 Also at yesterday’s council meeting, I was honored to present three honorary resolutions to honor the community. The first one we brought was to honor the significance of the Haitian flag to the people of Haiti and support the goals and ideals of Haitian Flag Day. The next one was to recognize the month of May as American Indian Month and celebrate the heritages, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous Peoples. The final resolution presented at the meeting was to recognize May 25, 2026, as the sixth year since the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, which served as a global catalyst for justice.
Having so many people from our community join us in the council chambers was a beautiful reminder of what makes us so special. Reading through those resolutions alongside, and hearing from, community members as they shared their lived experiences, it was a valuable reminder to reflect on the importance of our histories.
Additionally, I hope to see you at the annual Rise and Remember community festival from May 23-25, 2026 to experience the Night of Honor, Street Festival, annual Candlelight Vigil, and more! The Rise & Remember Festival, exists to hold in remembrance George Floyd and those we have lost unjustly to the pervasive impacts of systemic racism. Activities focus on education, empowerment, healing, celebration, and our collective pursuit for racial justice and equity.
When law enforcement agencies allow officers to obscure their identities, it erodes the trust necessary for effective law enforcement in addition to harming the general welfare of the city’s residents. Across the country, law enforcement officers respond to calls in full uniform, including calls to dangerous situations or situations that may threaten their well-being. They do so without relying on a face covering to obscure their identity. Masked law enforcement makes accountability nearly impossible when misconduct occurs, and it creates dangerous confusion.
That is why at yesterday’s council meeting, we set a public hearing for the law enforcement agency agreements accountability ordinance authored by myself, Council Member Chowdhury, Majority Leader Chughtai, and Council Vice President Osman. This ordinance prohibits the city from entering into or amending any law enforcement joint powers agreement with any agency unless that agency’s officers are prohibited from concealing their identity while performing work in Minneapolis. There will be exemptions included to ensure officer safety. This ordinance is needed to build trust.
Public Hearing details:
- When: June 3, 2026
- Where: Minneapolis City Hall (350 S. 5th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55415)
- Time: 1:30PM
I told you back in March about votes we were taking to determine whether the City should 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, and I was against the idea yesterday when the mayor’s administration brought this before council yet again. As I said in my newsletter back in March, whether it’s this week, next week, or next year, I will not be supporting this proposal to spend tens of millions of dollars on this type of facility.
MPD has a budget of around $220 million and over spends that budget by tens of millions a year. I do not believe we should be spending an additional $38+ million on this. Rather, we need to be investing in housing, environmental justice, traffic calming, and countless other issues that impact residents in Ward 9 and across the city.
 After years of tireless advocacy from the community, including EPNI, funding has finally been obtained through the state bonding bill passed by the legislature that will enable EPNI to complete the purchase of a portion of the site from the City of Minneapolis.
- The property will be split: a northern half and a southern half. EPNI will purchase the southern half for $6.12M.
- Lease agreement: EPNI has secured a short-term lease to begin farm infrastructure in the Roof Depot parking lot while the details of the new purchase agreement are finalized.
- My commitment is to get this new purchase agreement across the finish line on the Minneapolis City Council.
This victory is more than a decade in the making. I want to thank the East Phillips neighborhood, the Indigenous community and Little Earth neighbors, every resident who refused to let this dream die, and the state legislative delegation in delivering this investment.
Our neighbors fought in courtrooms, at City Hall, the Capitol, and on the ground, including during the historic occupation of the Roof Depot site in 2023. They never gave up when it was convenient and pushed forward despite the obstacles. I’m proud to have stood alongside our community through the toughest of these times.
This project will address food insecurity, housing insecurity, and the need for communal spaces and jobs. It will completely transform the lives of Phillips and South Minneapolis residents. There is still more work to do, including finalizing this at the city, but one of the biggest hurdles has finally been accomplished.
We voted yesterday to approve authority to enter into a Joint Powers Agreement with the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office to provide funding for a full-time advocate dedicated to assisting survivors of domestic violence in Minneapolis through the Domestic Abuse Service Center (DASC). The advocate will educate individuals experiencing domestic violence about the criminal and civil justice system to eliminate barriers and address a lack of system coordination that prevent survivors from participating in the justice system itself.
The DASC was created to respond to the needs of victims of domestic violence through a trauma informed lens, delivered by a diverse and inclusive staff that reflect the communities they serve. The DASC provides help, guidance, and support in one centralized location for survivors. Services include advocacy, filing orders for protection, connecting with prosecutors, and legal consultation and representation from pro bono attorneys.
