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Dear Neighbors,
Winter has officially arrived in Minnesota - with 4 to 8 inches of snow depending on where you live! Still, for those of us who lived through the 1991 Halloween Blizzard, it’s hard to be too impressed until we hit that eight-inch mark in a single day.
As we close out the year, I want to wish you and your loved ones a joyful and restorative holiday season, Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy New Year to all who celebrate. My family is looking forward to enjoying some of our state’s wonderful traditions, from the Glow Holiday Festival to the Arboretum light displays, and we recently took our boys to Twas the Night Before at Northrop - a highlight of the season.
As we turn the page on 2025, I want to share reflections on a year that has tested our county in profound ways - fiscally, politically, and operationally - and yet has also demonstrated the resilience, compassion, and commitment of our staff, partners, and residents. This year, the County Board convened 36 meetings and took action on more than 600 Board Action Requests, each one representing an important piece of the work we do together.
A Year of Challenge and Progress
We navigated a highly uncertain funding environment, with federal cost-sharing reductions affecting housing, food supports, health care, and public safety. Despite these challenges, our focus never wavered: serving our residents equitably, responsibly, and effectively.
Supporting Youth & Families
A major highlight was the opening of the Youth Stabilization Center, a new 13-bed crisis residential program for youth with complex mental and behavioral health needs. Located at our Behavioral Health Center on Chicago Avenue, this home-like setting fills a critical gap in our continuum of care.
Strengthening Housing Stability
Housing remains one of the most pressing needs in Hennepin County. In 2025:
- 942 units of affordable rental housing opened or reopened with county support.
- 352 families transitioned from shelter into stable housing - reducing family shelter census by 15% since January and 62% since early 2024.
- We invested $37 million in shelter operations, added 83 adult beds, and preserved 50 more that would have otherwise closed.
Investing in Libraries & Learning
Our libraries have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels of use:
- 4.5 million visits and 11.8 million check-outs
- 579,000 active library cardholders, a 9% increase
- 5,800+ Homework Help sessions
- 3,300+ Let’s Read literacy sessions
These services are essential to our countywide strategy to reduce educational disparities.
Advancing Public Health
This year we saw a 31% decrease in opioid overdose deaths - a hopeful shift rooted in strong community partnerships. In 2025, we invested $3.9 million in opioid response efforts and distributed more than 75,000 doses of naloxone, expanding access through community providers and public vending machines.
Building Safety & Justice
Our embedded social worker program continued expanding across the county, including at MSP Airport and Minneapolis 911. Staff received over 9,000 referrals and made more than 7,600 service connections, keeping 97% of individuals safely in the community.
Adult Representation Services also expanded early intervention efforts, helping residents resolve issues before they grow into legal crises, and supporting families through prevention-focused legal services.
Protecting Our Environment
We advanced our zero-waste goals by adopting a plan to cut edible food waste in half and by expanding drop-off events for organics, hazardous waste, building materials, and hard-to-dispose items.
Our Environment and Energy team provided $7 million in funding and technical assistance for nearly 300 environmental projects, helping communities reduce waste, protect water, restore land, and engage residents.
Transportation & Public Works
We completed several major reconstruction projects - including Lowry Avenue (Phase 1), University and 4th Avenues, and Minnetonka Boulevard - while advancing our 5-year, $760 million capital projects plan.
Transit milestones included:
- The Blue Line Extension achieved 60% design and completed federal environmental review.
- The Green Line Extension begins test-train operations
These projects will significantly improve mobility for residents across the region.
Budget Update
Today, the Board approved a 7.79% property tax levy, which matches the amount reflected in residents’ Truth-in-Taxation notices. I would have preferred to bring the levy lower, but our county is navigating significant reductions in federal cost-sharing paired with rising demands in housing, human services, and public safety.
My focus remains on being a responsible steward of taxpayer dollars and doing everything possible to lower the levy in future budget years. We hear the concerns of residents, and beginning in January we will work urgently to address the financial pressures facing families across our community.
As we wrap up 2025, I want to thank you for staying engaged, informed, and involved. Your feedback and advocacy directly shape the decisions we make. It continues to be the greatest honor of my career to represent District 6 and work in partnership with you for a stronger, more equitable, more hopeful Hennepin County.
Wishing you peace, warmth, and connection this holiday season and a bright start to 2026.
Please stay warm and drive safely.
