At the October 11th Hennepin County Board meeting, Luda Trandafilava, Senior Administrative Manager of Hennepin County Security, spoke about the Safe Spaces project. Safe spaces is a clear, trauma-informed and victim centered response to human trafficking and domestic abuse. The project is designed to provide support and assistance to victims in county buildings, but to also raise general awareness of human trafficking and domestic violence. 

Safe Spaces are places where domestic abuse/human trafficking victims, regardless of their background or English proficiency, can get immediate and long-term help via county resources. Our community partners identified that bathrooms are often the only safe space for the victim of domestic abuse or human trafficking where they can take a minute to themselves and catch a break and sometimes ask for help. 

Hennepin County created and launched a pilot  in select county bathrooms to offer ways for someone to ask for help. These select spaces offer two ways to get help: 

The county is piloting this at four locations around the county including the Hennepin County Government Center and the Central Library and have translated materials into English, Spanish, Somali and Hmong. In the first week of this pilot project, the county assisted two victims and have spent time with them and helped guide them to county resources.  

In early October, Duffy Development opened the third building in the Bottineau Ridge Apartments which will work to house residents in Maple Grove with one to up to four-bedroom apartments. The Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority assisted with this project in 2020 through our HOME Investment Partnership Programing which aims to support and preserve affordable housing for individuals and families. In 2014, Hennepin County also helped funded the first phase with funding from our Affordable Housing Incentive Fund. This funding helped create housing at or below the 50% Area Median Income threshold, people who are exiting homelessness, and those with disabilities. These units include amenities such as in unit laundry, underground parking, playground facilities, and an onsite exercise facility as continues to help house the residents of Maple Grove.

This month I had the opportunity to visit with our Forestry Department in their efforts to increase our tree canopy by planting trees within the county. Our team works to plant trees within boulevards, on county property, and by working with cities to coordinate tree planting efforts. In the county’s climate action plan, we set a goal of planting one million trees by 2030 in coordination with cities, Three Rivers Park District, and other community partners. In order to do this, we need to ensure that we have a robust pipeline to complete this work.

I was able to visit the Gravel Bed Nursery at the Hennepin County Adult Corrections Facility in Plymouth. The gravel-bed nursery gives the county access to hardy, diverse and cost-effective trees for use on county projects and properties. Compared to conventional nursery trees, the gravel-bed nursery gives the county access to a wider diversity of tree species, produces trees 

that have a good survival rate, and allows the county to plant trees in a more cost-effective manner. After visiting this facility, my office was able to take part in a tree planting effort on a tax forfeited property in Maple Grove.

Thank you again to the forestry department for discussion with me their efforts to plant one million trees as well as to diversity the kinds of trees within our community.  

The 7th District serves the cities of 
Champlin, Corcoran, Dayton, Greenfield, Independence, Loretto, Maple Grove, Maple Plain, Medina, Minnetrista, Southern Mound, Rogers,
St. Bonifacius, Hanover, Northwest Plymouth, and Rockford.