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This newsletter provides updates on the City's response to COVID-19, an overview of recovery efforts underway, efforts to transform public safety and other important news and information from the City of Minneapolis.
Today Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey delivered his 2021 budget address, which underscored his commitment to maintaining core City services, the City’s response to COVID-19, and new public safety transformation work. Frey has recommended continuing an enterprise-wide hiring freeze, across the board reductions in spending, and broad departmental reorganizations to maintain current service levels.
Offsetting the $35 million in lost non-property tax general fund revenues without cuts would have required an over 15% property levy increase. Frey’s measures will result in a 5.75% levy increase for 2021; however, the overall growth to the city’s tax base means the median valued home ($281,500) will see a 3% decrease ($47) under the mayor’s proposal.
“During an economic downturn, we must work smarter. Accordingly, I have asked City leadership to undergo a reorganization of their respective departments over the coming months. Through efficiencies and shared sacrifice we can continue to deliver our core city services with excellence,” said Frey.
Frey’s 2021 budget proposal also reinforces his commitment to affordable housing as a top priority. The proposal makes the Stable Homes Stable Schools program permanent. Started as a three-year pilot program, Stable Homes Stable Schools has housed or provided housing stability for 330 families and 946 children. Over 95% of the families served through Stable Homes Stable Schools are Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) families.
Read more.
Watch the mayor's budget address.
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With ranked choice votes now tabulated in the Ward 6 special election, Jamal Osman is the unofficial winner of the race to fill the vacant City Council seat.
This vote becomes official once it’s certified by the Minneapolis City Council, which serves as the Municipal Canvassing Board. All results are expected to be certified at 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20.
See the ranked choice voting tabulation.
The final tally is in for voter turnout in this year’s State primary. More than 130,000 people voted, either at the polls Tuesday or early by mail and in person at the Early Vote Center, making this the highest turnout of any primary election in Minneapolis in more than 50 years.
All total, 130,888 ballots were cast in Minneapolis. Of those 85,217, or 65%, were cast early. This marks the first time ever that an election in Minneapolis had more people voting early than on the day of an election.
New State law requires counting all mailed ballots for the State primary that are postmarked on or before the day of the primary (Aug. 11), and received in the mail no later than two days after the primary (today, Aug. 13). About 8,295 mail ballots were delivered to election officials yesterday and today and added to the partial, unofficial results from Tuesday night.
Since 1968, the only year with close to as many votes in a primary was 2018, with 101,266 ballots cast.
Read more.
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The City Council has approved an ordinance establishing seven new Cultural Districts in Minneapolis – a designation designed to accelerate economic development and affordable housing strategies in some of the city’s most vibrant and culturally diverse areas.
The ordinance establishes Cultural Districts along 38th Street South, Cedar Avenue South, Central Avenue, East Lake Street, Franklin Avenue East, West Broadway and Lowry Avenue North.
As outlined in Minneapolis 2040, the City’s Comprehensive Plan, the goal of Cultural Districts is to advance racial equity, prevent displacement, preserve cultural identity and fuel economic growth in areas with a rich sense of cultural and/or linguistic identity rooted in communities significantly populated by people of color, indigenous people and/or immigrants (POCII).
Read more.
The City Council has approved Mayor Jacob Frey’s appointment of Jim Rowader as the new City Attorney.
Rowader currently serves as vice president of general counsel employee and labor relations for Target Corp. He will start working at the City on Aug. 24. Before joining Target in 1994, he was an attorney for the National Labor Relations Board in Detroit, and subsequently for a Twin Cities law firm. He is also a board member of the Minnesota Justice Research Center and the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota. He’s also an active member of the National and Minnesota Hispanic Bar Associations.
He has also served as vice chair of the Minneapolis Workplace Advisory Committee, which advises City leaders on workplace regulations and policy.
The City Attorney’s Office is organized into two divisions: Civil and Criminal. The Civil Division provides a broad range of legal services to the City’s elected officials and staff, the City’s departments and independent boards and commissions. The Criminal Division prosecutes misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor and petty misdemeanor crimes within the City.
Read more.
The Minneapolis Forward: Community Now Coalition has issued the first round of recommendations aimed at rebuilding the city in the aftermath of civil unrest surrounding the death of George Floyd. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and City Council Vice President Andrea Jenkins convened a virtual briefing of coalition members and funding partners to present the proposals from first of three planned work cycle sprints on Aug. 6.
The first round focused on four key areas of action including: business retention, prioritizing BIPOC/minority-owned businesses, supporting entrepreneurs who invest in the community, and real estate and investment.
