My name is Tim Meyer, and I’m excited to be running for the State Legislature in District 8B.
As the founder of Meyer Group Architecture, I am very passionate about tackling the housing crisis. I have been involved in all aspects of housing projects, from my experience on the Planning Commission and Duluth HRA board to designing and constructing buildings. This, day one, will allow me to impact housing in Duluth in a unique way.
The easiest way the State Legislature could help abate the crisis is by expanding the Historic Housing Tax Credit to include all projects that promise to reactivate a vacant, blighted building regardless of age, and, in exchange, developers will be required to maintain a percentage of income-restricted units. This will lower the cost of housing and greatly improve the speed at which Minnesota’s downtown cores, with all their vacant office space, are transformed into bustling residential and leisure hubs.
I am also very concerned about the zoning legislation Alicia Kozlowski was an author of and a key public advocate for, dubbed the “Missing Middle” housing bill (MN House file 4009). This bill's goal was to abolish local zoning, making the single-family, low-density zoning that can be found across the majority of District 8B illegal. Furthermore, it would have eliminated our local zoning commission, removing an important public forum that allows all citizens to have their voices heard.
I do not want a triplex built next to my house, and I believe most of Alicia Kozlowski’s other constituents don’t either. There are plenty of vacant lots and underutilized office space downtown that can and should be developed before we damage the character of our neighborhoods. So maybe it’s time we put an independent in office who will listen to the people and work for their interests, not state political parties or special interests.
Timothy Meyer
Candidate for State House District 8B (eastern side of Duluth)