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Dear Community,
The count is complete for the Nov. 7 municipal election. You can find the unofficial results for all ward races on the City website. Thank you to the hardworking team at Election and Voter Services, to all election judges, and to voters. I look forward to working with my new and returning colleagues in 2024.
Sincerely,
Council Member Robin Wonsley
I am authoring an ordinance to protect renters who sign pre-leases for new development. Currently, renters with pre-leases lack basic protections if the developer does not meet the development timeline. This ordinance would ensure that if a renter signs a pre-lease and the building is not ready by move-in, the renter is guaranteed the right to choose from one of three options:
- The landlord finds the renter alternative housing that is reasonably similar to the unit until the unit is ready.
- The landlord pays the renter the amount of rent for the unit until until the unit is ready, so that the renter can use those funds to obtain their own short-term housing.
- The renter exits the pre-lease and has their deposit and any other fees refunded.
I have been proud to work with directly impacted renters, organized labor, students, and the University of Minnesota on this ordinance as a first response to the disastrous situation at Identity Dinkytown earlier this fall. This is the first of many actions I hope to take to rein in exploitative corporate developers in the coming months in collaboration with my colleagues, community, labor, and advocates.
There will be a public hearing on the pre-leasing ordinance on November 29th at 10:30am. Everyone is welcome to come speak for two minutes, or submit written testimony to CouncilComment@minneapolismn.gov.
Key votes: Public hearing on November 29th at 10:30am followed by a vote of the Business, Inspections, Housing, and Zoning Committee. The full Council will vote on the ordinance on December 7th at 9:30am.
Last year, numerous residents reached out to my office expressing frustration with vacant buildings and their impacts in our community. Commercial vacant buildings hurt the vibrancy and safety of our main corridors, and residential vacancy is a huge missed opportunity to help address our housing crisis. Residents have organized around specific vacant commercial properties, have formed a coalition supporting fees on chronic residential vacancy, and written publicly about the problem and proposed solutions.
Inspired by resident organizing, I authored a legislative directive to look at how the city could improve the current system for tracking vacant properties and incentivizing landlords to activate them. This presentation was supposed to occur in June, but was unfortunately delayed by the Frey administration. This week the presentation finally occurred and was extremely fruitful. There is at least one clear avenue we can pursue to strengthen financial penalties on landlords who keep their properties vacant for excessive periods of time, and many more possibilities to explore. I look forward to taking these steps in collaboration with residents, city staff, and my colleagues to ensure we are activating our existing housing units and commercial properties for maximum benefit to the community.
Key votes: No votes taken.
My office is continuing to finalize our proposed amendments to the Mayor’s proposed 2024 Budget. Next week I will reach out with a full list of my amendments. The packet of all proposed amendments by all Council Members will be published on November 27th. On November 30th and December 1st, Council will discuss and vote on all proposed amendments. On December 5th at 6pm there will be a final public hearing before Council votes on the full 2024 Budget as amended. You can send written public testimony about the Budget to CouncilComment@minneapolismn.gov at any time.
Key votes: No votes taken.
The Longfellow Community Council is hosting a community meeting on the future of the 3rd Precinct/Community Safety Center that will be located in Ward 2. I have heard loud and clear that residents do not want a return to the status quo of policing, and want the city to boldly invest in public safety beyond policing. Mayor Frey, Office of Community Safety Commissioner Barnette, and the majority of the City Council have stated verbal support for making this new 3rd Precinct/Community Safety Center different from a standard precinct, but the commitments have been extremely vague and have not been paired with action. I know residents of Ward 2 have been ready and eager to move forward to an actual community safety center that responds to our local safety needs, but they also recognize that in order for this work to advance, there has to be a detailed plan for comprehensive alternatives to policing and serious investment into that plan.
I enthusiastically support and am working every day to advance new investments in a comprehensive model of public safety including preventative, restorative, diversionary, and healing services and programs. However, the Mayor’s current intention is to re-establish a status quo precinct with a rebranded name. I encourage everyone to come out to this community meeting hosted by the Longfellow Community Council about the future of the 3rd Precinct/Community Safety Center for more information and discussion.
3rd Precinct/Community Safety Center Info Session
Hosted by Longfellow Community Council
November 16th at 6pm
Matthews Park Center, 2318 29th Ave S.
November 3, 2023 (Minneapolis): On Saturday, November 11, in cooperation with the Minneapolis Police Department, technicians from Hyundai will be on site in the parking lot of the old K-Mart building at 10 W Lake St. to provide free security upgrades for Hyundai vehicles that have been affected by an issue that leaves them vulnerable to theft.
The event will run from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Hyundai drivers are asked to arrive in their vehicles on the Blaisdell Ave. S side of the parking lot. A greeter will meet drivers to obtain vehicle information. During the upgrade, drivers can wait in a heated tent with seating and bathroom facilities. Once drivers meet with the greeter, the entire process should take approximately 30 minutes.
This event is open to all Hyundai drivers with affected vehicles. No paperwork or appointment is necessary. The following models are eligible for the free upgrade:
Accent - 2018-2022
Elantra - 2011-2022
Elantra GT – 2013-2020
Genesis Coupe – 2013 - 2014
Kona – 2018 - 2022
Palisade – 2020 - 2021
Santa Fe – 2013 - 2022
Santa Fe Sport – 2013 - 2018
Santa Fe XL - 2019
Sonata – 2011 - 2019
Tucson – 2011 - 2022
Veloster – 2012 – 2017, 2019 - 2021
Venue – 2020 – 2021
Hyundai vehicles that are ineligible for a security upgrade will receive a free anti-theft steering-wheel lock.
36th ART (Avenue Revitalization & Transformation), a resident-led coalition of Seward and Longfellow community stakeholders in partnership with SPRAYFiNGER® and Hiawatha Collegiate High School (HCHS) are engaged in transforming the railroad/Greenway bridge over 36th Avenue South, with the production of two large 80-foot wall murals. The aging bridge, built in 1908, is part of the final stretch of rail before it crosses the Mississippi River. The goals of the project are to transform the bridge into an attractive, valued gateway between the Seward and Longfellow neighborhoods and to artistically engage high school youth in an initiative to turn an eyesore in the community into a place of meaning and pride.
All are invited to a community celebration and dedication of the mural on Saturday, November 11th from 1:00 – 4:00 pm on the HCHS campus at 3500 E. 28th St.
Email Council Member Wonsley and her staff at ward2@minneapolismn.gov
Or contact staff directly:
Policy Aide Celeste Robinson
Policy Aide Qannani Omar
Share your opinion or address an issue, use the Ward 2 contact form
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