I’m proud to support this funding, and I’m thankful to all the staff that put in the work to get to this point.
 Allison Lussier was a 47 year old Indigenous woman who was found dead in her North Loop apartment in February 2024. Her family remembers her as kind, generous, caring, and loving, and continues fighting for justice for Allison more than two years later. Since Allison’s death, family members, community members, and domestic violence advocates, have been demanding officials look into the circumstances of her death and the role of the Minneapolis Police Department.
The community has pointed to police records that describe instances of Ms. Lussier being a victim of domestic violence. Many have raised concerns as to whether actions or inactions of the Minneapolis Police Department contributed to her death or have negatively impacted her family’s ability to receive justice.
To honor Allison, Sen. Mary Kunesh introduced Allison's Law (S.F. 5209) at the Minnesota Legislature. This bill would strengthen investigations into deaths that are suspected to be the result of domestic violence. It would would require coroners and medical examiners to screen deaths classified as suicide, overdose, or accident for indicators of concealed domestic violence homicide; mandate coordination between law enforcement agencies and coroners and medical examiners before a case may be closed; offer to interview the victim’s family members before a final determination of cause or manner of death is issued in domestic violence-related suspicious death cases; and direct the POST Board to develop training on staged crime scenes and domestic homicide indicators.
I authored a resolution stating that the Minneapolis City Council calls on the Minnesota Legislature to pass Allison’s Law (S.F. 5209) to better address domestic violence-related death investigations. I’m proud to say that this resolution was unanimously approved. While the legislature is adjourned for 2026, it is my hope that it will be a priority for them when they reconvene in January 2027.
In addition to the resolution supporting Allison’s law, I also authored a legislative directive that requests updates on progress made on City Auditor recommendations regarding the cases of Allison Lussier and Davis Moturi. In response to those two cases and demands for accountability by victims and community members, the City Council requested that the City Auditor conduct an independent after-action review of the City’s actions in both cases. The review included 49,000 pages of documents, 75 hours of body-worn camera footage, and more than 30 interviews. The after-action review highlights shortcomings in MPD operations and a number of recommendations and lessons learned.
Council unanimously approved my legislative directive, which was co-authored by Council Members Stevenson and Wonsley. Now, we will be receiving quarterly updates on changes to policies and procedures MPD makes in response to recommendations in the auditor’s report. I will keep you updated on this once we receive our first update from MPD.
Open records requests made by both mainstream and citizen journalists revealed in late-April 2026 that the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) entered into an agreement with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to participate on a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF). The agreement provides that the FBI can pay overtime costs for officers who work on "detection, investigation, and prosecution of crimes against the United States." The agreement does not define what constitutes "crimes against the United States" as interpreted by the Trump administration.
On January 20, 2025, the day that Donald Trump was sworn into office, he signed Executive Order (EO) 14159 ("Protecting the American People Against Invasion"). This EO establishes Homeland Security Task Forces (HSTFs) in all States nationwide. The stated policy of the United States under the EO is "to faithfully execute the immigration laws against all inadmissible and removable" immigrants. HSTFs are directed under the EO to achieve a number of objectives, including ensuring "the use of all available law enforcement tools to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States."
Operation Metro Surge began in December 2025. The federal government announced in early January 2026 that they were sending an additional 2,000 agents to the Twin Cities. Renée Good was murdered by federal agents on January 7, 2026. Victor Manual Díaz, a Nicaraguan man living in the Twin Cities, died on January 14, 2026 while in federal custody at Camp East Montana in El Paso. On January 22, 2026, MPD entered into an agreement with the FBI as part of Operation Take Back America as prescribed by President Trump's Executive Order 14159.
I have a lot of questions about MPD’s participation on a Task Force that was, at least in part, created to execute the immigration laws of the U.S. That is why I authored a legislative directive, on which I was joined by Council Member Stevenson and Council President Payne, seeking answers to myriad questions from MPD. We will receive those answers at the Public Health, Safety, and Equity Committee meeting on June 3. I will update you in a future newsletter after we hear from them.
 “Sponsor a Kennel” or similar programs are run at shelters across the nation. This is a community-centric approach that bolsters support for the growing number of animals in need. We voted yesterday to give authority to Minneapolis Animal Care & Control (MACC) to establish a “Sponsor a Kennel” program to generate community-supported funding for the care and enrichment of animals in its custody.
