In 2019, the two Americas King wrote about still remain. A nation once lauded for its enviable and expanding middle class has evolved into a nation of people who are either growing wealthy or growing poor.
Twin Cities gentrification continues to displace low-wage workers
It’s no secret that the lack of affordable housing in Minnesota, and in particular in the Twin Cities, has remained one of our biggest issues in the 21st century.
Bad landlords put City back in public housing business
Run by the Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) department, the Emergency Stabilization Pilot Program (ESPP) will provide affordable housing to 10 family tenants over the next five years.
Fair Housing’s unfinished 50-year journey
As observances begin across the country, now is an appropriate time to recall how fair housing was a key issue for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In fact, Chicago became his chosen battleground for fair housing, bringing a national spotlight to the multiple ills of segregated and sub-standard housing.
Some see big battles looming ahead for Mayor Frey
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s first 100 days in office have had him “working like a dog,” he told the MSR. Frey spoke to us last week prior to his April 23 one-hour appearance at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School of Public Affairs, where he reflected on his first three months in office. “We have […]
Several options to reverse housing needs
When North Minneapolis was separated and isolated by highways it was a big deal, and similarly, we need big ideas and plans to reverse that tragedy in order to address the housing needs of the current and future residents. Below, I have listed some ideas that I thought about as long- and short-term solutions. They do […]
How committed is new mayor to Minneapolis affordable housing?
Good to see the MN Spokesman-Recorder keeping the homeless crisis on the front page with Charles Hallman’s article, “Advocates use Super Bowl to highlight housing crisis,” (February 1-7). But the approach talked about in the article is shortsighted. For organizations to pay peoples’ rent without holding landlords accountable is a form of codependence. Currently, landlords […]
The ever-present threat of gentrification and persistent lack of affordable housing
On a handful of occasions I have used this column to discuss the issue of affordable housing, as well as its troubling relationship to the trend of gentrification. In one such article, I used the city of Portland, Oregon as something of a case study. I suggested that Portland’s fate raises a number of concerns […]