| City government process is never predictable, and this week offered a little bit of everything. As highlighted in our “special edition” mid-week newsletter, I’m thrilled to report that community safety ambassadors will be coming to Uptown this fall, with community engagement starting shortly. This has been a matter of long-term community interest and it’s gratifying to see that organized advocacy rewarded. Public safety is foundational to any plan for Uptown’s long-term revitalization, and between MPD’s directed patrols in the area, its trespass initiative, and community driven efforts, we’re hearing reports that the situation is improving. I believe we’re starting to make real progress, but we’ve still got a long way to go.
On the other end of the spectrum, it was announced two beloved Ward 7 restaurants are closing… The Lowry and Cardamom, at the Walker Art Museum. The Lowry was a favorite restaurant for me and my family during its thirteen year run. In announcing its closing date of April 26th, the owners cited the two-year Hennepin Avenue construction, changing consumer behavior, and “city-specific mandates and economics.” When experienced business leaders make statements like this, we need to pay attention. So, I met with the owner to debrief and learn more. The discussion was sobering.
Cardamom announced a shift towards a QR-code based model of counter service (presumably to save costs), to which the Walker leadership responded by severing ties with the restaurant. Cardamom will vacate the museum in 60 to 90 days. Even restaurants owned by established, well-known chefs are feeling financial pressure doing business in the city of Minneapolis. I will miss the Moroccan cigars.
Minneapolis needs to be an affordable, stable environment for business if we want to reverse the city’s current economic trajectory. Please know that I value the input and expertise of all our local business owners, and with your input we’ll come up with some great ideas.
Our focus on housing also continues. This week I attended a tenants’ meeting in a Loring Park apartment tower to discuss persistent and serious maintenance issues. My office is coordinating with Regulatory Services, who completed a three-day inspection of the building this week, and the tenants are working to secure legal counsel. Just like public safety, stable housing is foundational for any community, and I have great respect for the gutsiness of these tenant-organizers in insisting that landlords meet their obligations. I am also still working to meet with the owners and management of the building. As I have said before, we’ll achieve stability only by working on both sides of this equation.
Finally, in last week’s newsletter we checked boxes for sex and drugs, but noted the absence of rock and roll. Not this week! On Thursday I got the chance to don purple and help announce a block party and Prince sing-along on June 6th, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., outside First Avenue, the legendary club where the Purple One made his mark. We expect a record crowd, and we're going to party like it's 1999 in 2026!
Drugs are on next week’s council menu. The drug paraphernalia ordinance will be back before council, with discussion on Tuesday and a vote on Thursday. Different amendments are starting to circulate, and I will be reviewing them closely. I am simply unable to support an ordinance change that completely legalizes the use of drug paraphernalia in public. Particularly with all the work we’ve been doing to change the trajectory of Uptown, this sends exactly the wrong message at the wrong time. If you have views of your own on this subject, I hope you’ll feel free to share them not only with me, but with the other council members as well. Community feedback matters, and it’s important that your voice gets heard.
 As many of you probably know, Ward 7 has a foothold in three of our five police precincts (One, Four, and Five), with Bryn Mawr landing in Precinct Four, which covers all of North Minneapolis. On Tuesday, my team and I brought lunch to the Fourth Precinct headquarters, met with Inspector Adams and staff, and had an introductory tour of the facility. It was an inspiring visit – the work that’s being done there is a remarkable success story. Among other things, the number of gunshot victims dropped by 42% last year, and 2025 had the lowest number of shooting victims in a decade.
These results are not accidental. It’s the result of creative, efficient, and responsive police work. And in my role, I strive to stay informed about this important work in all three precincts, each with their unique challenges and strengths. Whether it be Bryn Mawr, Uptown or the wider north side, our MPD officers are working hard to bring stability and responsiveness to our communities.
 On Wednesday, Mayor Frey vetoed the City Council's action denying his nomination of Todd Barnette to a second term as Commissioner of Community Safety. The day prior, the City Attorney's Office released a detailed legal memorandum concluding that the Mayor has the authority to veto this type of council action — and that regardless of the veto, a permanent appointment will ultimately require council approval.
Where does this leave us? Next week the council will vote on whether to override the veto but given that the original denial passed 7-6, reaching the two-thirds majority seems unlikely. Without a successful override, Commissioner Barnette can continue in the role as a holdover through August 3. If no permanent appointment has been made by then and the position becomes vacant, the Mayor could reappoint him on an interim basis.
The City Attorney's memo is candid about the structural problem this situation exposes. Without a political resolution, the parties could find themselves in a potentially endless cycle: the council denies consent, the Mayor vetoes, the council fails to override, and the process repeats. The only exits are a council override, a withdrawal of the nomination, or the council changing course and consenting. As the memo concludes: "There is not currently a legal solution to this potential loop… the resolution to the current situation lies with the political decisionmakers."
 Interior co-working spaces already in use within the Grain Exchange
In some encouraging news, Sherman Associates this week announced a $120 million project to convert portions of the historic Grain Exchange Building (400 S 4th St.) to 232 apartments with 186 of them slated to be affordable units. Even with the partial conversion, this historic building – first constructed in 1903 – will retain office, retail, and event space, including the iconic trading floor with its 34-foot ceilings which is currently a coworking space. The project continues the trend of reimaging underutilized space in our downtown core to keep it a vibrant place to work and live as we enter the second quarter of the 21st century.
 It was pretty hard to miss the concrete rehabilitation and utility work being done in Kenwood last summer, and it will be back for one more season this year, starting May 4th. Last year’s work concentrated on some non-artery side streets, while the focus this year will be on the high-traffic portions of Sheridan (Isles Parkway to 21st) and 21st Street (Sheridan to Penn). We are still waiting for final word from the contractor as to whether the project will start with Sheridan or 21st.
