Hi Neighbor,

I hope you’re enjoying the nice weather this week! It’s been a busy time for the campaign.

The Star Tribune recently published an excellent, comprehensive piece on the effect of land-use rules in the metro area. It speaks about our history of requiring single-family zoning throughout the metro and the effects it has on our cities today:

“None of these zoning ordinances mention race, but they perpetuate segregation that took root decades ago in an era of more racially explicit housing discrimination. Today, they are seen as a major reason the Twin Cities has some of the nation’s worst disparities in income, wealth and homeownership between white residents and people of color.”

Here in Southwest Minneapolis, discriminatory zoning ordinances and racial covenants effectively banned people of color from owning homes in our neighborhoods until the passage of the Fair Housing Act in 1962.

However, with the passage of the 2040 plan in 2018, Minneapolis became the first city in the nation to loosen single-family zoning rules citywide. I’m proud to live in a city willing to acknowledge the racist and discriminatory policies of our past and take action to start repairing the harm they’ve done.

I’m disappointed that Council Member Palmisano was the only member of the council to vote against the 2040 plan that year. She cited a lack of public engagement in the planning, but according to the city’s website, there were “more than two years of engagement with the people of Minneapolis, including over 100 meetings and conversations with thousands of residents, business owners, and others.”

So, where do we go from here? Passing the 2040 plan was a good first step in reducing the dramatic economic disparities and racial segregation in our city today. Go to my website and watch the video below to hear more about my plans for how we can continue building a truly inclusive and equitable Minneapolis.

Sincerely,