An Open Letter to Landlords: The City of Duluth Needs Affordable Housing for the Forgotten Middle Class Worker

Rent in Duluth is absolutely outrageous for a town this size. Now it can't be said that we don't have a ton of new construction properties, but these are all fairly high-end rentals that for a single person or a couple might be hard to swing.

It seems that if you are elderly or a college student that does not mind 3 or 4 roommates you are in luck, but everyone else has to pay the price. According to Apartments.com, the average 1 bedroom apartment in Duluth ranges from $640-$1400 per month. According to Apartments.com, a Minneapolis 1 bedroom apartment ranges from $620-$2,415  I would gauge the average price around $850. Of course you have hundreds of places to choose from at various price points and most people in Minneapolis have a higher income as well.

Obviously it is all about supply and demand. In Duluth, it is a high demand for rentals with not as many places to choose from so the prices can be set higher.

On top of the cost of rent is how non-pet friendly Duluth seems to be. Obviously a number of landlords have gotten really burned by former pet owners. Again using Apartments.com, for rentals that allow dogs only 7 apartments were available and the average rent was around $1,000 per month.

According to Quicken, you should not spend more than 25% of your net income on your actual rent. For many of us that is wishful thinking. I wish I had the magic answer, but something is going to give. Not everyone can afford to buy a home, and people should not have to give up their animals to move into an apartment.

What do you think? Have you had trouble finding an affordable apartment in Duluth? Do you own a pet or two? Let me know in the comments below.