During the work on Sheridan, traffic will be reduced to one lane, northbound only, for the entirety of the project. Local access will be preserved, but will likely require some flexibility and understanding from all concerned. In addition, there is likely to be some subsurface utility work associated with this project, so look for separate crews from Centerpoint or other utilities as well.
No two ways about it, this project will be noisy and disruptive, but both Sheridan and 21st have substantially deteriorated in recent years, and after this work is completed they should be preserved for decades to come.
 On Thursday, I met with Public Works Director Tim Sexton. Among other things, he informed me that the northern portion of East Isles and part of the Wedge is slated for street resurfacing in 2027 and 2028. As you’ll see from the map above, the work will encompass the neighborhood streets between Franklin and 26th, which local residents will be quick to tell you need serious attention. Our office has heard your reports about the poor condition of Irving Ave, which will be partially addressed in this new work. Lowry Hill? We hear you too – but no date yet for when similar work may occur on your streets. We’ll continue asking and advocating.
 Each month I’ve worked to find topics of broad community interest where we can gather together and do a deep dive. In February we heard from educators responding to Operation Metro Surge. In March we talked about renters’ rights, and in April we’ll be discussing public safety in Uptown. Full details to be announced soon, but please mark your calendars for Thursday, April 30, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at Grace Trinity Church, 1430 West 28th Street. Hope to see you there!
In the early morning hours of March 14th, a man was murdered in the parking lot outside Urban Eats Halal at 2300 Hennepin Ave. At least one round from this incident ended up in a nearby home, creating real anxiety. Since then, community members and business owners have reached out to our office with serious safety concerns about this location. We're hosting a meeting to bring together neighbors, the business owners, and city regulators to discuss what steps are being taken to ensure the safety of patrons and the surrounding community. We hope to see you there. The meeting will take place in the restaurant at 2300 Hennepin Ave S.
As reported in Southwest Voices: “Renters facing eviction after Operation Metro Surge can expect to see applications available by mid-April through CLUES, Isuroon, and MIWRC.
The City of Minneapolis has allocated $3.8 million in rent relief and the Wilson Foundation announced its matching the City’s rent relief up to $3 million. Hennepin County is also assisting in distributing $1 million in rent relief funds but it does not have a start date, according to reporting by Sahan Journal.
The three non-profits already work with populations disproportionately impacted by ICE and who are facing evictions. The organizations will pre-screen applicants but Hennepin County will be the entity sending payments to landlords.
A 30-day eviction notice is needed to qualify for the City’s funding.”
Public Works crews will start the City’s comprehensive street sweeping program April 21 to clear away what accumulated in the streets over the winter. Drivers should watch for hot pink temporary “No Parking” signs to avoid a ticket and tow.
For approximately four weeks, sweeping crews will take care of more than 1,100 miles of city streets and nearly 400 miles of alleys. To make sure the crews can do the most complete job possible, temporary “No Parking” signs will be posted at least 24 hours in advance to make sure streets are clear of parked vehicles. Drivers need to follow street sweeping parking rules or they may have their cars ticketed and towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot.
Find your street on the schedule
You can see when your street is scheduled to be swept by visiting the interactive street sweeping map.
Learn more about street sweeping.
Celebrate Earth Day by giving back to the parks, lakes and neighborhoods we all share. The annual Earth Day Cleanup brings together thousands of residents each year to help keep our city clean and healthy.
Everyone is welcome to participate: families, neighbors, friends and volunteers of all ages.
Event details
Date: Saturday, April 18 Time: 9:30 a.m.-noon Location: Multiple park sites across Minneapolis. Visit the Earth Day Cleanup page to find a cleanup site near you.
This is a drop-in volunteer event, so there’s no need to register in advance. Simply choose a cleanup site that works for you and arrive by 9:30 a.m. Supplies like gloves and bags will be provided on-site.
Why this matters for water quality
Trash left on streets and in parks often ends up in storm drains, lakes and rivers — especially after it rains. Stormwater carries litter and pollution directly to our waterways.
By participating in the cleanup, you are helping to:
- Keep trash out of storm drains
- Protect our lakes and rivers
- Improve water quality
- Support a cleaner, healthier community
Even small actions like picking up litter make a big difference for water quality.
How to get involved
- Choose a cleanup site near you.
- Dress for the weather and wear closed-toe shoes.
- Show up ready to help and make a difference.
Every bag of trash collected helps protect our lakes and rivers.
Learn more about the Earth Day Cleanup on the Minneapolis Parks & Recreation Board website.
On April 15, the City of Minneapolis highlighted the work already in progress for a busy 2026 construction season with more than $323.1 million in planned infrastructure improvements that reach every corner of the city. These projects were selected using data that helps drive a balance between community infrastructure needs and financial stewardship to maximize impact and sustainability. Led by the City’s Public Works department, the 37 construction projects getting underway this year represent a major investment in safer streets, more reliable utilities and more vibrant neighborhoods.
Statistics for the 2026 construction season include:
- 6 miles of street resurfaced
- 8 miles of street reconstructed
- 3 Greenway bridges will be restored
- 1,827 lead water service lines replaced
- 5 miles of water main rehabilitated
To keep the community informed about work that is in progress, many projects offer weekly stakeholder meetings and/or regular newsletters with updates on project timelines, traffic impacts and key milestones. You can also search for Public Works capital projects and visit the City construction and road closure maps by using the City‘s online construction dashboard.
As work proceeds, City planners appreciate residents’ patience and encourage those traveling through construction zones to be mindful of workers, detours and roadside hazards.
Visit the City website to learn about notable projects taking place during the 2026 construction season. |
