Build It Right: All Minnesota Cities for Safe, Quality Homes

(Updated April 11, 2023)

In the recent past, an organization known as Housing First, formerly the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC), compiled and distributed multiple flawed reports designed to deliberately overstate the impact of city requirements and development fees on housing costs. The misinformation contained in those reports has been cited in legislative action that would limit local control over local planning and zoning decisions and development-related fees.

The League’s goal is to protect city authority to make housing decisions based on locally identified needs and not let our communities be bullied into decisions that boost builders’ profits. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach that effectively addresses residential development needs in Minnesota cities.

Build it right: All Minnesota cities for safe, quality homes

To help prepare you to respond to these attacks and discuss city development fees, the League has prepared several helpful resources:

• Four Kinds of City Development Fees (pdf)
• Development Fees and Cities Q&A
• Cities and Residential Development Fees Key Messages (pdf)
• 25 City Tools for Housing Affordability and Developer Assistance (pdf)