 The council voted at Tuesday’s COW meeting to decide whether the City would purchase a property to build a shooting range and training facility for MPD. Many people have referred to this as Cop City. I was against the idea then. At yesterday’s council meeting, once the supporters of this proposal realized they did not have the votes to make the purchase, they brought a motion to delay the decision. I was also against this idea and voted no. Unfortunately, on a 7-6 vote, council voted to delay a decision and approved sending the proposal back to staff. Whether it’s this week, next week, or next year, I will not be supporting this proposal that will be spending tens of millions of dollars on this type of facility.
Since Operation Metro Surge began, it has been a constant struggle to convince the mayor’s administration to financially support communities that have been impacted. It’s one thing to do the national media rounds and it’s another to provide actual assistance. That’s why the progressive Council majority has been leading on a number of investments, including immigration legal services, rental assistance, and small business relief. We also approved a pre-eviction notice extension to help those who were most directly impacted by the federal occupation. Again, unfortunately the mayor vetoed that, making it more likely that more families will be kicked out of their homes and torn apart.
Just as families and businesses need to rebuild as the occupation of our city winds down, so too does our city. I can think of many projects that should take precedence over a gun range and training facility, a building of which most of us will never see the inside. If we’re going to put tens of millions of dollars on the City’s credit card, which this project would do, let’s find projects that will help the residents of our city. Whether it’s major repairs to crumbling bridges, art in public places, street light replacement, building green and sustainable infrastructure, or making our streets and sidewalks safer and more accessible for all, there are countless areas where we should prioritize.
This vote was meant to purchase the property which in my opinion would be used to force the project to happen with or without outside funding. It’s worth mentioning, too, from where this proposal would take resources to purchase the property. The Mayor's Administration wanted to take nearly $4 million from Animal Care and Control, who are in desperate need of a new facility to care for more animals. They wanted to take nearly a quarter of a million dollars from the traffic calming program at a time where requests from residents far exceed the resources available. And they wanted to take $1.6 million from funds set aside to replace ADA ramps to ensure accessibility for all.
It is clear to me that, moving forward, we must invest the city’s resources in projects that directly and positively impact our communities. I’m proud to have opposed this, I’m thankful to my colleagues who did the same, and I will continue to oppose it in the future.
Last month, the council approved $1 million for rental assistance for those impacted by the federal occupation. This funding will be available next month and I plan to share those details with you. Many residents still cannot safely go to work and earn wages for rent due to the federal agents’ indiscriminate targeting of the public. No family should have to choose between keeping a roof over their heads and risking being kidnapped by ICE, but that is the reality for far too many neighbors. We knew then that $1 million was a drop in the bucket of what was, and continues to be, truly needed to make our neighbors whole.
As I said back in February, $1 million wasn’t enough back then, and it’s still not enough. That is why I authored a proposal —together with Council Members Wonsley, Payne, Stevenson, Osman, Chughtai, and Chowdhury—to fund an additional $2.8 million
I’m thankful for a majority of the council voting to approve this critical investment (11 ayes, 2 nays). And I will reiterate that this still isn’t enough. My office will continue fighting to ensure that the City of Minneapolis provides as much help as we can for our residents.
 Small businesses in Minneapolis have been catastrophically impacted by Operation Metro Surge. More specifically, some small businesses have reported sales drops of 80-100 percent, with many shutting their doors temporarily. Without assistance, some small businesses face permanent closure with many businesses reporting that this situation is not sustainable. Last month, I authored a Small Business Resiliency Fund (SBRF) proposal of $7 million with my colleagues to provide financial assistance to small businesses in Minneapolis that have experienced economic loss due to Operation Metro Surge. At yesterday’s council meeting, a plan was approved to distribute those resources.
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Direct financial relief of $4.5 million
- $4 million to waive 2026 license fee renewals for 2,000+ food and hospitality businesses
- Average of $1,800 in savings per food and hospitality business
- $500,000 for Cultural Market Grants meant to support cultural mall operations
- Up to $50,000 in grants per location for costs providing a common benefit to tenants and customers, such as mall-wide security, marketing and advertising, programming occurring in common areas, physical improvement or repair to common spaces or systems, and tenant space improvements available to all tenants. Grants will be disbursed on a reimbursement basis after the costs are incurred.
