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Dear Neighbors,
The heat is on! Some folks call it the dog days of summer. It’s summertime and the living is easy. Unless you are unhoused or live near an encampment, such as the underpass at 31st Street, between 2nd Avenue and Stevens. Some of our unhoused neighbors are living in dangerous, unhealthy conditions that keep growing and creating unsafe conditions for all. We must work together with our partners at MnDOT, Hennepin County, MPD and others to create a sustainable plan to move folks to safe options for housing and services to address substance abuse and underlying mental health issues.
Similarly, we have witnessed an uptick in property crimes in some of our neighborhoods, particularly in Kingfield and Lyndale, so we’ll be hosting a community safety meeting this month to learn about actions and plans that MPD and our violence interrupter groups are taking to create safer communities. These events are in the final stages of confirmation, and we’ll provide detailed locations and times as soon as they become available.
It’s not all gloom and doom, however. Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the distinct honor to welcome thousands of visitors to Minneapolis, including The GALA Choral Festival which brought over 7000 visitors to downtown Minneapolis. I was the Keynote presenter for the Golden Crown Literary Society, which brought over 500 lesbian writers to the area. I also welcomed the Jack and Jill Society, Inc., of America. They brought over 1400 visitors to town to celebrate their 46th National Convening. While here, they hosted a luncheon supporting “Rise and Remember,” the non-profit dedicated to preserving the memory and offerings brought forward to honor the life of George Floyd. The group donated $25,000 dollars to “Rise and Remember.”
I had fun riding in the Aquatennial Parade and at the Bancroft Neighborhood Ice Cream social. I look forward to seeing many of you next week on National Night Out. Stay safe, and please check on your elderly neighbors and family members during these hazy, hot, and humid days of summer.
Love,
Andrea
 With Minnesota's primary election in less than two weeks, the Early Vote Center is extending its hours. Anyone who can vote in Minneapolis on Election Day can vote early at the Early Vote Center, 980 E. Hennepin Ave. See the extended hours on the City website.
Return your mail ballot
All mail-in ballots need to be received by Aug. 13 to count. Many Minneapolis voters have received a mail-in ballot but have not yet returned it. After Aug. 6, the City recommends returning mail ballots in person to avoid a late delivery. Ballots can be dropped off during regular business hours at Minneapolis Election & Voter Services, 980 E. Hennepin Ave., or at the Hennepin County Government Center, 300 Sixth St. S. On Election Day, Aug. 13, completed mail ballots will be accepted until 8 p.m.
Confirm your polling place
Everyone planning to cast their ballots on Election Day, Aug. 13, should check the location of their polling place. Find your polling place on the Minnesota secretary of state website.
See tips to save time voting and read more on the City website.
A new City pilot will provide City funding to subsidize rent for artists and arts organizations in vacant storefronts in the Harmon Place Historic District.
This will ensure stable tenants for property owners and furnish essential space for the local creative community. The physical spaces will help artists workshop, develop and present their programming and artmaking to the public, and build community. This pilot is intended to support creative opportunities and increase vibrancy, innovation and sustainability.
The program is open to Minnesota residents, with a preference for Minneapolis residents.
The first round of applications will be accepted through Aug. 30. Applicants from all disciplines including visual, performing, literary, media, culinary, digital and public arts, design, craft and non-traditional mediums are encouraged to apply.
Staff will host a virtual information session Aug. 2.
Read more on the City website.
 Minneapolis Animal Care & Control encourages pet adoptions to help more animals find their forever homes and make room in its shelter. Visitors through Aug. 3 will pair up with a staff member or volunteer to help find the right pet for them.
Staff is seeing a spike in animals at the shelter this summer. Just last week, 130 animals were in its care. Staff say that increasing vet care costs and housing insecurity are likely causing more community members to surrender their pets. This increase in surrenders, combined with a lagging adoption rate, have left the shelter full.
