Nick Erickson

“We need affordable and diverse housing options that fit every stage of life. It is by creating that environment in housing we can create stability for all Minnesotans so they can build a secure future right here at home.” - Rep. Igo

www.grandrapidsmn.com/news/rep-igo...

Twin Cities homebuilding mixed as multifamily permits fall Twin Cities homebuilding rose for single-family homes but fell for apartments in October, with 788 new units permitted across the metro area.

“That’s got to be a priority for lawmakers to work with the industry and help restructure some of the liability rules that would stimulate more multifamily growth. We need that from a housing supply perspective, but also from an affordability perspective”

finance-commerce.com/2025/10/twin...

The Hidden Cost of ‘Affordable Housing’ What happens when liberal cities try to circumvent the market

The Hidden Cost of ‘Affordable Housing’

www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

a man is holding a microphone in front of a crowd and says " well it 's groundhog day ... again " ALT: a man is holding a microphone in front of a crowd and says " well it 's groundhog day ... again "

Yet Again, Mortgage Rates Surge Higher After Fed Rate Cut

www.mortgagenewsdaily.com/markets/mort...

Key challenges:

Permitting and negotiating timing
Costly municipal consultation/engineering fees
Offsite improvements
Loss of density

Say that making new residents pay for shared infrastructure is all too common

Ken Gear of Leading Builders of America on allowing starter homes:

Land entitlement at the local levels takes years and negotiations for approvals are costly. Municipal demands increase costs pricing out buyers.

Says builders can only build what cities allow.

At the AEI Housing Conference, Makinizi Hoover of @uschamber.bsky.social says ”housing is economic infrastructure”

Want your state to grow and prosper?

Build more housing.

DC YIMBYs and Housing Peeps

If you are heading to the AEI Housing Center conference this week or are in the area and want to connect, hit me up.

Short term rentals generally make up very little of the market.

Where they do make up a large share , second homes and vacation rentals were a large share of the market long before the housing crisis.

Strict Parking Mandates don't just raise costs, they can be used to as a bulk control to limit parking for new units.

w/ Single-Family, a 2-car garage with 30-foot front setbacks = Parking for 4-6 cars (depending on size)

Let the property owners decide how much they need.

Study: Removing parking requirements leads to affordable housing - MinnPost Denver followed the lead of cities such as Minneapolis, Austin and Boulder, which have all recently abolished parking minimums.

Study: Removing parking requirements results in more affordable housing being built

www.minnpost.com/community-vo...

Ramstad: Rent control proposals are a deal-breaker in Minneapolis city elections Rent control has brought development in St. Paul to a grinding halt and damaged the reputation of the Twin Cities around the country.

Rent control has brought development in St. Paul to a grinding halt and damaged the reputation of the Twin Cities around the country - @evanramstad.bsky.social

www.startribune.com/ramstad-rent...

More Twin Cities retirees are renting instead of owning homes People over age 65 account for 15% of Twin Cities renters, up nearly 27% since 2013.

"The hallmark of the real estate market these days is there are few good choices with low inventory and high prices — rental or owner-occupied"

www.startribune.com/more-twin-ci...

St. Paul ‘Housing for Heroes’ home for vets completed Housing First Minnesota, Lennar, and MACV celebrate a new home for veterans in St. Paul, advancing the Housing for Heroes initiative.

We’re one more home closer to ending veterans homelessness in Minnesota

finance-commerce.com/2025/10/hous...

When and where governments allow it, starter homes CAN be built.

Goldman Sachs' economic team dives into the housing shortage, and its findings are yet another call tos address the most significant barrier to supply: fragmented land use rules

www.goldmansachs.com/insights/art...

Bloomington eyes zoning changes for missing middle housing Bloomington is exploring zoning changes to boost “missing middle” housing, adding more options like triplexes and fourplexes for diverse households.

Bloomington, one of the half-dozen cities in MN to take comprehensive action on housing, eyes zoning changes for missing middle housing.

finance-commerce.com/2025/10/bloo...

At the risk of being a broken record, we need policymakers at all levels working to address declining housing affordability, not blocking needed and overdue reforms.

Court of Appeals rules in favor of Housing First member in building code dispute The Minnesota Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of Housing First Minnesota member Todd Geske in a dispute over the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry’s (DLI) interpretation of the State Buil...

New: Court of Appeals rules in favor of Housing First member in building code dispute

blog.housingfirstmn.org/court-of-app...

Leaving the housing crisis unaddressed only makes the problem worse.

Utah's housing shortage pushing families out: Here's what can be done For generations, Utah has been known as a place where families can put down roots, buy a home, and stay close to one another. But that way of life is slipping further out of reach.

The (housing) shortage isn't only an issue for first-time buyers. When entry-level homes are scarce, families stay longer in rentals, driving up prices for others. Employers struggle to attract and retain workers who can't find nearby housing. www.ksl.com/article/5139...

Despite the headwinds on the affordability front, homeownership remains part of the American dream.

Will new lumber tariffs drive up costs to build and furnish a house? On Tuesday, President Trump placed a 10% tariff on lumber and a 25% tariff on furniture and cabinets.

New lumber tariffs took effect yesterday, and I spoke with @kare11.bsky.social about the impact on new home building.

At the end of the day, new home buyers are the ones who are going to pay the tariffs

www.kare11.com/article/news...

2019 affordability levels would be good by 2025 standards - but many of us were raising the issues of affordability in 2019.

We need policies across the board focused on affordability - rates alone cannot protect homeownership.

Homeownership by state: Where rates are highest and lowest Learn more about the factors shaping homeownership rates. Plus, get homeownership data for 13 U.S. states

Factors that can affect homeownership rates:

Zoning laws. Zoning laws affect the number of homes constructed each year, which may result in lower homeownership rates due to inadequate supply.

qz.com/homeownershi...

How long will it really take for housing supply to catch up with demand? Here's three scenarios Australians could be waiting a while of we're going to build our way out of this. Here's a look at three different scenarios.

Periodic Reminder: The Housing Crisis is a Global Conversation

au.finance.yahoo.com/news/how-lon...

"It’s not contractors or builders slowing down construction. It’s government red tape and onerous restrictions."

Talking with our multi-state members, I can tell you these barriers are far greater in Minnesota.

✅Restrictive zoning ignores the demand for smaller homes, townhomes

✅ Local politics that turn housing developments into battlegrounds.

Groundbreaking for the next @HFMNfoundation project: Hope House.

Service Orgs: Open Hands Foundation, Westwood Church, 180 Degrees

Build Partner: John Kraemer & Sons

This is our 2nd YIGBY project this year.

housingfirstmnfoundation.org/project/hope...