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Mayor Frey and his family celebrated Hanukkah earlier this month. Sending thoughts of peace and joy to the entire Minneapolis community this holiday season... and wishing you the best as we look ahead to 2024!
Mayor Frey and the City of Minneapolis have announced a $18.3 million investment to create and preserve 876 affordable housing multi-family rental units across the city. Of the $18.3 million, $16.3 million will be a direct investment and $1.5 million will be in 10-year federal tax credits – which will go toward 9 housing projects.
The investments are part of the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF), which helps create new and preserve existing affordable housing for low-income renters with incomes at or below 50% AMI ($62,000 per year for a family of four). For 2024, the mayor has allocated $18 million to the AHTF in his budget.
“Minneapolis has been leading the nation in our affordable housing production – and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund is a big part of that body of work,” said Mayor Frey. “We know when people have a roof over their head and a safe, stable place to call home, it benefits their mental, physical, and emotional well-being, and that is why this Fund is so important. People need access to affordable housing, and we’re giving them that. Thank you to our housing team in the Community Planning and Economic Development department for their partnership and ongoing work to further our affordable housing goals.”
The Office of Community Safety and the Minneapolis Police Department have announced a new tool to collect feedback and input from residents on the police department and ongoing community safety efforts. Back in October, the City Council approved a three-year contract with Zencity Technologies to help implement the survey tool.
Several departments across the country have worked with the company – and Chief O’Hara said it’s a great tool to help his department and officers better understand the needs and concerns of the community they serve. Survey results will be released every quarter.
“Reenvisioning community safety means listening to our residents and working alongside them to shape the future,” said Mayor Frey. “This perception survey will give us real-time, honest, and objective feedback as we continue to find ways to strengthen community-police relations and shift the culture of our police department. With this initiative, Chief O’Hara and the MPD are going above and beyond the requirements of the settlement agreement – and they will be doing the hard work to better understand our communities’ views and figure out ways to deepen the trust in the MPD for many generations to come.”
“We are always open to deploying tools that will help us better understand the needs and the concerns of the communities we serve. Zencity is a great resource used by many of the most prestigious police departments around the world,” said MPD Chief Brian O’Hara. “Utilizing Zencity goes beyond a consent decree or a settlement agreement—it’s the right tool to help the residents of Minneapolis. I’m excited to learn more as surveys continue to roll out.”
The City of Minneapolis has awarded the first round of funding for the new, historic climate action work through the Minneapolis Climate Legacy Initiative (CLI). The CLI is Mayor Frey’s innovative plan to fund the City’s accelerated, equitable, and aggressive climate goals over the next ten years. Through the CLI, Minneapolis is poised to become one of the most sustainable cities in the nation.
Mayor Frey announced the creation of the CLI in July after working with various community leaders, grassroots advocates, unions and climate organizations, and City staff. Last Thursday, the City officially opened up contracts with more than 20 community organizations, allowing them to get funding and services through the CLI in areas of the city that need it most.
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This week, the Minneapolis Foundation put out a report outlining their vision for downtown Minneapolis. The Report builds on conversations and recommendations coming out of Mayor Frey’s Vibrant Downtown Storefront Workgroup. The Report highlights what’s working well downtown and identifies roadblocks to be overcome, public and private resources that should be prioritized, and longstanding beliefs that should be examined. The report urges the public sector to be creative and aggressive in identifying financial tools which can be available to support these efforts.
Some of the Report’s recommendations are already being spearheaded by the City such as a new city position in next year’s budget to "activate" downtown, continued work towards a bus-free Nicollet Mall, and a shift from commercial to residential in some buildings like the Northstar Center office building.
"I think we'd all like downtown to come back in one big burst," Mayor Frey said. "It will be a series of little bursts. You just have to feel the momentum each day."
More information on the new report.
Mayor Frey and the City of Minneapolis are proud to announce Heidi E. Erdrich will serve as the City's first-ever Poet Laureate in 2024. As a poet, author, and advocate, Erdrich brings an illustrious and influential body of work and experience to the role. As the City’s first Poet Laureate, Erdrich will use the power of words to engage with diverse communities across Minneapolis through reading, writing, and workshops. She will also speak at City Council meetings and teach poetry classes.
“Minneapolis is a city of arts and creativity – and our new Poet Laureate will help inspire our community through the power of words,” Mayor Frey said. “I look forward to welcoming Heid Erdrich as our Poet Laureate – and seeing her use her craft to inspire and unite our community. Thank you to Director Johnson, the entire Arts & Cultural Affairs Department, and The Loft Literary Center for collaborating on this first-ever program.”
Heid E. Erdrich shared her gratitude and excitement at the new role, "Minneapolis is a city of poetry—the home of great poets and publishers of poetry—and it is a great honor to serve as the inaugural Poet Laureate. It is especially gratifying for me as an Anishinaabe woman to acknowledge that Indigenous people, particularly the Dakota, were the first poets of this place. In my role as Poet Laureate I will include Indigenous poets in all I do. I am grateful for the honor. Miigwech!"
Mayor Frey, City leaders and community members celebrated the re-opening of a new housing project at Great River Landing. Hosted at the 180 Degrees and Beacon Interfaith Housing Collective, the housing project includes 72 units of affordable housing for individuals formerly incarcerated and transitioning from homelessness. Mayor Frey has been a huge supporter and advocate of the project since he was a Council Member.
“Right here, in this space with these people, with 72 homes that have opened and are now being reopened once again, and with an organization like 180 Degrees, this will fill a necessary gap,” said Frey. “You shouldn’t be doing a second sentence in our city or in community once you’ve already done your sentence in prison.”
The team at Children’s Minnesota is full of heroes. This holiday season, Mayor Frey and Commissioner Barnette had a very special time meeting some of our community’s bravest and toughest kids – and even got to have fun playing bingo at Star Studio.
As we move into the new year, we're taking a look at how we can better serve the needs of our community members through direct outreach and engagement with our residents. Take a moment to fill out a brief survey and voice your thoughts and opinions. Your insights are invaluable in building a stronger, more connected Minneapolis — and your feedback will shape future initiatives to help us improve our engagement with you. Thank you for being an integral part of our community!
Immunizations are available this fall and winter in the United States that can help protect against three major respiratory diseases: COVID-19, flu and RSV. Immunization against these viruses remains the best protection for reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalizations, long-term health impacts and death.
Recommendations for these immunizations vary based on age, pregnancy status or medical conditions.
To find flu and COVID-19 vaccines, visit vaccines.gov.
To learn more, including how to find recommended immunizations, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
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