Under this program, individuals and businesses would be allowed to donate money to MACC Pack—MACC’s 501(c)(3) partner organization— toward caring for animals in the shelter. Donations would sponsor a kennel or cat condo for one year. Sponsors would have a personalized plaque posted on the kennels in recognition of their partnership.
Through this program, donors will help offset the growing cost of providing essential care to the animals in MACC’s shelter, including:
- Veterinary services
- Enrichment toys
- Other supplies not covered by the City’s annual budget
These services are instrumental in furthering MACC’s successes as they work to help as many animals as possible and to maintain a No-Kill status as a shelter.
MACC Pack will lead this effort from start to finish: accepting the donations, acquiring and hanging the signage, and following up with the donor to share when an animal successfully found its forever home. Therefore, the program will have no financial or resource impacts on the City, lessening the burden on taxpayers.
I want to thank MACC Director Anthony Schendel and his team for their work in putting together this proposal with a very short turnaround time. I was proud to author this resolution.
During the budget process last December, Council Member Wonsley led the efforts to fund a non-fatal shooting task force. This idea is borrowed from Saint Paul, where data from their non-fatal shooting task force has demonstrated extreme success in performance after implementation. There, clearance rates improved from 38 percent to 70 percent. They also are experiencing a historic low in homicides and a 30 percent decrease in shots fired. In 2024, MPD’s clearance rate in non-fatal shootings was only 24 percent.
In 2024, while overall national homicides numbers were lowered, Minneapolis was a noted exception. This is deeply troubling considering the amount of funding that is devoted to public safety, particularly MPD. This signals that the issue is not funding, but operational. Resources that are allocated to public safety should be utilized using national best practices and backed by data.
Earlier this week, I joined leaders from across the City and law enforcement, including Council Member Wonsley and Council Vice President Osman, to announce the launch of the Minneapolis Police Department’s Firearm Assault Shoot Team (FAST), a specialized investigative unit dedicated to solving non-fatal shooting cases across the city. FAST is another tool available to MPD’s newly established major crimes division to help improve public safety. By dedicating units to homicides and non-fatal shootings, MPD aims to improve efficiency and effectiveness in both investigations.
It’s also worth noting that unlike Minneapolis, St. Paul does not waste any resources with gun violence prevention methods like ShotSpotter or the mount-patrol that lack any empirical data or evidence to demonstrate efficacy. Fiscal responsibility coupled with high standards of performance metrics ensure that services and programs are meeting the city’s goals. Minneapolis’ continued poor clearance numbers in a number of categories for several years even prior to the staffing problems post-2020 are a sign that new strategies must be implemented.
For far too long, neighborhoods in Ward 9 and across the city that have high concentrations of Black, Brown, Indigenous, and immigrant neighbors have faced disproportionate levels of harm from gun violence. So while this task force was designed to improve public safety citywide, I am hopeful that it will disproportionately benefit the BIPOC communities who are most in need of help.
 The mayor’s Administration had previously told the public that it would select a developer in May 2025 for the People’s Way, previously a Speedway gas station at George Floyd Square. In the lead up to this date, the City commissioned a survey to understand stakeholders’ opinions on redevelopment of the Peoples’ Way. The three finalists for selection were Rise & Remember, Minnesota Agape Movement, and David’s Place (P3). (Since the survey was conducted, P3 has dropped out of contention.)
Overall, the community found that Rise & Remember's proposal was most closely aligned with community values. Rise & Remember garnered the most strongly positive reactions overall, especially in how they address memorials and plan to work with the community. While some stakeholders still had reservations, the prevailing sentiment leaned more favorably toward this proposal than the others. Respondents appear to see this concept as a leading contender for honoring the site’s significance and fostering community ownership.
Despite what the survey results showed—and despite these results being ready in April 2025—the mayor sat on these results for more than a year and selected Agape to develop the site.
Ultimately, the council will have have to vote on this proposal which I am against based on the survey results and the alarming stories that have come out since. I look forward to hearing from the mayor’s administration as to why they went against their own survey results, and what their thinking was over the past year. I have major concerns about fairness, transparency, accountability and what happened behind closed doors.
 Every day, City employees go above and beyond to serve Minneapolis – not just in what they do, but in how they do it. As part of Public Service Recognition Month, the City honors individuals and teams who reflect our core values: equity, safety, excellence, welcoming, stewardship, transparency, and health.
