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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I hope this newsletter finds you well as we roll into the latter half of summer.
Here at the county, I am pleased to announce that the board has appointed Jodi Wentland as the new County Administrator, and I offer outgoing Administrator David Hough gratitude and congratulations for his long career as a public servant and phased retirement. Read more below on County Administrator Wentland, and a celebration for David Hough.
Also in this newsletter:
- Recognition of Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Staff; and their success stories
- Metro Inn and Lyndale Avenue Apartments Updates
- Solar power installation opportunity through a county partnership
- A program update from WomenVenture, an Elevate Hennepin business support initiative
- Application information for the state's Electric-Assisted Bicycle Rebate (e-Bike Rebate) program
- Details for the upcoming Household Hazardous Waste Collection Event
My best,
I want to offer a warm and enthusiastic welcome to our new County Administrator Jodi Wentland (pictured front row, second from the left).
The County Board appointed Ms. Wentland as county administrator, effective August 1, 2025. She previously served the county as deputy county administrator and assistant county administrator for Health and Human Services. Read more from Administrator Wentland.
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I'd also like to congratulate outgoing Administrator David Hough on a long and accomplished career in public service. David’s lasting positive impact on the county and the region will continue to unfold in the years to come. His accomplishments are numerous, so I will highlight just one here: his leadership to focus the county in every way possible on ending disparities by race.
Join us for an open house reception on Tuesday, August 12, celebrating County Administrator David Hough as he steps into a phased retirement position.
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During the last week of July, the county celebrated Pretrial, Probation and Parole Supervision Week. This is an opportunity to recognize the more than 460 supervision agents and field services staff in Hennepin County who work hard to keep our communities safe.
Today, probation and parole officers act as guides and change agents, helping clients navigate complex systems, connecting them to essential resources, and working collaboratively with other justice system partners.
Aqua City Site (now known as Lyndale Avenue Apartments):
Hennepin County purchased this site for affordable housing, and subsequently demolished the Aqua City Motel property due to un-repairable condition. Hennepin County then awarded the site to Trellis.
The project developer, Trellis, has secured a commitment for 30 project-based vouchers from Minneapolis Public Housing Authority, which helps further affordability for future residents.
In May, the Hennepin County HRA awarded the project its first funding - $500,000 from the Supportive Housing Strategy - to help the project attract the other funding needed to start construction. Affordable housing projects typically take 3-5 years to secure all funding. The image included is a preliminary rendering of the proposed development.
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Metro Inn Updates:
Hennepin County purchased this site for affordable housing and utilized the property initially for non-congregate shelter during the pandemic. Hennepin County then renovated the property to convert to single-room occupancy housing and awarded the property to Agate.
The project created 39 units of deeply affordable, single-room occupancy housing with ample community spaces with leasing beginning in January 2024.
In October 2024, fire took 16 units temporarily offline. All residents made it out safely, and most tenants displaced by the fire in those 16 units were able to be relocated to other affordable housing. After working through insurance claims, Metro Inn is in the process of rebuilding the damaged units. They anticipate units will be back online by end of 2025.
Hennepin County’s Climate and Resiliency department is partnering with nonprofit Solar United Neighbors to offer Switch Together, a group buying program to help residents save on the cost of solar installations. Switch Together offers residents a hassle-free way to lower their electric bills and reduce their carbon footprint by installing high-quality solar as well as optional add-ons including EV chargers and battery storage, for a competitive price.
Take advantage of this opportunity by registering here. Deadline to register is Wednesday, September 10, 2025.
As an advisor with the Elevate Hennepin, a business support initiative from Hennepin County, WomenVenture uses more than 40 years of experience in small business consulting to break down the complexities of small business ownership.
Advisor Abdiwahid Ali said WomenVenture advisors can help with all sorts of business challenges across all stages of business.
“If you haven’t gotten started, we can work on registering your business,” Ali said. “If a client is looking to scale and grow their business, then we start looking at supporting them in areas such as marketing to look at what their branding looks like.”
Read how these advisors help Hennepin County residents break through complexity and information paralysis to take their business or idea further.
Learn more here.
The Electric-Assisted Bicycle Rebate (e-Bike Rebate) is designed to reduce the cost for eligible Minnesota residents to buy a new e-bike at approved retailers.
e-Bike Rebate Application Opened July 30
The online rebate application will be open July 30 at 11 a.m., to August 7 at 2 p.m. Individuals can apply any time during this period.
What's New for 2025
New legislation for the e-Bike Rebate program was passed for 2025. New requirements include:
- Individuals must now be under a certain income level or have a disability to qualify
- The rebate is worth 75% of eligible expenses, up to $750 off the cost of a new e-bike
- Rebates will be allocated using a random lottery
For program details, check out the following e-Bike Rebate Updates for Individuals or Updates for Retailers.
Hennepin County is hosting community collection events for county residents to safely and properly dispose of unwanted garden and household hazardous wastes.
Upcoming Minneapolis event
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8, and Saturday, Aug. 9 South High School, 3131 19th Ave. S. Enter from 21st Avenue South.
Visit the Hennepin County website to learn what items will be accepted, to review safety guidelines, and to see all 2025 events.
Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Laura Hoffman
District Aide
612-348-0863
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