MPLS 2040 comprehensive plan and how landlords can add more units

[Bruce Runn]

I am participating in the MPLS 2040 comprehensive plan by attending meetings and provided feedback that can be a big win for both landlord owners and renters in Minneapolis. I am an advocate of changing our current ADU ordinance as part of the MPLS 2040 comprehensive plan guideline to allow up to 4 plexes throughout the city. The change would be to allow non owner occupants the ability to add an ADU to their current 1-4 unit properties where currently only owner occupants can add an ADU.  Portland has been a trailblazer in opening their city to landlord/owners adding an ADU and has increased the building of ADU's from 24 units in 2009 to 615 in 2016.  Minneapolis could do the same thing.

In my case, I own 12- 2 and 3 unit buildings and would add a 1,000-1,300 sq ft ADU to everyone current property. It's new construction without the land costs and there really isn't any more land available. I'm a general contractor so adding a new "carriage house/ADU" of 2-3 bedrooms would add new housing in high demand areas where renters want to live. The financial equation works out better than a 1% rule as it comes in at a 1.1-1.2 % rent to cost of building and the apartment is brand new so you wouldn't expect any initial CAPEX. It is literally impossible to find a 1% deal in a good neighborhood in Minneapolis.

One action point is for every landlord/owner/investor to log onto the city's MPLS2040 plan and leave feedback that you want to see the ADU ordinance changed to include owner/landlords in adding ADU's as part of the comprehensive plan.  See link below:

https://minneapolis2040.com/how-to-comment/

[Bruce Runn]

I have a neighbor doing a modular  home which is container sized so it can be lifted onto a garage- he’s hoping to roll it out as a modular adu for others to use