- Activation and marketing of $2.5 million
- $350,000 for business district support
- Enhanced funding for non-profit business support orgs for marketing and activation. Adds to existing pool for $1M total for Spring/Summer.
- $500,000 for business technical assistance, which includes legal assistance
- No-cost consulting for small businesses: lease negotiations, relief fund applications, business strategy. Adds existing pool for $1M total fund.
- $200,000 for cultural business weeks
- Enhanced support for business weeks like Black Business Week & Latino Business Week, focused on Operation Metro Surge recovery in 2026.
- $600,000 for fee-free events in 2026
- Cover permit costs for community events in commercial areas — food permits, block events, amplified sound, barricades & logistics.
- $500,000 for venue and music activation
- Fund live music along commercial corridors, independent venue programming, and all-ages family shows featuring local artists.
- $350,000 for creative marketing activation
- City-wide social media campaign with local artists & content creators spotlighting small businesses and cultural vendors in all wards.
If you have any questions about accessing some of these resources, please reach out to my office and we will do everything we can to assist you.
In 2023, the state legislature repealed the statute that made possession of drug paraphernalia a crime. Our city’s current ordinances, which make it a misdemeanor to possess drug paraphernalia, are in direct conflict with the goals of the legislature when they decriminalized possession.
The Care Over Criminalization ordinance that I am bringing forward with my colleagues would bring the City’s law into alignment with state law. At yesterday’s council meeting, we voted to schedule a public hearing on this ordinance on April 7, when members of the public will be able to share their thoughts.
For more context, research shows that laws criminalizing paraphernalia help contribute to the spread of infectious diseases and can prevent people who use drugs from using tools and services that can reduce overdose risk. Decriminalizing drug paraphernalia decreases the likelihood of an individual with substance use disorder who uses syringes contracting a blood borne disease from an unclean syringe. It can also help to prevent inadvertent exposure to adulterated drugs.
According to Southside Harm Reduction Services, one of the largest syringe service programs in Minnesota, they “consistently heard from participants that they feared being charged for carrying harm reduction supplies, which help improve and protect the health of themselves as well as their communities. Fear of being charged for having paraphernalia has been shown to increase the likelihood that people who inject drugs will share or reuse syringes, increasing the risk of infections related to drug use. Fear of persecution for having syringes also increases the probability that syringes are not disposed of properly. Charges related to paraphernalia can also increase the number of interactions with the criminal justice system when we should be working to connect Minnesotans to care and services that they want and need.”
A new Minnesota law provides tenants with the right to organize but relies on tenants to enforce it themselves through civil litigation. Enforcement depends on tenants knowing their rights, documenting violations, and being willing and able to sue.
As my office begins the legislative process of adopting a local ordinance to improve the lives of renters, I authored a Staff Direction with Council President Payne and Council Member Wonsley for the Legislative Department to do more research. More specifically, this staff direction will help:
- Identify options for the City of Minneapolis to build on the new state law to strengthen understanding and enforcement of tenants right to organize
- Understand how the City, Regulatory Services, is now educating tenants on the right to organize
- Better understand the feasibility, costs, potential efficacy and implications of:
- Establishing a designated enforcement agency
- Classifying “organizing rights” as a housing service
- Creating higher civil penalties or fines for violations
- Adding tenant union association membership to civil rights ordinance as a protected class in housing transactions
- Other potential actions.
A preliminary assessment done by LRO, which contains more context, can be found here.
The 10th Ave S Bridge was constructed in 1913 by the Chicago, Milwaukee, and Saint Paul Railroad to separate railroad operations from city street traffic. The bridge consists of a reinforced concrete deck girder structure with reinforced concrete abutments and piers.
The bridge was closed to motor vehicle traffic in December 2021 due to structural concerns and currently remains open to pedestrian and bicycle traffic. Since that time, Minneapolis Public Works has been evaluating opportunities to improve the bridge for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motor vehicle traffic.
As with many bridges over the Midtown Greenway, the 10th Ave S Bridge is a contributing resource to the Midtown Greenway Historic District. Accordingly, Public Works has been coordinating closely with state and federal agencies, including the MnDOT Cultural Resources Unit (CRU), the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
The project scope includes substructure rehabilitation, deck replacement, new railings and lighting, sidewalks, protected bikeways, and installation of a new water main.
Monthly stakeholder meeting
Join Public Works staff at the 10th Ave S bridge monthly public meetings. This monthly meeting will provide an overview of the project, construction details, and upcoming project work information.
