|
Dear Friends and Neighbors,
Hennepin County is currently accepting applications from community-based organizations that work to prevent, reduce, or mitigate gun violence in the region. Up to $49,999 is available for organizations. The deadline to apply is August 23, and you can find more information regarding the application process here.
Updates in this week's newsletter:
🏢 Progress Report: New Medical Examiner's Office
🏠 Single room occupancy: Public input needed: Task force to present draft recommendations. Attend a listening session to hear the recommendations and provide input on Thursday, August 5 from 1:30-3:00 p.m. RSVP now.
📢 Grant opportunity: Gun Violence Prevention Initiative: Up to $49,999 available for community-based organizations.
🏛 Mound City Council Meeting
🤝 West Interfaith Community Engagement Meeting
☕️ Coffee with Chris: Featuring special guests State Senator Ann Johnson Stewart and State Representative Patty Acomb. RSVP here.
🤝 Eden Prairie's annual PeopleFest!: Eden Prairie's Annual PeopleFest! kicks off today at the Staring Lake Amphitheatre at 6:00 p.m.
In service,
Chris
The new Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s office, located in Minnetonka, is set to open in early 2022. It will be a “next-practice” facility meeting our regional needs for the next 50+ years. Nationwide it will be one of only a handful of Medical Examiner’s offices incorporating CT case scanning into daily casework.
The new facility includes sustainability features like a state-of-the-art mechanical energy recovery system due to the need for 100% exhaust of the autopsy spaces.
From construction start through June 2021, 12400+ hours were worked by women on site, 28900+ hours by BIPOC workers, and $7.5 million of project costs have been paid to women-or minority-owned businesses.
Last week, I stopped by to check out the construction progress, learn more about Hennepin County Medical Examiner Dr. Andrew Baker’s vision for this space and the future of the work, and congratulate those involved in bringing this vision to reality.
In November 2020, Hennepin County created a Single Room Occupancy Task Force to develop strategies to create more housing that is affordable to households with very low incomes.
The task force is now looking for input on its initial draft recommendations.
Attend a listening session to hear the recommendations and provide input:
- Thursday, August 5
- 1:30-3 p.m.
- Virtual event
- RSVP now
Recommendations will include:
- Location
- Zoning and codes
- Design
- Conversion/construction
- Operation and management structures
- Financing strategies
What is single room occupancy housing?
Single room occupancy (SRO) housing can create housing options with very affordable rent. In SRO housing, the renter typically has their own room and shares common areas and kitchens with other renters. Bathrooms may be individual or shared.
This type of housing could serve as a valuable tool to create more housing options for households with the lowest incomes - a critical gap in the current Twin Cities housing market.
Hennepin County is taking applications from organizations to help reduce and respond to increased gun violence in the community. This initiative, funded by the American Rescue Plan Act, focuses on preventing, reducing, and mitigating gun violence in communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. Learn more about the request for applications.
According to Scientific American, more Americans died from gun violence in 2020 than during any previous year on record—a spike directly attributable to the pandemic—and homicides rose by 50% or more in over a dozen cities.
Eligible services
- Violence interruption and street outreach
- Youth education and programming
- Victim services and restorative practices for people experiencing trauma
- Job training, education, housing, and relocation services
Who should apply?
- Community organizations, nonprofits, Mutual Assistance Associations, faith-based organizations, educational institutions, and neighborhood groups
- Organizations uniquely situated to serve communities that have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, as well as Black and African American communities that are disproportionately impacted by gun violence
Apply by August 23
Submit your application in the Hennepin County Supplier Portal.
Pre-application conference
Hennepin County staff will be available to answer questions.
- August 2, 9 a.m.
- Hosted virtually via Microsoft Teams.
-
Click here to join the meeting or call (audio only) at 612-263-6117, phone conference ID 513 840 506#
This week I joined the Mound City Council and Mayor Salazar. We had a productive conversation on future partnerships with Hennepin County to best serve our residents. Thank you to the Mayor and council members for the invitation to join them and their steadfast leadership.
Affordable housing is central to the well-being of our communities. Earlier this week, I met with the West Interfaith Community Engagement Group to discuss housing transition services, the eviction moratorium, and more. A special thank you to the group for their dedication, advocacy, and work to ensure families have a safe place to call home.
Photo credit: Glen Stubbe, Star Tribune
By Kim Hyatt, Star Tribune
The Eden Prairie Police Department has added an outfitted Tesla to its fleet, likely becoming the first in the state to do so.
The fully electric 2021 Model Y first hit west metro roads on patrol this week. Though the $52,290 sticker price is more than double the standard Dodge Charger, officials say the Tesla's estimated total life cycle is more cost effective and aligns with the city's sustainability goals.
Access the full story here.
RSVP for the next Coffee with Chris on August 7 featuring special guests State Senator Ann Johnson Stewart and State Representative Patty Acomb at the Ridgedale Library.
Eden Prairie's Annual PeopleFest! kicks off today at the Staring Lake Amphitheatre at 6:00 p.m. featuring the Native Pride Dancers. PeopleFest! is designed to bring the community together while celebrating the many cultures that make up Eden Prairie. Events take place until August 14.
Pick up a guidebook for this year's celebration at any PeopleFest! event or at the Community Center.
A full schedule of events is also available at edenprairie.org/PeopleFest.
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners consists of one commissioner from each of seven districts. I am proud to represent Deephaven, north Eden Prairie, Edina, Excelsior, Greenwood, Hopkins, Long Lake, Minnetonka, Minnetonka Beach, northern Mound, Orono, Shorewood, Spring Park, Tonka Bay, Wayzata and Woodland.
|
Chris LaTondresse
Commissioner
6th District
612-348-7886
Jessica Oaxaca
District Director
612-348-6885
Kyle Olson
Policy Director
612-348-3168
|
