Laserfiche WebLink
and the full exercise of local authority <br />to increase development of affordable <br />rental units and access to entry-level, <br />owner -occupied housing. <br />d) Support voluntary measures to <br />encourage cities to adopt and carry <br />out land -use plans, activities, and <br />subdivision regulations aimed at <br />providing for construction and <br />marketing of housing where a portion <br />of all new units are affordable to <br />lower -income households. <br />LE-16. Community Land Trusts <br />Issue: The increasing price of land available <br />for housing development, particularly for <br />retaining affordability of housing for lower - <br />income households, is a concern throughout <br />the state. Creating more permanently <br />affordable, owner -occupied housing depends <br />heavily on maximizing the cost- <br />effectiveness of taxpayer investments. The <br />Legislature has previously appropriated <br />funding and granted the Minnesota Housing <br />Finance Agency authority to assist cities <br />with funding community land trusts (CLTs) <br />for affordable housing. <br />Response: The Legislature should support <br />continuation of the land trust capacity - <br />building program and provide capital <br />start-up funds so community land trusts <br />can continue to offer gap financing, <br />interest rate write -downs, <br />predevelopment financing, and financial <br />underwriting. The Legislature should also <br />support efforts by the Minnesota <br />Community Land Trust Coalition to <br />develop property tax valuation to lower <br />property taxes for sales -price -restricted <br />properties enrolled in CLT programs. <br />82 <br />LE-17. Telecommunications and <br />Information Technology <br />Issue: Telecommunications and information <br />technology is essential public infrastructure <br />for the efficient, equitable, and affordable <br />delivery of local government services to <br />residents and businesses. <br />Telecommunications includes voice, video, <br />data, and services delivered over cable, <br />telephone, fiber-optic, wireless, and all other <br />platforms. <br />Response: The League of Minnesota <br />Cities supports a balanced approach to <br />telecommunications policy that allows <br />new technologies to flourish while <br />preserving local regulatory authority. <br />Regulations and oversight of <br />telecommunications services are <br />important prerogatives for local <br />government to advance and balance <br />community interests, including ensuring <br />public safety, ensuring equitable access, <br />maintaining high quality basic services <br />that meet local needs, spurring economic <br />development, and providing affordable <br />rates to all consumers. Policies should <br />strengthen and not diminish local <br />authority to manage public rights -of -way <br />including public and private <br />infrastructure, to zone, to collect <br />reimbursement of costs and reasonable <br />compensation for the use of public assets, <br />or to work cooperatively with the private <br />sector. The League opposes the adoption <br />of state and federal policies that restrict <br />cities' ability to finance, construct, and <br />operate telecommunications networks. <br />LE-18. Broadband <br />Issue: High-speed Internet is essential <br />infrastructure needed by cities to compete in <br />a global economy. Yet many communities <br />do not have access to broadband at <br />