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From Ward 5 Minneapolis City Council Member, Jeremiah Ellison.
I am heartbroken over the passing of Sammy McDowell.
I met Sammy when I was a young artist, my studio just across the street from Sammy's Avenue Eatery. His warmth was so consistent, it felt permanent. For those who knew him, I am in grief alongside you.
Sammy was much more than the business he ran, but he made that business a monument to his values. In every way people discounted the Northside, Sammy believed in his community. He regularly hired black youth, he paid fairly, he hired local. He was genuine, kind, and diligent.
Sammy, you left a lasting impression on me, on many, on your community. And you will be missed.
If you can, please join our community in celebrating his life:
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Sammy McDowell's Visitation & Wake - Wednesday, May 8th from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Shiloh Temple International Ministries, 1201 West Broadway Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55411,
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Sammy McDowell's Homegoing Service - Thursday, May 9th, visitation from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM with homegoing service beginning at 11:00 AM at Shiloh Temple International Ministries, 1201 West Broadway Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55411.
Join me from 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM every Monday for Open Coffee Hours! These are informal and a chance for me to hear directly from you while we share coffee or a meal (virtually).
Office hours is on a first come first served basis. Please try not to call in past 12:50 p.m. as we want to leave enough time to chat about what you'd like to discuss.
Please RSVP here and my staff will follow-up with the call-in details. If you have any questions or concerns, reach out to Dieu Do, Policy Associate, at dieu.do@minneapolismn.gov.
BCR Ride-Along
On Thursday, April 18th, I had the honor of joining our Behavioral Crisis Responders (BCR) for a ride-along to see their remarkable work in action.
Behavioral crisis response (BCR) is provided free of charge for Minneapolis residents.
The services provides:
- Crisis intervention,
- Counseling, and
- Referrals and connection to support service.
These types of crisis include:
- Inability to perform daily tasks,
- Out-of-control mood swings,
- Loss of touch with reality,
- Paranoia.
If you need BCR to respond to your location, call 911.
To request BCR response to a non-emergency situation, call 612-348-2345.
Community Planting Event
Project Sweetie Pie and Northside Safety NET are hosting community planting events at the Celestial Gardens in North Minneapolis, 2210 Emerson Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411.
Volunteers are needed to prep the site with youth on Tuesday, May 28th and during the event on Wednesday, May 29th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM.
Please reach out to Master Gardener Intern Gladys Daniela Mejia to get involved: gladysdanielamejia@gmail.com / Gladys.mejia@minneapolismn.gov.
De-escalation 101 with Nonviolent Peaceforce
Don’t know what to do when things get heated? Nonviolent Peaceforce is holding De-escalation 101 workshops in May. The topics that will be covered include OODA Loop and Upstander Intervention.
Event Details
- Date/Time: Monday, May 6th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
- Date/Time: Monday, May 20th from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
- Location: The Hub for Nonviolence and Safety, 2143 Lowry Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411
- Light snacks will be provided.
- Click here to register for a workshop.
Local Public Health Heroes
On Wednesday, April 17th, I had the privilege of presenting the City of Minneapolis Local Public Health Hero for Sustainability, Healthy Homes, and Environment to Roxxanne O'Brien.
I first met Roxxanne when I was eight or nine years old. As I grew up on the Northside, seeing Roxxanne become somebody who is deeply invested in environmental justice was both a beautiful and painful process. Seeing the decline in her and her children's health and asking, "What's causing this?" It's the air, soil, food; these are the things that turned Roxxanne into the champion that she is in environmental advocacy.
Roxxanne founded CMEJ (Community Members for Environmental Justice), led the fight against Northern Metals, and connected the infestation of Emerald Ash Borers (EAB) to the issues of environmental justice and housing displacement is the kind of genius that she brings to this work. From the bottom of my heart, congratulations and thank you so much to all that you have done for me, for the Northside, and broader communities, Roxxanne.
