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Region's benchmark performance is positive

Region meets many benchmarks for growth, environment

Housing production in the seven-county Twin Cities area during the first half of the decade outpaced benchmarks set in the Metropolitan Council’s 2030 Regional Development Framework. But the geographic distribution of that housing is in line with benchmark expectations.

And in 2005, for the first time in ten years, the number of vehicle-miles-traveled per capita in the region fell instead of grew.

These are among the findings of the Council’s annual assessment of how closely the region is meeting the Framework benchmarks. The purpose of the Framework is to provide a plan for how the Metropolitan Council — in partnership with local communities, the state, builders, environmentalists and others — can guide the growth and future of the region.

“Our goal is to guide the region’s growth in an efficient and cost-effective manner,” said Peter Bell, Council chair. “The benchmarks provide a way to measure how well the region is meeting the plan’s goals. On many measures, this region is in good shape.”

The benchmarks relate to the Council’s four major policies:

• Accommodating growth in a flexible, connected and efficient manner
• Slowing the growth of traffic congestion and improving mobility
• Encouraging expanded choices in housing locations and types
• Working to conserve, protect and enhance the region’s vital natural resources.

Housing production soars

The region has experienced robust housing growth since 2000, peaking in 2005 with a net growth in housing units of 21,041, compared to an annual Framework benchmark of 16,000 to 18,000 new units each year. Todd Graham, manager of research at the Council, noted that as vacancy rates and the inventories of unsold homes have risen in the past year, the pace of construction has slowed noticeably.

The Framework sets a goal of encouraging 27 percent of new housing development — or about 4,400 units per year — in the central cities and developed suburbs, where roads, sewers and other costly infrastructure is already in place. These communities accounted for 28 percent of the region’s net housing growth in the period. However, because of the boom in overall housing growth, these communities actually had an annual net growth of 5,194 units.

The developing suburbs accounted for 61 percent of net housing growth, compared with the 60 percent benchmark; rural centers, five percent (hitting the benchmark); and the remaining rural area, six percent, compared with an eight percent benchmark.

Traffic delays remain steady

The seven-county region has 1,485 miles of freeway, and the 2030 target is 1,786 — or an additional 300 miles — an average of 10 new miles per year. In 2005, the region added 12 lane miles total. Roadway congestion, as measured by hours spent by commuters in congestion each year, should grow no more than one percent a year from 2000 to 2030, according to the benchmarks. Estimated delay grew from 43 hours per peak-hour traveler in 2000 to 45 in 2001, but then dropped back to 43 in 2002 and 2003, the latest year the measure is available.

For the first time in a decade, the per-capita-miles traveled on a daily basis by the region’s residents fell — from 26.1 vehicle miles per capita in 2004 to 25.8 vehicle miles in 2005. The Minnesota Department of Transportation estimates that roads and highways in the seven-county area accommodated 72.6 million vehicle miles per day in 2005. Although that total figure was 0.4 percent higher than in 2004, it was less than population growth, so the per capita measure dropped.

Transit service in 2005 grew to 44.1 million vehicle miles from 41.4 in 2004, a year that had interrupted service because of a transit strike. In addition, Hiawatha light rail had its first year of full service in 2005. Transit ridership grew only two percent between 2002 and 2005, despite the addition of Hiawatha service. As gas prices have increased, transit ridership in 2006 has grown considerably. Three percent growth in future years is the Council benchmark.

Region lags on affordable ownership housing

The average number of new affordable housing units added annually in the region from 2000 to 2005 was only 70 percent of the annual average needed to meet cumulative long-term goals of communities, according to the benchmark report. Affordable rental housing production of 1,104 units each year between 2000 and 2005, on average, is above the benchmark of 990. But affordable ownership housing production — 3,541 units on average annually — lags well behind the benchmark of 5,629 units per year.

"Rapidly increasing market values the past several years have lessened affordable home ownership opportunities,” said Graham. Housing costs are considered affordable if they consume no more than 30 percent of the household budget. Affordability thresholds are defined each year based on the housing budget of households earning 80 percent of the regional median family income for owner housing and 50 percent of median for renter housing.

While housing prices have risen rapidly, housing overall in the Twin Cities remains more affordable than the national average for metropolitan areas, the report says. In 2000, 75 percent of the region’s housing was affordable to a median income family, compared to 60 percent nationally. Five years later, 64 percent of the region’s housing was affordable to a median income family, compared with 45 percent nationally. The Council benchmark is for the region’s housing affordability to remain at least 15 points ahead of the national average.

Environmental measures show improvement

Water quality measures for three primary pollutants — phosphorus, nitrogen and suspended solids — showed decreases in output from the metro area between 2003 and 2005. Outputs are measured using a 10-year rolling average because of annual variations in weather and other natural factors.

Under a law enacted by the 2005 Legislature, the Council is working to ensure that water supplies are developed in a sustainable and efficient manner. A Metropolitan Area Water Supply Advisory Committee is assisting the Council in its planning efforts. The Council continues to work with communities to develop local plans for drought and emergency conditions as well as plans for source water protection. The Council monitors annual water usage, and will continue to do so. Per capita municipal water use in the region averaged 133 gallons per day between 2002 and 2005.

The region has had zero violations of federal ambient air quality standards for carbon monoxide, ground-level ozone and particulates since 2002. However, it has had several alerts each year for unhealthy levels of fine particulates and ozone. Hot summer days contribute to higher ozone levels.