Latest project news
Last week crews removed most of the bridge deck. The Midtown Greenway trail was closed for 3 days. Currently the Midtown Greenway is open for pedestrians and bikes.
 Serve on a Minneapolis board or commission and bring your voice to City decisions that affect your community. Get your application in by Tuesday, March 31.
Opportunities are open across a range of areas, including:
- Public safety: Safe and Thriving Communities Work Group, Community Commission on Police Oversight
- Arts and culture: Minneapolis Arts Commission
- Aging, food, housing, public health and more: Advisory committees and boards shaping daily life
Serving on a board or commission is a unique way to collaborate with fellow residents, share your expertise and help shape policies that make Minneapolis a stronger, safer and more vibrant city.
Applications are open March 1-31. Apply now before the deadline.
Video: Watch a short video about serving on a City board or commission.
Learn more and apply by Tuesday, March 31.
Do you know someone who would be a great fit? Share this opportunity and help ensure community voices are heard.
 The Somali Temporary Protected Status (TPS), set to end on Tuesday, March 17, has been temporarily paused by a federal court order. The end of TPS could have resulted in the loss of immigration status, work authorization, and deportation. According to the court order, people with TPS or pending TPS applications keep all their rights and protections during the pause. Somali TPS remains in effect, pending further court action.
Be prepared
It’s important to prepare and get advice specific to your situation. You can connect with an immigration lawyer to:
- Get advice on your personal case
- Stay updated about laws and active litigation
- Explore other legal options, like asylum
Find links to free legal help on the Know Your Rights and Resources page on the City website.
It’s spring break season, which means a lot of travel is happening. Measles is on the rise in the United States. Many measles cases in Minnesota come from unvaccinated travelers. Measles can be very dangerous for kids, pregnant women and older adults.
If you’ve been exposed or show signs of measles, call your health care provider right away so they can:
- Take steps to lessen the severity of the case
- Treat the exposure before symptoms start
Symptoms usually appear one to two weeks after exposure. Call your health provider right away if you notice symptoms like:
- High fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- Ear infection
- Diarrhea
- A rash that usually starts on the head and spreads downward
Together, we can keep our families and communities safe! Learn more about how to protect yourself and others from measles.
Video: Learn how vaccinating children against measles protects their health and the well-being of the community.
Minneapolis City leaders are warning residents about the latest scam targeting permit and zoning applicants. Scammers are asking people and businesses with active land-use permits or zoning applications to pay bogus fees to complete the process.
While planning officials are not aware of anyone in Minneapolis who has fallen victim to the scam, they still urge extreme caution when receiving emails like these.
Scam details
Scammers pose as City or county planning and zoning officials. Information includes:
- An email with fake invoices associated with land use or zoning applications
- Instructions to pay fees right away or face delays or cancellations in the process
- Formatting and imagery that are closely consistent with City or county branding and processes
- Emails from similar City or county usernames but use an @usa.com naming convention or something similar
- Correspondence usually timed to coincide with ongoing, legitimate milestones in the permit process, like a hearing or committee approval
City process and reporting scams
Any legitimate City email correspondence will come from an official @minneapolismn.gov address. The City will never ask for payment via PayPal or other wire transfer, gift card or other electronic methods.
If a request seems suspicious, do not respond, download attachments or click any links. The City also recommends calling 311 to report the suspected scam. Operators can then alert the proper City departments.
 The City of Minneapolis invites experienced artists to apply to design and create public artwork for the I-94/22nd Avenue South bicycle and pedestrian bridge. This bridge connects the Seward and West Bank neighborhoods at Augsburg University.
The selected artist or artist team will collaborate with the project steering committee, design team and community members to create a public artwork for this location. Potential art opportunities include, but are not limited to, custom railings, concrete pattern work, inset artwork or sculptures. Fill out an Intent to Apply form by April 1 at 4 p.m. We recommend that artists complete an Intent to Apply form as soon as possible. Learn more about the application process.
Fill out the Intent to Apply form.
Contact the Ward 9 Office
Email: jason.chavez@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2209
City Hall
350 S. Fifth St., Room 370
Minneapolis, MN 55415
For reasonable accommodations or alternative format please contact 311. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use a relay service to call 311 at 612-673-3000. Para ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311. |