Animal Care & Control is open for adoptions:
- 1-5 p.m. Monday-Wednesdays
- 1-7 p.m. Thursdays
- 1-5 p.m. Fridays
- 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturdays
Minneapolis residents are not charged adoption fees for cats or adult dogs; they just need to pay for a City license. Puppies younger than six months are $250 regardless of residence. Adoptable cats and dogs are already spayed or neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated.
Read more on the City website.
 The City of Minneapolis debuted three street concepts (PDF) and five site ideas (PDF) for George Floyd Square.
These concepts and ideas are part of the City’s engagement with community to develop a vision for the square by the end of the year. The vision will include a preferred concept for the design of the streets as well as ideas for the Peoples’ Way property, a former gas station the City purchased in 2023 for community space.
Next visioning workshop
The community has also been providing input on memorials through visioning workshops. Visioning for the memorials will be a focus for the August workshop and will help inform the City’s future role in the memorial process.
August visioning workshop 5:30-8 p.m. Aug. 27 3736 Chicago Ave.
Read more on the City website.
During engagement for the community safety centers, south Minneapolis residents have requested potential social services and resources to address needs around:
- Addiction
- Affordable housing
- Culturally specific navigators
- Domestic violence
- Food insecurity
- Homelessness
- Legal assistance
- Medical help
- Mental health
- Youth services
Now that these 10 community priorities have been identified, the City’s Office of Community Safety is asking social service and resource providers for input on how the delivery of services might happen in the South Minneapolis Community Safety Center when it opens next year at 2633 Minnehaha Ave. The information will help the City understand possible collaboration between services, the likely needs for physical space, and potential costs. The requests for information are posted on the City website until Aug. 9.
Find more information about the community safety center on the City website.
Please email the Office of Community Safety with any questions.
 Michelle Phillips was sworn in July 16 as the Minneapolis Civil Rights director.
Phillips joins the City after previously serving as the first inspector general for the City of Oakland, California. She has a deep expertise in civilian oversight of police, providing leadership in the promotion of constitutional policing and building departmental infrastructure to ensure thorough and fair investigative processes. Before her service in Oakland, Phillips served as deputy inspector general with the City of Baltimore. There, she led an investigative team focused on rooting out fraud and abuse and building trust in local government.
The Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights is tasked with:
- Enforcing the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances.
- Investigating discriminatory practices.
- Ensuring the protection of members of protected classes.
- Promoting the understanding of civil rights among residents, businesses and government.
The department, through its Office of Police Conduct Review, also plays a critical role in implementing reform efforts required by the settlement agreement reached with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights.
Read more about Phillips’ appointment on the City website.
The Minneapolis City Council has approved a collective bargaining agreement with the Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis. The agreement gives Minneapolis police officers a historic pay increase and important reforms. The vote marks the successful conclusion of a nearly 10-month negotiation between the City and the federation.
The contract, which applies to the period Jan. 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2025, includes a 21.7% pay increase over three years. The salary bump means MPD officers will be among the highest paid in Minnesota by 2025.
MPD Chief Brian O’Hara praised the City Council’s vote to strengthen and support the police force.
Key reforms and contractual changes include:
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A zipper clause: A common term in collective bargaining agreements that eliminates any prior side agreements that are not attached to the contract. This gives the City, the federation and the public the full scope of what has been agreed to in writing at the start of the term of the contract.
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Increased staffing flexibilities: The agreement gives management more discretion over job assignments and staffing ratios, so that Chief O’Hara and his leadership team can assign officers to areas of the greatest need and make promotions based on candidate readiness, not based on a mandated percentage.
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Employing civilian investigators: The MPD has identified opportunities to assign civilians clerical and investigative work so officers are deployed where they’re needed most.
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Public data requests: Officers will no longer receive automatic notification of the identity of the person requesting public personnel data about them.
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Extending investigation leave time: If there are allegations of severe misconduct, Chief O’Hara will have complete discretion to place the officer on paid investigatory leave and continue the leave for up to 180 days, instead of 30 days. This keeps the officer off the street while an investigation continues.
Find more information about the City’s contract negotiations with the federation on the City’s website.
