 Authentic public service must stay connected to the community it serves.
How does that happen? In lots of different ways… being in community (this week was the Citizens for Loring Park Community annual meeting, met with a local restaurant owner), writing the weekly ward newsletter, posting on social media, responding to emails and organizing monthly Community Conversations events.
This past Saturday we held our March Community Conversations event, which focused on renters’ rights and resources. Experts from city staff provided information about how you report and follow-up on maintenance issues, outlined the city inspections and violation process, and answered questions about specific problems residents were facing.
The president of a Ward 7 tenants union also spoke about how and why they organized, and my senior aide, Marty Carlson, provided some insights and direction around legal aid issues. If you missed the event, click here to watch the recording.
Thank you to everyone who attended! It was really encouraging to see all the personal connections happening after the meeting. Among others, the president of the Brentwood tenants’ union was in attendance (whose building was without heat in winter 2025 ), and shared they had a legal win this past Monday.
Affordable, well-maintained housing is important to any city. We need to protect the rights of renters, while also working with management to support a financial model that allows them to reinvest in the needs of their property. We need to work on both sides of the equation.
To everyone celebrating Passover and Easter this weekend, cheers for the gifts of hope and new life!
 Next week will be the last of our ICE-related compressed council cycles, where all our council committees are compressed into one “supercommittee of the whole” (or “Super COW”) on Tuesday, followed by the actual council meeting on Thursday. As with all of these meetings, there are a wide range of topics on the agenda, ranging from accepting a bid on the long-awaited replacement for the MPD Third Precinct to some exciting city-sponsored redevelopment projects to emergency housing vouchers.
In addition, there are no fewer than nine public hearing items on the Super COW agenda for Tuesday, including the proposed reappointment of the city’s chief operating officer, the city attorney, and the community safety commissioner, as well as a proposal to decriminalize the possession and public use of drug paraphernalia.
 As we all know, Minnesota is a two-season state: winter and road construction. Per the map above, much-needed road resurfacing will be coming to Loring Park later this summer, with important preliminary meetings on the near-term horizon. Public works will be hosting an informational meeting on the project and the related assessments on May 6th, 2 p.m., via Microsoft Teams. For information on how to join the meeting, visit the project homepage.
In addition, there will be a public hearing on the matter, which will take place at the Climate & Infrastructure committee meeting on June 4th. After the public hearing and Council’s (presumed) official approval of the project, crews in our Transportation Maintenance & Repair division will start work later this summer.
Along with the Grant Street bikeway (highlighted in last week’s newsletter), there will be two other projects of note in the area this summer:
32 Spruce Place: Water Treatment & Distribution Services will replace the lead service line (pipe that connects private property water to the City line) of 32 Spruce Place this summer. This will not lead to road closure, but may involve parking removal for a week while crews complete the pipe replacement.
Alice Rainville Place/1200 Marquette block: Xcel Energy is completing electrical line upgrades on these streets. Alice Rainville Place is fully closed and Marquette between 12th Street and Alice Rainville Place is partially closed. Crews estimate they’ll wrap up work in August.
Through the Neighborhood Traffic Calming program, Minneapolis Public Works is finding ways to make our neighborhood streets safer. Two projects from Loring Park have been targeted for improvements this year:
- Oak Grove from 15th to LaSalle
- Spruce Pl from 15th to Oak Grove
Right now, no final decisions have been made about what strategies for safety will be implemented in these corridors. Before then, public works needs your input to determine best solutions. If you live in the area, please attend the public feedback meeting on April 21, 5-6:30 p.m., at the Whittier Recreation Center (425 West 26th Street). Residents can also provide feedback online. More information can be found at the city's Traffic Calming Community Engagement website.
Additional opportunities for feedback:
Use the project feedback map to tell us about safety concerns you experience near the projects.
Complete a short survey by May 1 to share more of your thoughts.
Just another reminder: Yard waste season begins the week of April 6. During yard waste season, collection crews pick up yard waste every week on your garbage pickup day. There is no extra charge for the collection of properly prepared yard waste.
Crews accept leaves, brush and other yard trimmings. You should prepare yard waste and set it at your alley or curb next to your garbage cart by 6 a.m. on your garbage pickup day.
You can set yard waste out in reusable containers, compostable bags (paper or BPI certified compostable plastic) or bundles secured with string or twine.
Learn how to prepare your yard waste for pickup. |
