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Recent Submissions
Center for Austrian Studies Annual Report, 2023-2024
(2024-07-02) University of Minnesota, Center for Austrian Studies
Rethinking Adolescence and Education Policy
(2024-05-01) Piper, Lauren; Leopold, Melanie; Reese, Sophie; Trueblood, Isabelle
We were commissioned to conduct the research for this report by an organization called The Civic Affairs Trust, or TCAT. TCAT is a Minnesota-based trust whose purpose is to facilitate the redesign of community services and systems so they are self-improving. To date, TCAT's focus has been the K-12 public education system. TCAT approached the Humphrey School with the hypothesis that current policies governing eligibility for two alternative pathways programs, Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) and the General Education Development test (GED), are creating barriers for students because these policies limit participation based on age.
We used qualitative research methods to answer three research questions: 1. What is adolescence? 2. Are age-restricted education policies creating unnecessary barriers to GED and PSEO programs in Minnesota? 3. If age is not a useful measure of readiness for PSEO and GED programs, what alternative measures might we consider?
Our conclusions and recommendations around these three questions are based on our qualitative research findings.
Connexus Energy Air-Source Heat Pump Potential Study
(2024-05-01) Benson, Sam; Tikk, Daniel; Vang, Akia
This report assesses the perceptions among the members of the project client, Connexus Energy (Connexus), a Minnesota electric cooperative, towards air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) to inform the client’s future approach toward ASHPs. To answer this question, the authors conducted qualitative and quantitative research, including two surveys of Connexus members, a focus group with members, and performed cost-benefit analysis of ASHP adoption for Connexus members. The research findings were synthesized to inform the recommendations to Connexus. The recommended actions for Connexus to take include the creation of a preferred HVAC contractor network that customers can utilize, more robust marketing of ASHPs, targeted messaging towards customers regarding ASHPs, and the restructuring of incentives to increase utilization and benefit to customers.
Creating Affordable Homes: An Evaluation of the Minneapolis Homes Create Strategy
(2024-05-01) Goodrich , Dan; Yudelman, Beth
This project was a qualitative analysis of the Create Strategy of the Minneapolis Homes Program. The project was designed to determine to what extent the strategy is meeting its goals. The Minneapolis Homes Program is managed by the Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) housing division. The mission of the Minneapolis Homes Program (started in 2020) is to help people access, create, and sustain affordable homeownership to eliminate racial disparities in homeownership. This capstone project was specifically focused on the Create Strategy of the program - to what extent are the Minneapolis Homes: Financing and Property Sale Programs successfully creating opportunities to build new homes and rehabilitate existing homes to eliminate racial disparities in homeownership within the city of Minneapolis? Three key findings emerged from our research: 1) Minneapolis Homes is well led and viewed as a national leader, 2) Some developers experience significant “pain points” when working with the city. Further, the experiences that builders have with the city can vary significantly and can be inconsistent. For example, newer community developers need more support navigating the city’s process and receiving early financial support for construction, while larger developers want more consistency, and 3) The Create Strategy is underfunded. More funding is needed for the Minneapolis Homes Create Strategy to increase capacity within the city as well as for specific development projects. In addition, outside forces such as post-Covid inflation, labor shortages, and the Minneapolis 2040 plan lawsuit are adding time, costs, and stress for builders. On a macro level, we recommend that Minneapolis Homes work closely with city departments and divisions to advance the city’s identified primary goal. On a micro level, we recommend that Minneapolis Homes 1) clarify the primary goal within CPED in relation to equity and homeownership: what to incentivize and what to require, 2) seek additional funding to advance the identified goals of the Create Strategy, 3) continue to streamline the process for developers and customize support (including more financial and logistical support when needed), and 4) continue to strengthen communication with developers, city staff, and funders. In addition, Minneapolis Homes should examine whether more homeowner participation in evaluating the Create Strategy is beneficial.