#SF2229 contained some vital reforms. It would have reduced parking mandates and improved zoning approvals. But, a 6 to 5 vote fueled by city lobbyist and mayoral opposition means we will be coming back next year. More here from the @minnesotareformer.com :
minnesotareformer.com/2025/05/05/a...
Sen. @lindseyportmn.bsky.social speaking to how these bills have been bipartisan throughout the sesssion. That has stayed true throughout the process. Open to feedback to make concepts work, but not open to “just no”.
We have to do something.
Yes! A bare minimum as #SF2229 is still a start.
The hearing on #sf2229 is underway!
Which is a better use of space? a 600 sq ft apartment (1-2 bedroom) or a 600 square foot garage? (3 car garage, mandated by some cities as the minimum)
Eliminating Excessive Parking Mandates: This bill curbs requirements for excessive parking by capping the maximum amount of required parking at one stall per residential unit, with exceptions for ADA requirements.
City parking mandates drive car dependency, prevent walkability, and raise rents.
Often by $225/month per parking spot.
Many cities require 2 or 3 car garages, plus guest parking! #SF2229 limits mandates to 1 spot/home. Letting neighbors choose what they really need. #YesToHomes #MNleg
CURRENT PROCESS FOR STATE-COMPLIANT HOUSING PROPOSALS Shows an orange line with pieces breaking off before they reach "approved housing" at the bottom. Break offs include: CITY OBJECTION: Needs fancier windows! PROPOSAL REJECTED CITY OBJECTION: Needs expensive facade! PROPOSAL REJECTED CITY OBJECTION: Needs a luxury fountain! PROPOSAL REJECTED CITY OBJECTION: Needs a minimum half acre of yard! PROPOSAL REJECTED
Streamlining Approvals: This bill requires local governments to establish clear, timely processes for development approvals, thus preventing unnecessary delays and roadblocks for developers. Another layer of red tape removed!
Promoting New Homes: This bill stops local governments from imposing arbitrary or overly restrictive building design mandates that go beyond state building codes, like fancy features and expensive details. This helps clear the unwieldy and unnecessary red-tape that prevents home building! Background shows art by Alana Hawley of builder surrounded by red tape holding a duplex.
Aesthetic mandates, requiring a large porch, specific siding, and more are used by cities to require a certain minimum home price. This prevents new neighbors who cannot afford the mandated aesthetics from moving in to new homes in that community. #SF2229 #YesToHomes #MNleg
Ending HOA Restrictions: This bill prevents local governments from using Home Owner Associations to block development, or to dictate unnecessary rules. This promotes flexibility and removes a tool that has been used to inflate costs or exclude new neighbors
A graph showing that an approved planned unit development in eagan for an upcoming development has 31 less (104 vs. 135) homes than if they had simply followed their own townhome zoning, and 49 less (104 vs. 153) homes than if the lots were 4k sq ft. As proposed by Yes to Homes Bill #HF2140. And 304 less homes (407 vs. 153) than if it were to use 1500 sq ft lots. As proposed by Yes to Homes Bill #HF1987. The final lot sizes are around 2.25k, with about 11 acres, half of the planned unit development (PUD) currently left empty in order to reduce the dwelling units per acre from about 19 to about 4.7. The homeowners will still need to pay for the cost of that land left empty, and it will necessitate an HOA.
A photo of a suburban area with large yards and empty space between homes. Text: When building new developments, cities can currently require the creation of a Home Owners Association, or HOA, which manages the private common areas within a development. These requirements-- which add to the cost of each home in the community-- have no useful value, and create more private spaces only for those Minnesotans wealthy enough to afford to live there.
Currently cities require HOAs for a variety of reasons. A major one is to simply reduce the allowed density in an area. Often leaving land empty simply to reduce the overall homes per acre to half or a quarter of what might otherwise be allowed. #SF2229 #YesToHomes #MNleg
TODAY! from about 3pm to 5pm The MN Senate is hearing an amended version of bill #SF2229 after floor session. Our previous bill package was blocked by our opposition. However, we still have time to make a big change to housing policy in this session! This new bill advances our goals of lowering housing costs and making it easier to build more new homes across Minnesota.
Today the MN Senate will be hearing #SF2229. Learn more about the bill here, and join us this afternoon and evening to ask your legislator to support more homes in Minnesota by saying #YesToHomes ! #MNLeg
Action Alert: Attend the Yes to Homes! Bill Hearing to show your support for More Homes. Meet at Senate Chambers, Thursday May 1st 3-5pm central.
Join us today at the state capitol from 3-5pm as #MNleg considers #SF2229
We will be talking about the hearing here as it happens.
#YesToHomes
actionnetwork.org/events/pack-...
If you can't make it tomorrow, send an email tonight:
secure.everyaction.com/-IFNcPv__EGN...
#YesToHomes #SF2229
Action Alert: Attend the Yes to Homes! Bill Hearing to show your support for More Homes. Meet at Senate Chambers, Thursday May 1st 3-5pm central.
Help us support #SF2229 tomorrow (5/1)!
We'll be meeting from 3-5pm at the Senate Chambers.
Help us tell #MNleg to say #YesToHomes !
www.senate.mn/schedule/ind...
actionnetwork.org/events/pack-...
#MNleg will be hearing an amended version of #SF2229 . This bill will increase choices about parking by reducing mandates, improve and streamline zoning approvals, allow more homeowner individuality on home exteriors and limit some HOAs.
This will help to create new homes and reduce costs.
Join us tomorrow at 12:30pm for the Senate Committee Hearing in State and Local Gov on
#SF2229 , #SF2231 , #SF2286 , and #SF1268 . We can help move Minnesota toward a future where every person has a home they can afford. #MNleg #YesToHomes
RSVP here:
Do Minnesota voters support or oppose the following proposal: Allow homes to be built on smaller lots. This would allow single-family starter homes to be built on lots 1,400 square feet or larger in communities across Minnesota
When asked about allowing more starter homes on small lots, 1400 sq ft or larger, 74% of Minnesotans support #YesToHomes Minnesota Starter Home Act (#HF1987 / #SF2229) to allow townhouses and the lot size per home proposed in the More Homes More Places bill (#HF2140 / #SF2231) #MNleg
Do Minnesota voters support or oppose the following proposal: Allow property owners in Minnesota to add small backyard homes - sometimes called "accessory dwelling units", "backyard cottages", or "granny flats" - to all residential properties 68% support allowing ADUs, 22% oppose and 10% aren't sure.
When asked about allowing accessory dwelling units statewide 68% agree that the #YesToHomes proposal in the Minnesota Starter Home Act ( #HF1987 / #SF2229 ) is what they want to see the #MNleg pass.
Up next at 3pm is the MN House - Housing Committee at which we will be covering #HF2013, related to aesthetic mandates, and #HF1987, the Starter Home Act (Companion to #SF2229) #YesToHomes #MNleg
Watch it here when the time comes: www.youtube.com/watch?v=psgb...
Start of the #SF2229 bill discussion at today's Senate Housing Committee. We are thankful to Sen. @lindseyportmn.bsky.social for carrying this bill and look forward to the State and Local Government Committee soon. #YesToHomes is a broad coalition we are proud to be a part of this year at #MNLeg.