 Heather Edelson
Hennepin County Commissioner, District 6
Hennepin County Board of Commissioners Meetings
Additional Items Recently Passed by the Board
- Approval of the 2026 Hennepin Healthcare System Financial Plan, as well as direction to perform a comprehensive review of Hennepin Healthcare Systems.
- Increased grant funding from the Minnesota Department of Human Services by $4.25 million (for a new total of $15.6 million) to support long-term homelessness services, and extended the program through June 30, 2027.
- Hennepin County Youth Activities Grants (HCYAG) for District 6:
Opportunities for Students in District 6
Hennepin County Student Art Contest
The submission window for the Hennepin County Student Art Contest is still open! Please help us share information about the contest with students to ensure that as many young people as possible can participate and have the chance to display their art at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
The contest is open to all students in grades 6–12 who either reside or attend school in Hennepin County. The winning art will be given the incredible honor of being exhibited at the Mia, sharing wall space with famous works!
You can view the full rules and find the link to submit artwork here: Hennepin County Student Art Contest. Please share with young people in your network who may be interested in submitting work!
Apply to "Intern for a Day" with the District 6 Office!
Our office is so excited to bring back our “Intern for a Day” series in 2026!
High school students (grades 9–12) are invited to spend a day with my office for a behind-the-scenes look at how County Government works. This is a non-partisan internship open to all District 6 students.
2026 internship dates (from 10am to 3pm):
• Wednesday, January 14
• Wednesday, February 18
• Wednesday, April 1
Students will hear directly from county leaders on law, safety, justice, transportation, and more - and get an inside look at public service in action.
Please help us spread the word to students across District 6! They can apply here by December 20th.
Commissioner Edelson in the Community
Youth Stabilization Center Opening
Last week, we opened the Hennepin Youth Stabilization Center - a critical new resource for youth experiencing behavioral health crises.
This 13-bed facility provides 24/7 care in a secure, family-centered environment for young people who have been waiting in hospitals or detention for support. Youth will receive crisis assessment, treatment, education, therapy, and coordinated transition planning - with the goal of stabilizing within 30 days.
Thank you to our partners including Nexus Family Healing, staff and the youth who worked with us to ensure the space focused on wellness and was a space for healing. It’s a big step forward for youth mental health in Hennepin County - we will start welcoming youth in the next few weeks.
Hmong New Year Celebration
It was an honor to speak and represent Hennepin County as a sponsor of this year’s Minnesota Hmong New Year celebrating 50 Years Strong with the Hmong American community. Thank you to our Hennepin County leaders Danny and Wang-Yu for organizing our sponsorship and helping us show up in a meaningful way.
Hmong New Year is a beautiful celebration of resilience, culture, and community. Wishing everyone a joyful, healthy, and prosperous New Year!
Know Your Neighbors Event
It was wonderful to attend the "Know Your Neighbors" event in Edina. A huge thank-you to Sanaa and Jessica for organizing this meaningful gathering and creating space for honest conversation and community connection.
The message of the evening was clear: we are a welcoming community, and we do not judge entire groups of people based on the actions of a few. That is a principle we must continue to uphold.
To our Somali community members in Minnesota and Hennepin County: you are welcome here, you are valued, and you are essential to the fabric of our community. You contribute in countless ways through entrepreneurship and small businesses, cultural and civic leadership, community organizing, public service, education, and a strong commitment to family and mutual support.
This is work that strengthens our communities.
Blood Drive at 50th and France
A great way to give back this holiday season is donating blood!
Stop by 50th & France (3924 W. 50th St.) on Wednesday, December 17th between 11AM and 6PM to donate blood and drop off a toy for families at the Ronald McDonald House. Fun fact: One hour of your day = up to 3 lives saved. Hope to see you!
Stay Connected!
We want to ensure that our residents are as informed as they can be with County business. To that end, you can view our County Board and Committee meetings here, as well as view past meetings. Please reach out if you have any questions about viewing meetings online or in-person. As always, I encourage you to reach out to me with any other questions or feedback you’d like to share at heather.edelson@hennepin.us or 612-348-6885. You can also follow me on my official Facebook page for updates.
Sincerely,
Heather Edelson
County Commissioner, Hennepin County District 6
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.
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Heather Edelson
Commissioner
6th District
Raina Meyer
Policy Director
Clara Wicklund
Assistant to the Commissioner
Office Phone Number: 612-348-6885
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