 Please join in if you can! Save the date for September 13th, as that cleanup will take place in Ward 8. Location will be determined closer to the date.
The Federal Aviation Administration will hold two public webinars to present information and take questions on new procedures in the works for the MSP Airport. The FAA is implementing GPS-based navigation instead of ground-based navigation as a part of modernizing the national airspace. GPS-based procedures are seen as safer and more efficient, adding precision to flight paths, but they also have the potential to change flight patterns and the experience on the ground.
Public webinars
The FAA is holding opportunities for public input:
1-3 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 14 Register.
6-8 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 15 Register.
Bring your questions. Attendees can send questions through the meeting chat, and there will be a 30-day public comment period.
Learn more from the Federal Aviation Administration and the Metropolitan Airports Commission.
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Minneapolis has a contract with Aira, an app that helps residents and visitors who are blind or have low vision navigate their surroundings using their phone. The person opens the app on their phone and is connected with a navigator who provides visual navigation support. The Aira app uses smart technology to connect users with human agents who are trained professional guides. The agents access the user’s smartphone camera (or Aira glasses) for a live video feed combined with GPS and maps so they can describe these public spaces and help users maneuver through them and also more richly experience what they have to offer.
The service is now available at Target Center, Minneapolis Convention Center, Nicollet Mall, City Hall, and the City’s Public Service Building and Public Service Center. This contract had been in place since 2019 and was recently renewed with the addition of the Public Service Center and the Public Service Building.
Download the free app and use it for free within any of these locations listed above.
The Transit Assistance Program offers discounted transit fares for low-income residents, making it easier to commute to work, school, medical appointments and other essential activities. With a reduced fare TAP card, riders pay just $1 per ride, even during rush hour.
Now, qualifying riders can sign up for a TAP card at the Minneapolis Service Center in downtown. With its location near high traffic areas like the Government Center and Metro Transit’s Blue and Green light rail lines, the service center will be easily accessible by thousands.
Minneapolis Service Center Public Service Building, skyway level 505 Fourth Ave. S.
Find out more about the new location on the City website.
Start your enrollment on the Metro Transit website.
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 The City Trees program is providing low-cost trees to Minneapolis property owners. Since the program began in 2006, the City has helped plant more than 20,000 trees. Minneapolis is one of the country’s greenest cities.
Trees are available year-round to:
- Businesses
- Nonprofits
- Organizations
- Apartment buildings with five or more units
Residents in Minneapolis Green Zones are encouraged to participate and to plant shade trees for the most benefits, including natural cooling during the hotter months.
The Climate Legacy Initiative is funding the City Trees program.
See what tree programs are offered on the City website.
Watch a video and hear from our City Trees team.
As part of the Climate Legacy Initiative, the City’s Green Cost Share program is helping Minneapolis residents make weatherization and other energy-saving improvements to their homes.
Owners of single-family or two- to four-unit residential properties can receive funds to make their property more energy efficient through rebates of up to $14,000.
From insulation to air-source heat pumps, the City can help you save money on utility bills and make your home more comfortable year-round.
Minneapolis resident Jamie Laudert received City funds to make her 100-year-old home energy-efficient year-round.
Watch Jamie’s video.
Apply for funds to make your home more energy efficient on the City website.
Recent measles cases in our metro area serve as a reminder to protect yourself and your loved ones from this highly contagious disease.
Measles can easily spread and lead to serious health complications, including death. Vaccinations provide the best protection.
If you are not vaccinated and are notified that you have been exposed to measles, you must quarantine for 21 days to prevent spreading the disease. Quarantine can lead to significant life disruptions.
Read more about the importance of protecting yourself from measles on the City’s website.
Mark your calendar: The 2025 Community Connections Conference will be Saturday, Feb. 8.
The conference is a free event that connects Minneapolis residents, community groups, neighborhoods and local government.
Community Connections Conference Saturday, Feb. 8 Minneapolis Convention Center
More information will follow closer to the date.
CM Jenkins holds community office hours every Monday from 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. at Sabathani Community Center. To reserve a meeting time, please reach out to the Ward 8 office. |
