At 1000 Friends, we know that decisions about growth and development are not simply a matter of a “free market.” They are heavily influenced by – and subsidized through – myriad infrastructure investments, tax policies, and regulatory enforcement. For instance, investment in new sewer capacity leads to new residential development; mortgage interest deductions for second homes make those homes more attractive and affordable; and regulations about lakeshore development can either encourage or discourage a more thoughtful approach to shoreline development. The connection between all these disparate policies is that they all relate to decisions made at the state capitol. So land use is local, but the state writes the rules.

Policy focus areas for 1000 Friends of Minnesota:

• Expand transportation choices: Give Minnesotans affordable and convenient opportunities to walk, bike, take transit, and drive.
• Connect transportation and land use policy: Transportation investments and land use policies are treated as separate in the policy world, and yet in the real world, they are integrally connected.
• Demand performance from transportation investments: The state and local governments should spend transportation dollars where they can achieve measurable results on issues such as: increasing transit/bike/ped trips, reducing roadway injuries, reducing per capita VMT, etc.
• Expand housing opportunities: Communities should include housing for all income levels.

We are fortunate to have a policy director who has worked for our national organization, Smart Growth America. John Bailey gained valuable experience as the associate director for SGA. He was also the founding executive director of the Washington Smart Growth Alliance, a unique coalition of the real estate and environmental communities promoting collaborative issues around growth and development.

We know Minnesotans care about building efficiency into our public policies on land use, transportation, housing and energy. Help us inform the legislators who are shaping our state's future.