As voters head to the polls, affordable housing remains a top issue for both candidates and voters.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — Voters headed to the polls Tuesday for a wide array of local elections. A top issue for both candidates and voters is access to affordable housing — whether through renting or owning. 

Jeannine Erickson and Miki House left their apartment in Uptown on Tuesday afternoon to vote in the Minneapolis races. 

“I just had my 29th birthday. So home ownership is definitely something I’m looking towards as I enter my 30s,” said Erickson, a youth worker. 

House added, “I always keep the Zillow app just to keep eyes on things and see where things are going. But the prices are significant and they are increasing… people are having a harder time on finding housing, in general.”

According to a Minnesota Realtors report in June, the statewide median home price rose 4.2% to a record high of $370,000. Meanwhile, the Twin Cities price rose 2.8% to $401,000 — a record high and the metro’s first time over $400,000. Prices did come down in the following months but still reflected increases year over year. 

“I definitely feel like cost-wise there are definitely barriers,” Erickson said. “One of my colleagues runs a program on home ownership and how to make it more accessible to people, especially BIPOC people. But I just know, for me, it feels very inaccessible, very expensive.” 

Candidates have their own ideas on how to address the issue. 

In Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Frey has touted his investments in affordable housing and establishing a $15 minimum wage. Minimum wage is currently $15.96 and will increase to $16.37 on Jan. 1, 2026. 

Challenger State Sen. Omar Fateh said he supports a $20 minimum wage and rent stabilization policies.

“Once upon a time when housing prices and income were growing in tandem, this was less of a problem. So I think we have to be really attentive to both household income, as well as issues related to housing costs,” said Ryan Allen, a professor and associate dean for research at the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs. 

Allen said new supply has got to be a part of the solution. 

“Part of the reason we find ourselves in this situation is, particularly during the pandemic and immediately after the pandemic, new construction really stalled in many parts of the country, let alone in Minnesota,” Allen said. 

Allen said we may find more emphasis on multi-family housing in the future. 

“I think one of the things that’s interesting to reflect on is this coupling between home ownership and what it means to be middle class. This has been here for decades, but let’s assume for a minute that we don’t correct this. That income is still falling short of what housing appreciation is doing. Does that mean there’ll be no more middle class? No, I don’t think so. I just think we’ll change our definition of what we think middle class means,” Allen said. 

Allen said while we’re especially seeing the Twin Cities metro area becoming a more expensive housing market, other parts of the state like parts of western and southern Minnesota have much cheaper real estate. However, Allen noted that salaries in those areas tend to be lower than the Twin Cities.