Housing activists in Portland, Maine, have achieved significant victories in addressing the city's housing crisis. Grassroots organizers, including members of the Democratic Socialists of America, have successfully pushed for progressive housing policies at the local level. These policies include the implementation of rent control, the establishment of tenants' unions, and the adoption of inclusionary zoning. Despite these reforms, the city still faces challenges such as rising rents and a shortage of affordable housing. Developers and landlords argue that the new regulations make it difficult to turn a profit and discourage new housing construction. However, activists believe that these reforms need time to show results and are forming tenants' unions to hold landlords accountable. The authors of the reforms remain optimistic and are pushing for further changes, such as the creation of a public housing development corporation. The passage of these progressive housing initiatives in Portland demonstrates the power of grassroots organizing and the potential for meaningful change in addressing housing issues.
In Minneapolis, the green community has become divided over the housing shortage and the Minneapolis 2040 plan, which aimed to legalize duplexes and triplexes in all residential neighborhoods. The plan faced legal challenges from groups such as Smart Growth Minneapolis and the National Audubon Society. The debate over the plan reveals generational, ideological, and temperamental divides within the environmental movement. The Crisis Greens, who prioritize addressing climate change and advocate for more government action, clash with the Cautious Greens, who are skeptical of development and prefer local impacts. The clash is not just about housing but also about the values that define environmentalism. Similar clashes are occurring in other states and at the federal level, highlighting the tension between environmental statutes and the need for rapid development to address the climate crisis. The Audubon Chapter of Minneapolis, a major plaintiff in the lawsuit against Minneapolis 2040, withdrew from the lawsuit, demonstrating how ideologies can change over time. [d4b64611]