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| |  | Homes in St. Paul. (Sean McPherson / City Cast Twin Cities) |
| About St. Paul’s Housing Shortage… | How well have St. Paul’s latest housing policies succeeded in creating more homes? It’s a mixed bag, according to an MPR News analysis of data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Zoning changes that allow denser housing like duplexes and triplexes have increased development, especially near universities. On the other hand, the 2021 rent stabilization policy has discouraged some developers and investors from constructing new large apartment buildings. Other takeaways include a curious trend in the average rent price falling and landlords paying 27% less in property taxes since 2022, while homeowners’ taxes keep rising. [MPR News] | | - Pain point: The data also affirms what’s been known for years: Rent control has correlated with less development. City leaders have cooled on rent control since it was passed in 2021. Last year, council members amended the ordinance to exempt homes built after 2004. Housing Equity Now St. Paul, a coalition of housing advocates and neighborhood groups, campaigned for the ordinance in response to the rising cost of housing. [Minnesota Reformer / MinnPost]
- Interesting: Do you like data dashboards? The Federal Reserve has made its data on the state of housing in St. Paul pretty accessible. You can check out how long tenants stay in their homes, median apartment prices, and more. [Minneapolis Federal Reserve]
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| What the Cities Are Talking About |
| Sketchy situation: More details about the Chief Brian O’Hara scandal have emerged, thanks to a whistleblower report. The whistleblower alleges O’Hara’s driver, Abdisamad Ahmed, bragged that he had the chief “by the balls” since he possessed incriminating text messages. Plus, Ahmed allegedly “saved” O’Hara after he (also allegedly) crashed a city-owned car while drunk. City officials have been quick to point out that these whistleblower claims haven’t been proven. [Star Tribune] | | “Predatory scheme”: Chadwick Banken, a real estate broker who allegedly targeted Muslim homebuyers, went to trial on Monday. In a lawsuit, Attorney General Keith Ellison accused Banken of pushing buyers to default so he could regain the property. Banken used contracts for deed, which Ellison’s office described as a “poor man’s mortgage that combines all the responsibilities of homeownership with all the disadvantages of renting, while offering the benefits of neither.” Banken has disputed the allegations. [Sahan Journal] | | More detention centers?: The federal government is interested in turning a former private prison in Appleton into an immigration detention center. A proposed contract states that ICE is looking for more beds to fulfill its enforcement goals. The Appleton facility has a 1,600-person capacity. [MPR News] | |  | Rock shrimp tempura from Yumi Sushi Bar in St. Paul. (Sean McPherson / City Cast Twin Cities) |
| Your next bite: Our host Sean McPherson tells me the best thing on St. Paul Yumi’s menu is the rock shrimp tempura. “The reason this dish works is that the tempura batter is light and airy, making the dish appetizing as opposed to overwhelming. It’s a perfect treat before getting a couple of their spectacular rolls.” OK, I’m convinced. | | AI-powered parenting: Can a smartwatch predict when your kid is about to throw a fit? The Strib’s Jeremy Olson reports Mayo Clinic found that smartwatches could cut tantrum times in half. Apparently, the smartwatch uses a child’s biometric data to identify signs of a child feeling agitated and alerts the parent. Parents, would you put an AI-powered smartwatch on your kid’s wrist? Reply to this email and let us know. [Star Tribune] |
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| | | Tuesday, June 9 | |
| Wednesday, June 10 | | | |
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I need your help tracking down a nostalgic fave. For years, I’ve been searching for what I now know is the Friendly’s Wattamelon Roll, a hunk of ice cream in the shape of a watermelon. Turns out it was discontinued in 2021, but Friendly’s rolled out the Sherbet Cake version in its place. If you know where I can find the sherbet in Minnesota (or if you have a comparable local version), please let me know! It’s for summer! 🍉 |
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