Mixing Expectations: Examining the Fiscal Impacts of Mixed Use Development in Bloomington, Minnesota

Abstract

This project was completed as part of a partnership between the City of Bloomington and the University of Minnesota’s Resilient Communities Project (http://www.rcp.umn.edu). Redevelopment projects of all land use types have occurred at a steady pace in Bloomington during the last 15 years. For this project, the City sought a return on investment (ROI) analysis of various mixed-use development types in Bloomington from both a human capital and financial standpoint to inform future land use policies and municipal investments in development. Bloomington project lead Nick Johnson worked with students in Peter Brown's PA 8081: Planning and Public Policy Capstone course in spring of 2023 to assess the financial impacts of various mixed-use developments by comparing tax revenue generated with costs for various city services to these developments. The study found that mixed-use development generates more tax revenue per acre than nearly any other land use type or development type within the City of Bloomington and mixed-use is not more expensive to service than other development types. The students’ final report and presentation are available.