Prof. Myron Orfield Quoted by MinnPost About How Rent Controls Affect Housing Development

Professor Myron Orfield, Earl R. Larson Professor of Civil Rights and Civil Liberties and Director, Institute of Metropolitan Opportunity, was quoted by MinnPost about rent controls affecting housing development in the Twin Cities, in light of how similar policies are being debated in the run-up to Minneapolis city elections. One candidate for mayor, Sen. Omar Fateh, and several council members up for re-election, favor rent stabilization proposals, while Mayor Jacob Frey and candidates DeWayne Davis and Jazz Hampton are firmer in their opposition to rent control. They say rent control pushes apartment developers out of the city, stifling investment in the new housing Minneapolis badly needs. Prof. Orfield said rent control doesn’t work at the city level because housing developers and buyers can simply move to neighboring communities without rent caps. He said, “It’s much more sensible, or at least plausible, at the metro level.” But other policy levers — like requirements that outer-suburban communities build more multifamily housing — do more to check housing costs than strict rent control on any scale, he added.