younger generations. The case of a developer, Cody Fisher, in Minneapolis trying to build eco-friendly apartments faced a halt due to a lawsuit from environmentalists who argued for a city-wide environmental review. Older generations tend to view development negatively, remembering disruptive events, while younger generations focus on reducing carbon emissions and increasing urban density for environmental reasons. This clash highlights the need for dialogue and compromise to balance development and environmental concerns. The BBC podcast "Good Bad Billionaires" and Boise State Public Radio's "Extremely American" offer insights into other significant issues, such as the influence of billionaires and the rise of Christian nationalism, respectively.
Housing Crisis Collaboration: The housing crisis requires a collaborative effort from all levels of government to set clear standards and rules for housing development, as seen in Minnesota with Governor Tim Walz's legislation.
The housing crisis is not just a local issue and cannot be left solely in the hands of local governments to solve. States are stepping in to set clear standards and rules for housing development, as seen in Minnesota with Governor Tim Walz's legislation. For developers, the process of getting approvals and financing is a lengthy one, with no time for celebratory moments. The housing shortage is a complex issue that requires a collaborative effort from all levels of government. The podcast episode was produced by Emma Peasley and Sophia Shukana, and features interviews with experts in housing policy, economics, and development. For those interested in learning more about Governor Tim Walz's economic record and JD Vance's economic record, they can subscribe to the Planet Money newsletter. If you're an NPR podcast fan and want to support their mission, consider signing up for the NPR Plus bundle for perks across more than 20 podcasts. And for clear and accurate health information, tune in to the Shortwave Podcast from NPR.