Healthy and Equitable Development: Trends and Possibilities in the Suburbs

Abstract

What prevents Minnesota communities from building healthier, more equitable developments? In this report, researchers share the thoughts of community members, elected officials, city staff, and developers in first-ring suburbs of the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul on problems and opportunities around affordable housing and active transportation. Their experiences offer insights into the challenges and barriers that first-ring suburbs face, including community opposition to active transportation infrastructure and new developments, including market rate and affordable housing; lack of tools for preserving unsubsidized affordable housing and building mixed-income housing; thinking only in terms of affordable housing, not affordable living; limited funding for affordable housing; meeting the needs and desires of residents who are currently car-dependent while working towards becoming more walkable and bikeable; and retrofitting streets with sidewalks—and deciding who will pay for and maintain them. Although many of these problems may seem intractable, there are ways to move forward. In this report, cities, developers, and other stakeholders will find suggestions for overcoming obstacles to healthier, more equitable development in the suburbs.