Thread by @WedgeLIVE

East Harriet neighborhood org is hosting a meeting TONIGHT regarding plans for a 41-unit building adjacent to the famous pit at 36th and Bryant.

Live from the East Harriet Farmstead Neighborhood.

Developer saying the goal is to provide "accessible" rents. "More attainable" but still market rate. Calls this micro apartment project.

Some grumbling about the micro apartment aspect.

Next developer guy: "We're attracted to the neighborhood for similar reasons that you guys were... A lot of people like to be in great neighborhoods."

"we buy in great neighborhoods and hold long term."

"We want residents of our buildings to be great neighbors."

40 units/20 parking

450-700 sq ft.

Goal for rents is to start at $1000.

"You said 20 parking spaces? Do renters have to pay for those spaces?" (Yes)

"So they'll end up on the street."

Guy having trouble hearing, repeats same question. "How many parking spaces?"

Accusations of hostility and contempt from the crowd.

"Do you think 20 people are gonna get rid of their cars before they move in?"

Developer cites Lyndy project in Whittier. Built 75 parking spaces for 100 units. Says they're half full.

Glad we're doing this at a hospital because we're gonna set a record for Fred Sanford style heart attacks.

Superstar lawyer Carol Lansing is here.

Looking to start construction in August, lasting 10 months.

The alley is very dangerous, says lady. Suggests to developer, "You should drive up it."

Talking about the new 4plex across the street. "The day they moved in, there was traffic problems."

Lady: "There's beer cans everywhere... They're single people."

Another lady chimes in: "They're letting their animals deficate on their deck."

First lady: "Because they're young white males they're getting away with it."

"There's something about families with kids, they care about the neighborhood."

Developer: "Are you saying people who rent are not as respectful as people who own?"

Lady: "No I'm a renter."

Doesn't like that it's "Catering to a certain kind of up and coming young urban person."

Staff from Ward 10 office says this project has been approved by planning commission and without an appeal it goes forward. No need for Z&P committee approval. Deadline for appeal is today.

Analysis: I have been wondering what the pint of this meeting was.

Tina from Ward 10 office: "Council member Bender really supports this project." Cites need for more housing in Minneapolis, proximity to transit, other amenities.

Ron Harris, also from Ward 10 office: "small scale development more amenable to the folks that live here." Parking reform has made this possible.

Getting feisty in here. Neighborhood org president stepping in to try and let some other people speak, besides this one person.

I think this meeting was an especially bad idea. Meetings that take place after approval just a recipe to have people feel like it was shoved down their throat. The time for input was last month.

Deliveries from Amazon are causing traffic problems.

What about snow removal.

"The building will be professionally managed."

I'm waiting for a question about garbage. Renters produce a lot of garbage. Dumpsters!

There it is! Question about the size of the trash area.

What's gonna happen to the bus routes during construction?

Answer: No impact.

"How many bike parking spaces?" (41)

Who let this guy in? Owns a home. "It fits the neighborhood." Matches nearby scale of apartments. Climate change. This guy is monologuing.

"Do leases specify that it's just one person per unit?"

Developer says federal fair housing laws prevent you from preventing couples from living together in a 1 bedroom.

"You could have 2 or 3 people in there."

Guy with a good point: What about friends and parents? They have cars too!

Renters, do you have friends?

"are you doing DNA testing on those pets?"

Lady doing a spiel that the developers are great guys with families who are good at business and the real problem is "this Lisa Bender."

"Lisa Bender wants me to take mass transit? Fine! I called an Uber." It cost her $15 with surge pricing. So she walked to make Lisa Bender happy.

"That's what Lisa Bender wants."

"The livability sucks nowadays. If you think I'm gonna take a bike to Target, forget it, it's impossible. Guess what? We have cars. I'm upset about this."

"The spot right next to you will be the next spot. Same damn fucking thing!"

Thank you Tina for suggesting people imagine there are others who live differently than the people in this room.

Remarkable moment here. Lady who was very strenuously opposed at the beginning of the meeting, announces she's supporting it because she's disgusted with the people in this room.

This meeting should have been televised.

Less water runoff from this site than current status. City regulations have gotten more stringent recently, a lot more "friendly to our waters" says architect.

She was upset that the sentiment in the room seemed to be about excluding different kinds of people from the neighborhood.

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Lady asks if developer guy from San Francisco is connected to Lisa Bender, who once upon a time lived in San Francisco. He assures us this is just a geographical coincidence.

Lady worried about the coming extinction of single family homes. "You gotta think about the future!"

"I'm back to this parking again. You got 41 units, 20 parking spaces." Maybe they take the bus during the week but "What do they do on the weekends. where do they put that car during the week?"

"I got another complaint. Wanna hear it?" People say they do.

"these buildings are gonna decrease the value of our homes." She's certain there are people sitting here right now taking a big hit.

So I'm skeptical but if true, hooray for affordability.

Back to trash concerns. It's gonna swallow up one of the parking spots, predicts neighbor.

Really really old guy who you would not expect to support this: "This is a big win for Minneapolis taxpayers, because these people are gonna pay a shitload of money [in property taxes]."

Lady asks if developer will take advantage of NOAH tax breaks. The new policy from city.

Answer: "I don't know off the top of my head, what those rent levels are. If we're allowed to, yes."

Meeting done. Here's the dangerous alley. I survived.