Support for Mixed Income Housing Development

The Met Council encourages local governments to consider mixed income, or inclusionary, housing policies as an important part of their larger housing strategies. Mixed income housing policy is a unique tool that can expand housing choices throughout the region. Mixed income housing policies:

• Creates affordable homes in developments that would not otherwise include any affordable units
• Leverages the private market to create affordable homes with significantly less — or even no — public subsidy, often in areas that enjoy significant amenities and opportunities but have little or no affordable housing
• Supports important housing goals such as tempering gentrification and/or displacement, affirmatively furthering fair housing, and creating resilient, mixed-income communities

Mixed income housing policies are not "one size fits all." A city must determine what type of mixed-income policy is right for them, including what triggers affordable units and what resources the city will contribute to make that feasible.

In partnership with other agencies and organizations, the Council offers a variety of resources to support local governments that are considering or implementing a mixed income housing policy, including the Mixed Income Housing Feasibility Calculator.

The calculator is free and available at twincities.inclusionaryhousing.org.

The calculator is an interactive tool prepopulated with data tailored to the Twin Cities region. Calculator users can

• customize inputs and assumptions about development
• experiment with different incentives and affordable housing requirements