METRO Blue Line Extension Corridor Management Committee (CMC)
My office attended the most recent METRO Blue Line Extension Corridor Management Committee meeting on Thursday, April 11th. The agenda included:
- Community and Business Advisory Committee Reports,
- Project Update,
- Anti-Displacement Update, and
- Design Update.
Click here for more information about CMC and agenda/video recordings of past meetings. The next meeting will take place on Thursday, May 9th from 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM at the Metro Transit - Headquarters, 560 Sixth Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55411, with options of in-person attendance or live recording.
Upper Harbor Redevelopment Community Meeting
Everyone is invited to hear from the City and the development team, led by United Properties, as they share the latest updates on the project, a proposal for the health & wellness hub, and a preview of what's next. Food will be provided. Meeting participants will also be invited to share their feedback on the proposal.
Event Details
Click here to visit the City's website to read more about the Upper Harbor Redevelopment.
V3 Sports Site Visit
My team and I had an incredible time visiting V3 Sports on Plymouth Avenue and Aldrich Avenue. It is an innovative space that includes aquatics and fitness amenities (such as a hydrotherapy pool), on-site childcare, a new home for the Boys and Girls Club, and a restaurant! Thank you so much to Malik Rucker, Erika Binger, and Martha Arrandondo for giving my team and I such a fun and comprehensive site visit.
Artists are invited to apply for five public art opportunities. These opportunities are in concert with the North Commons Park Improvements Project. They include:
- A major large-scale exterior façade artwork
- A vinyl mural spanning windows
- 3 painted murals.
Local artists or artist teams may apply. The selected artists or artist teams will collaborate with the design team and community to create these public artworks.
Download the Call for Artists/Requests for Qualifications
Attend the Optional Information Meeting for Artists: April 19th, 2024, 10:30 a.m.-12 noon CST, contact Dudley.Voigt@minneapolismn.gov for a link to the meeting.
Application Deadline: May 3rd, 2024, 4:00 p.m. CST
Did you know that Saturday, April 27th is Free Park Day?
You can head out to one of our beautiful state parks for free on and enjoy it yourself! Minnesota state parks are open year-round, and there's a state park within 30 miles of most Minnesotans. With a free day in each season, it's a great opportunity to get out there and explore someplace new!
Click here for more information on Free Park Day.
The Hennepin County Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HCHRA) created the Homebuyer Assistance Program to reduce racial disparities in homeownership. HCHRA will provide down payment financing to assist buyers interested in purchasing a home to have as their principal place of residence in Hennepin County.
Eligibility Requirements
- Borrower’s gross household income must be at or below 115% AMI.
First-time buyer: Borrower must not have an ownership interest in another property for the last 3 years.
- Borrower can have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) or Social Security Number (SSN).
- Borrower must contribute at least $1,000 of their own funds toward the purchase.
- Housing Ratios: Borrower’s PITI must be within 20-35% (front end), not to exceed 50% (back-end) of gross income.
Required Education
- Certificate of Home Stretch group education within one year prior to purchase; see available workshops on Minnesota Homeownership Center website. Framework or other curriculums are not accepted. Sign up for NWHP workshops.
- Certificate of 1:1 Pre-purchase advising is required within one year of purchase. Sign up for NWHP pre-purchase advising.
- If there are two borrowers, both must complete Home Stretch and pre-purchase counseling.
Click here for more information and to apply for this program.
The Providing Resources and Opportunity and Maximizing Investments in Striving Entrepreneurs (PROMISE) Grant and Loan Programs are new, state-funded programs that will provide grants and loans to disadvantaged small businesses located in certain areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul.
The Neighborhood Development Center (NDC) will administer the MN PROMISE Grant program and the Metropolitan Economic Development Association will administer the MN PROMISE Loan program, alongside community partner organizations.
Click here to learn more about this opportunity.
Want to check your eligibility? Click here to fill out a pre-application to see if you meet the program requirements.