Participants in the Minneapolis Forward: Community Now Coalition reflect leadership from Twin Cities foundations, community-rooted businesses, and community organizations that are working together to transform Minneapolis into a stronger, equitable, inclusive and innovative city. The coalition is a cross-sector action team whose work is guided by the expertise of Black people, indigenous communities, people of color, and immigrants, including young people.
Learn more about the coalition on the City's website.
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved a disaster declaration for areas in Minnesota impacted by the recent civil unrest. Minneapolis business, nonprofits, and individuals are now eligible to apply for low-interest disaster loans directly from the SBA, including both physical damage and economic injury loans.
See the SBA news release and fact sheet for more information. For additional guidance and assistance, Minneapolis businesses can consult with an advisor through the City’s Business Technical Assistance Program or contact the Minneapolis Small Business Team at 612-673-2499 or SmallBusiness@minneapolismn.gov.
Apply online.
Have you completed the census yet? Completing the census will ensure that our communities receive resources for programs and services that we need. Many programs that our communities rely on, including SNAP, Medicaid, CHIP and Head Start are funded through data that is obtained by the census. The 2020 Census is our chance to shape the future of Minneapolis for the next 10 years.
Census takers have begun following up in Minneapolis with households that haven’t yet completed the 2020 Census. Census staff have been hired locally and are here to help households complete their census forms. The goal of census door knockers is to help get an accurate count. Census staffers can be easily identified by a valid government ID badge that includes their photograph and a U.S. Department of Commerce watermark.
Census field staff follow both CDC and local public health guidelines, are trained in physical distancing protocols and will provide census takers with masks during their visit. Census staff have sworn a lifetime oath of confidentiality. Any information that you provide to them will not be shared with any entity other than the Census Bureau for statistical purposes only and never to identify an individual.
Find more information here on verifying a census taker’s identity, COVID-19 protocols or the strategy to visit households that haven’t responded yet.
Learn more.
Minneapolis is offering free COVID-19 testing events Aug. 15 and 25. All are welcomed. The tests are available to people arriving on foot or by car.
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Free COVID-19 testing focused on Latinx community members: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15 Incarnation-Sagrado Corazon Church, 3817 Pleasant Ave. S. Register onsite. Registration forms are available in English and Spanish. Spanish interpreters will be onsite.
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Free COVID-19 testing focused on PICA Head Start families: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25 McKnight Early Childhood Family Development Center, 4225 Third Ave. S. Hmong, Somali and Spanish interpreters will be onsite.
You can expect to get your test results in about two days. The test is free, and you do not need insurance for the test. If you need medical care but don’t have health insurance, the Minnesota Department of Health offers resources to find low-cost health care or health insurance.
If you are unable to attend one of these testing events, you can use this directory to find a testing location near you.
Twenty-four City boards and commissions have openings for appointments this fall. Applications are open now. The positions are open until filled; application review begins Sept. 30 unless marked otherwise. The City seeks applicants with a diversity of backgrounds and experiences representing the demographics of Minneapolis to strengthen the work of the City. Translation and interpreting services are available so all residents can participate.
City boards and commissions have brought forward recommendations that resulted in renter protections, wage protections and a ban on a hazardous chemical in dry cleaning. Board and commission members in the City of Minneapolis help shape key policy decisions, give community-based input into the City’s administration of services and supply valuable insights.
People can apply through the open position pages linked below and stay up to date on vacancies, position descriptions and timelines by visiting minneapolismn.gov/boards/openings. Applications are open now.
Learn more about the openings.
Minnesotans are required to wear a face covering in indoor businesses and indoor public settings. Researchers have advocated for masking, calling it a simple and effective step to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
The state regulation reinforces Mayor Jacob Frey’s emergency regulation requiring people in Minneapolis to wear cloth face masks or coverings when they are in an indoor place of public accommodation is in effect.
Businesses are not required to provide masks to customers or employees themselves, though employers shall be required to mandate the use of masks by their staff. Non-compliance should be reported through 311. Find information on how to get a mask.
Donate homemade face masks at Minneapolis fire stations for Mask Drive Mondays
Minneapolis residents can deliver homemade masks to their local fire station from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Monday for Mask Drive Mondays. The City plans to distribute the donated masks throughout Minneapolis to residents, organizations and businesses that are most in need, including food shelves, congregate living facilities, small corner stores and shelters.
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Tune into the City's cultural radio programs for COVID-19 updates. The City has programs on KMOJ 89.9 FM (English); La Raza 95.7 FM (Spanish); KALY 101.7 FM (Somali); and WIXK AM 1590 (Hmong.) Radio shows schedule
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