 After months of community engagement, Mayor Frey and the City of Minneapolis are moving forward with a democracy center and community space at Minnehaha 3000, the former Third Precinct site.
A scientific, demographically representative poll found:
- 63% of respondents support the democracy center proposal.
- 70% of respondents in the Third Precinct support the plan.
- 50% of respondents believe the development would contribute to racial healing.
- 64% of Black respondents believe the development would help with racial healing.
"Minneapolis residents have said loud and clear that they support a democracy center at Minnehaha 3000, and we’re listening to them," said Mayor Jacob Frey. "Progress requires action, and my administration is committed to moving forward. In the future, I hope Council will put the politics aside and join us in supporting the development our residents want without delay.”
The City is proposing to relocate Elections & Voter Services (EVS), which is currently leasing industrial space in northeast Minneapolis, into the building at 3000 Minnehaha Ave. The building would become the new home to the City’s Early Vote Center, where it would be connected to transportation and centrally located in an area with historically lower voter turnout.
Central to the administration of elections is EVS’ backend operations – those functions which enable the delivery of the public-facing, voter-centric services. The redevelopment proposal for 3000 Minnehaha Ave. would accommodate these logistic needs, providing space for essential equipment that supports mail balloting, hospital voting, voter outreach and engagement, and pop-up voting events at the democracy center.
EVS staff would work from the space year-round, with hundreds of additional seasonal workers and more than 2,000 election judges who would train in the center.
 Minneapolis is committed to serving those who have served us and that means making sure every veteran has a place to call home.
This week, Hennepin County and its dedicated partners, including the City, were officially recognized for effectively ending homelessness for veterans. This means we are successfully housing and supporting veterans at a higher rate than new veterans entering the homelessness system. This recognition came from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Department of Veterans Affairs.
"This work takes all of us, from every level of government to those in the community," said Mayor Frey. "I am so proud to have such incredible partners at the local, state, and federal levels who are committed to our housing work."
Following Mayor Frey's veto of the Council's carbon dioxide PCAR fee action last week, Council Members on Thursday quickly had to act to fix problems the mayor had identified in his veto letter.
“The override of the veto was purely performative. Following the veto, the Council immediately had to clean up the mess that they made. They quickly changed what they voted on, pushed back the effective date of the fee, and acknowledged that the fee they had set would have to change.
We all agree on attaching fees to pollution. Our only ask was to do it the right way and the Council is now scrambling to make that happen," said Mayor Frey.
The mayor was forced to veto the Council’s original action because it lacked proper vetting with City experts and would lead to potential legal challenges, jeopardizing the future of important climate legacy work.
A valid fee needs to be based on program costs. That means that first a program has to be set up. In order for a program to be set up, staff have to be hired. In order for staff to be hired, positions need to be posted. This all takes time to do right -- and instead of speaking to City staff about whether this could happen by January 31, Council went ahead and adopted a fee anyway.
After overriding the mayor's veto, the Council quickly went back to make amendments and do what they should have done in the first place: Work with City experts to do this right and push back the timeline for the fee so it could be implemented lawfully.
Background:
Climate change has always been one of the mayor’s top priorities. That’s why his administration has tripled its investments in climate work through $10 million ongoing in the Climate Legacy Initiative, weatherizing homes, planting trees, expanding green jobs, investing in EV charging, and becoming carbon-neutral by 2035.
PCARs are one effective tool for helping the city to reduce pollution, and nobody understands that better than Mayor Frey. As a Council Member, he authored a successful PCAR initiative in coordination with legal experts to help reduce pollution.
 Mayor Frey helped open a new LGBTQIA+ youth center in Minneapolis this week. Queer Space, on the corner of Lyndale and Franklin, will be a safe haven where youth can feel empowered and be their true selves.
Queer Space Collective officially opened the center on Sunday. It will provide mental health services, healthcare, mentorship, and other activities to youth.
"I'm beyond excited. This has been a long time coming, and to get Queer Space open right here on Lyndale is something really special," said Mayor Frey. "It's important that no matter who you are, you have a place where you can go that you feel loved, where you can get the kind of healthcare that you need, and where you have mentors."
 This week, Mayor Frey joined community leaders, the Downtown Improvement District, and IKE Smart City to announce the launch of several new digital kiosks across downtown that will enhance connectivity and provide state-of-the-art digital technology to residents and visitors.
The kiosks will improve navigation and enrich the overall experience downtown by helping people find businesses, suggesting places to eat and drink, giving directions, displaying transportation options, showing public safety options, and much more!
Five kiosks have already been placed on Nicollet Mall, but in the coming year more will be placed at high-traffic locations like Hennepin Avenue and outside of US Bank Stadium, The Armory, and the Minneapolis Convention Center.
 This week, Mayor Frey joined the Northside Economic Opportunity Network to break ground on their new commercial kitchen and food incubator. The vibrant hub will bring multiple kitchens, support for local food businesses, food safety classes, office space, and a mini food hall to North Minneapolis.
The City partnered with the State, County, and Wellington Management to help make this space a reality. The hope is to have construction finished in November of 2025.
 Mayor Frey joins Fox 9 to celebrate the Minnesota Lynx
 Mayor Frey recognizes Indigenous People's Day with the community
 Mayor Frey visits OROMIA11
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