Much of Audubon Park's rental housing is in poor condition. The StarTribune reports that a rise of single-family conversions to rental has government officials alarmed. The story quotes south side Councilmember Gary Schiff:

“Non-homestead property traditionally has made up less than 8 percent of the Minneapolis single-family housing stock. But in a six-year trend that predates the recent wave of foreclosures, that's shot up to 18.6 percent. That's 6,400 more rental homes.”

Schiff fears that having more rental properties means more wear-and-tear for the city's housing stock, which he calls one of Minneapolis' prime assets. He said that renters tend to move more frequently, weakening neighborhood ties.

To address the issue, the City has raised the fee for converting a single-family to rental. Audubon Park’s neighborhood Master Plan identifies dilapidated rental housing as a priority target for improvement. The ANA Housing Committee has drafted a loan program aimed at encouraging owner-occupancy of multi-unit housing. A post on the Eastside Defender offers more suggestions for limiting the potential damage.