The Minneapolis Department of Regulatory Services is gearing up for a Renter Rights Resource Fair on Tuesday, June 4th from 10:30 AM - 1:30 PM at the Minneapolis Public Service Building (first floor), 505 S 4th Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55415.
Renters and property owners will have the opportunity to connect with City staff and community organizations about renting questions, common issues and resources. A free meal and interpretation services will be provided.
We’re excited that organizations such as Urban League Twin Cities, Arrive Ministries, and others will join City staff to help community members with topics ranging from:
- Overcoming maintenance issues
- Renter rights
- Understanding property owner/tenant responsibilities
- Housing resources for immigrants and refugees
- Environmental hazards in homes
Share the event with a neighbor and stay up to date by visiting the event’s Facebook page.
Contact Kaylee Tracy at kaylee.tracy@minneapolismn.gov for more information or with any questions.
Community Project Funding, an updated version of Congressional “earmarks,” are a form of grant where Members of Congress request federal funding for a limited number of projects in their communities. These projects bring direct financial support to projects that make a real difference in the lives of constituents.
Each cycle, organizations in Rep. Omar’s district are invited to apply for this funding opportunity. Rep. Omar then chooses which of the projects to advance for funding based on those applications.
Please note that not all projects are eligible for this funding; the House majority determines the types of projects that are eligible each cycle and Rep. Omar can only advance the projects that meet those criteria.
Deadline for projects is Wednesday, May 1st, 2024 by 5:00 PM Central Time.
Click here for more information on eligibility requirements and application process.
Are you experiencing struggles with food insecurity, housing, career readiness, and legal matters? Are you in need of help? Please look below to see which resources can be beneficial to you.
Career Readiness
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Project for Pride in Living (PPL)
- PPL builds the hope, assets, and self-reliance of individuals and families who have lower incomes by providing transformative affordable housing and career readiness services.
Family Support & Educational Programming
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Way to Grow
- Way to Grow is a nonprofit organization on the Northside that provides free, year-round family support and educational programming for families in Minneapolis and in surrounding suburbs.
Food Insecurity
Free/Discounted Internet
Housing/Tenant Protections
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Home Line
- This organization provides free and low-cost legal, organizing, education, and advocacy services so that tenants throughout Minnesota can solve their own rental housing problems.
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United Renters for Justice/Inquilinxs Unidxs por Justicia
- United Renters for Justice/Inquilinxs Unidxs por Justicia is a base-building nonprofit working to transform the Minneapolis housing system.
Legal Representation
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Attorney General Keith Ellison's Office
- The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office appreciates hearing from members of the public. In many cases, they are able to provide direct assistance to people. Hearing from members of the public also alerts us to problems occurring in the marketplace.
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Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid
- This organization provides free legal aid to people with low-income, disabilities, and seniors in 20 Central Minnesota counties. These services include, but are not limited to:
- Debt collection and unfair loans
- Disability-related cases
- Divorce and child custody
- Domestic violence
- Elder abuse
- Housing discrimination and evictions
- Immigration and citizenship
- IRS Tax Issues
Minneapolis 311
- Need to report an issue? Can't find the right information? Minneapolis 311 can help. 311 coordinates with City departments and service providers to report your concerns, find you information and connect you with nonemergency City services.
- There are many ways to get in contact with Minneapolis 311 for non-emergency information. Choose what's easiest for you.
- Call 311. Agents are here to answer your call 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call 311 from within city limits or 612-673-3000.
- Email 311. You can email 311 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Agents will respond 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
- Text 311. You can text 311 a short question any time. Just text two or three keywords to 311TXT (311898) to receive an answer from the Minneapolis 311 information database on your mobile phone.
- Get the 311 mobile app. Report neighborhood issues on the 311 mobile app 24 hours a day.
- TTY. 311 agents use computer-based technology so hearing-impaired callers can easily communicate with the City using TDD/TTY devices. Call TTY 612-263-6850.
- Use the contact form. You can send 311 your comments or questions on the website contact form.
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