Advocacy Updates – May 2024

East Metro News

Saint Paul must spend $6 million in uncommitted tax increment finance dollars on real estate development by December 2025 (subscription).
Saint Paul's Housing and Redevelopment Authority has launched a rental rehab loan program for landlords in the City.
Saint Paul has recently changed Concordia Ave back to Rondo Avenue (subscription).
In Saint Paul and Ramsey County, property values are returning to pre-pandemic rates (subscription).
Saint Paul's iconic downtown buildings, 1st National Bank Building and U.S. Bank Center, are being sold with eight other properties.

Inver Grove Heights, South Saint Paul, and Savage are all dealing with higher than normal levels of radium in the water supply.
Eagan will see new housing and industrial space at the former Thomson Reuters campus in the City.
Northfield has been named on of the best places to live in the United States (subscription).

Columbia Heights has passed a point of sale ordinance that requires a sewer inspection and a structure inspection. For more information, visit the City's website. The ordinance goes into effect on May 22, 2024.
Roseville and other Twin Cities metro cities have plans to increase the metro's biking infrastructure (subscription).
Lino Lakes is seeing both support and disapproval in the City surrounding a major development that is planned to be a Muslim-focused community.
Stillwater is planning to remake the new Saint Croix River waterfront with multiple projects under consideration (subscription).
Blaine has begun planning a $750 million downtown development near the National Sports Center.

The Minneapolis 2040 Plan is back in action after a Minnesota Court overturned an injunction.
Minneapolis is beginning to examine tenant protections including rental protections, eviction diversion and prevention, and anti-displacement (subscription).
Crystal Mayor has expressed frustration about the Blue Line Light Rail extension design plan.
Richfield has identified a need for more affordable housing, larger units, and investment in the City's corridor ( subscription).

Minnesota Housing's First-Generation Homebuyer Loan Program is a down payment and closing cost loan for first-generation homebuyers. The program offers loans up to $35,000. Find out how to help your clients.
The Minnesota Legislature is unlikely to pass the "Missing Middle Housing" bill, which would create statewide zoning rules allowing for higher density due to lobbying from local city governments.
The Minnesota House passed a tenants' rights bill to protect undocumented renters and domestic abuse survivors.
Minnesota salaries aren't keeping up with housing costs, according to the Minnesota Housing Partnership. Minnesotans need an annual income of over $90,000 to afford a median-priced home.

The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) chief economist, Lawrence Yun, has stated that there's "no way" home sales can remain historically low for much longer.
NAR has urged the Department of Veterans Affairs to revise its policies pertaining to fees with VA home loan benefits. This is among other NAR advocacy wins.
NAR has released a new podcast called "The Advocacy Scoop" so members can stay up-to-date on what's going on in Washington, DC.
NAR and coalition partners have launched a Bipartisan Congressional Real Estate Caucus to address the issues of affordability and inventory.
Nationwide, the cost of buying a home just hit an all-time high, even though rental prices are down.