Here's what to know before hitting the polls.
It'll be a cloudy Thursday with scattered rain and thunder across the state. Highs in the mid-60s to lower 70s.
Minneapolis voters will get the chance in November to decide if the City Council should have the authority to enact rent stabilization measures on privately owned residential properties. What could change if this passed? We've got the answers below.
| | |
|
|
|
| An apartment building on Hennepin Avenue in Minneapolis. | Evan Frost, MPR News 2018 |
By Jon Collins
What is rent control? Policies differ across the country, but most have a few things in common.
Most cities that have rent control policies set a cap on how much rents can be increased each year. Most of those increases are tied to inflation.
Most rent control programs allow some way for landlords to exempt a property from rent control policies, either temporarily or permanently. There’s typically a way for landlords to raise rents above the cap when a property is vacant. Some programs even allow properties to be exempted from rent control measures when a tenant’s income hits a certain level.
Most programs are administered by a rent control board, which usually sets the cap. Landlords can typically appeal to the board to increase rents higher than the cap.
What would the rent stabilization ballot question change? This change to the city’s charter would not immediately enact rent control or stabilization in Minneapolis. But state law requires that voters approve any rent control measures. This change to the city charter would allow the Minneapolis City Council to legally craft rent control policies.
As part of their 2020 budget, the Minneapolis City Council funded a study of rent stabilization programs that was done by the Center for Urban and Regional Affairs (CURA) at the University of Minnesota. The study analyzes a number of models for rent control policies around the country and looks at how they might be applied in Minneapolis.
What cities have instituted rent control regulations? There are about 200 municipalities and two states in the United States that currently have rent control policies, according to the CURA report . The authors of that report distinguish between historical rent control measures in places like New York City, which included long-term ceilings on rents, and what they call rent stabilization, more moderate policies that are common around the country.
The first batch of rent control policies were put into place during World War I, according to the report. Most of those regulations were taken off the books by the ‘50s, but inflation in the 1970s led to the adoption of more moderate rent stabilization policies in big cities like Boston and San Francisco.
What properties would be affected? It depends on what the City Council decides. But many cities decide to exempt new constructions or owner-occupied homes like duplexes. The impact of any future policy could be pretty broad, though, because more than half of Minneapolis residents are renters.
Does rent control work to keep prices down? The CURA analysis of four cities with rent control policies found that they’ve effectively kept rental costs below market level and moderated rent increases. But researchers disagree on the extent of the impact.
What happened to the other rent control ballot question? There were initially two ballot questions related to rent control. The other question, which would have allowed residents to gather signatures on a petition and put rent control policies directly before voters, was vetoed by Mayor Jacob Frey, who argued that policy shouldn’t be made through referendum.
Who supports the charter amendment? It was offered by City Council President Lisa Bender and council members Cam Gordon and Jeremiah Ellison. It’s being pushed by Home to Stay Mpls, a coalition that includes faith-based, and tenants groups like United Renters For Justice - Inquilinxs Unidxs Por Justicia. They argue that rent control measures are necessary to keep rent increases modest, slow gentrification and prevent people from being forced from their homes due to sharp rent increases.
Who opposes the charter amendment? Some of the major opponents of this charter amendment are the National Multifamily Housing Council and the Minnesota Multi Housing Association. In a post in early August, Vice President Jim Lapides wrote that rent control measures were “well-meaning,” but ineffective. He said rent control measures lead to buildings deteriorating and mostly benefit high-income households.
What about St. Paul? St. Paul voters will also consider a rent stabilization policy. It would limit residential rent increases to 3 percent annually. It also allows landlords to petition to exempt their property from the cap.
What else is on the ballot? Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is up for reelection. He’s facing strong challenges from community organizer Sheila Nezhad, former state Rep. Kate Knuth and nonprofit director A.J. Awed, among others. All seats in the Minneapolis City Council are also up for reelection.
In addition to the charter amendment on rent control, Minneapolis voters will have the chance to weigh in on two other amendments. The first, which was introduced by the Charter Commission, would reorganize Minneapolis city government to give the mayor’s office more executive powers. The other ballot question would replace the Minneapolis Police Department with a new Department of Public Safety.
When does voting start? Early voting starts for the Minneapolis municipal election on Friday, Sept. 17. Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 2.
What will appear on Minneapolis voters’ ballots? "Authorizing City Council To Enact Rent Control Ordinance Shall the Minneapolis City Charter be amended to authorize the City Council to regulate rents on private residential property in the City of Minneapolis, with the general nature of the amendments being indicated in the explanatory note below, which is made a part of this ballot?
Yes
No
Explanatory Note: This amendment would: 1. Authorize the City Council to regulate rents on private residential property in the City of Minneapolis by ordinance. 2. Provide that an ordinance regulating rents on private residential property could be enacted in two different and independent ways: a. The City Council may enact the ordinance. b. The City Council may refer the ordinance as a ballot question to be decided by the voters for approval at an election. If more than half of the votes cast on the ballot question are in favor of its adoption, the ordinance would take effect 30 days after the election, or at such other time as provided in the ordinance."
| | |
|
|
|
Osterholm debunks: “I can say safely at this point in Minnesota, no one has died from receiving the COVID vaccine. No one,” infectious disease specialist Michael Osterholm told MPR News Wednesday morning . “These vaccines are safer than aspirin.” According to Osterholm, Sen. Jim Abeler’s claim that more than 200 Minnesotans have died from COVID-19 vaccines is an “abuse” of data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), a national effort to detect potential safety problems in vaccines. Any adverse health outcome following vaccination, even if ultimately unrelated, can be reported to VAERS for further investigation.
The nighthawk capital: For two weeks at the end of every summer, thousands of nighthawks fly over Duluth, during their marathon migration to South America. It's the largest known migratory concentration of the common nighthawk in the world. And Steve Kolbe is there to count every single one of them.
Running against Walz: Minnesota Republicans saw significant developments Wednesday in their chase for a nominee to take on DFL Gov. Tim Walz in his expected reelection bid next year. State Sen. Michelle Benson kicked off her campaign, promising to calm what she described as “rough waters” in Minnesota. And Sen. Paul Gazelka announced he would leave his post as majority leader in a likely prelude to his own run for governor.
Cameras in the courtroom: In a reversal from last year, attorneys representing the remaining ex-cops charged in George Floyd’s killing now want to exclude cameras from the courtroom and prosecutors now favor broadcasting the proceedings when the trial starts next year.
| |
|
|
|
Preference Center ❘ Unsubscribe You received this email because you subscribed or it was sent to you by a friend. This email was sent by: Minnesota Public Radio
480 Cedar Street Saint Paul, MN, 55101 |
|
|
| |
|