Crime Prevention Specialist Pliego leads crime prevention efforts in the 3rd Precinct, Sector 310. In response to community concerns about loitering and children feeling unsafe traveling to and from school, Kali took proactive, collaborative action.
She developed the Bus Stop Guardian Program, a community-driven initiative to improve safety for students. Working with block club leaders, Minneapolis Public Schools, and residents, she created organized routes, coordinated volunteers, and secured funding for high-visibility safety vests. Her strong coordination and attention to detail were key to the program’s success.
Last week, she restarted the litter clean-ups on the East Lake Street Corridor! We hope to see you on June 12 at 9AM for the next one (Lake and Bloomington).
I mentioned in a previous newsletter that Mayor Frey vetoed the council’s action to not approve his re-appointment of Toddrick Barnette as Community Safety Commissioner. For some reason, the mayor brought this issue back to council yet again, vetoed it once again, and we voted once again yesterday on a veto override. While we failed to override his veto, our decision denying consent to the appointment stands.
I voted against re-confirming Commissioner Barnette. As chair of the Public Health, Safety, and Equity Committee, I strongly believe we need someone who is present, responsive, effective, and visionary in this role. Unfortunately, Commissioner Barnett’s time in office has been riddled with mismanagement and concerns from a variety of our partners in safety work. That his office asked the council to approve contracts with someone with a history of making homophobic and threatening statements is disqualifying.
There are a number of reasons why a majority of the council voted against this appointment. For more information, please read this memo.
As was the case the last time we went through this, it remains incumbent on the mayor to work with council to find a candidate who can properly lead the City’s public safety work.
CenterPoint Energy crews and contractors will be working in the Midtown Phillips area soon to enhance the safety and reliability of their system. The most up to date information about the work they are doing can be found on their construction website. CenterPoint has stated that throughout construction, they will work to keep affected customers informed in many ways including mailers, door tags, and social media posts.
More work will also take place next week in the East Phillips neighborhood. The main work is expected to last about one week, and service work will follow. Residents should have received notice from CenterPoint. This has also been added to the website with more detail.
 The United States Fund for UNICEF (UNICEF USA) has announced that Minneapolis has earned a renewal of its designation as a UNICEF Child Friendly City. This announcement comes alongside the upcoming launch of the City’s second Local Action Plan, reaffirming Minneapolis’ commitment to child-centered governance and creating a supportive environment where young people can thrive.
With the launch of its second Local Action Plan, the City of Minneapolis is prioritizing the following focus areas:
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Community Safety: Ensuring children are protected from violence and have safe spaces to live, learn and play.
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Mental Health: Expanding access to mental health resources and creating supportive environments for emotional well-being.
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Child Rights Education and Awareness: Promoting awareness of children’s rights among youth, families and city stakeholders.
In prioritizing children, City leaders are investing in youth by addressing both physical and mental well-being. These efforts include expanding access to health care, increasing after-school opportunities, providing mental health and substance use resources, and creating pathways to sustainable employment.
Learn more about the Child Friendly City designation.
 I want to thank Director Amanda Harrington for the invitation to walk with the violence interrupters on the East Lake Street corridor. It was great to see firsthand the passion they had to help address community safety concerns and offer resources.
City assessors may be visiting your property as part of a routine review. We review each property in Minneapolis every five years to help keep property values fair and accurate. Here’s what to expect and how to know it’s us.
How to identify a City assessor
- We wear a bright yellow safety vest.
- We carry a City of Minneapolis photo ID badge.
- We may carry a clipboard and measuring tools.
You can call 311 to confirm that we’re City workers. You’re welcome to ask questions.
What to expect
- Assessors may walk around your property and take exterior photos.
- We will not enter your home without permission.
Indoor inspections
Reviewing the inside is optional. If you’re not home, we will only review the outside, and we’ll leave a notice that we were here. You can schedule an appointment for an interior inspection if you’d like.
This is a State-required process to ensure property information is accurate and fair.
2026 neighborhood schedule (estimated)
Assessors are in each neighborhood one to two weeks.
May 18: Folwell
June 1: McKinley
June 15: Phillips West
June 15: Midtown Phillips
June 22: Powderhorn Park
July 13: Morris Park
July 20: Diamond Lake
Aug. 10: Seward
Aug. 17: Lyndale
Aug. 31: Lynnhurst
Sept. 14: Willard-Hay
Sept. 28: Jordan
Oct. 12: Webber-Camden
Important to note: These start dates are estimated and subject to change.
Read more about property reviews on the City website..
 May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It's a time to remind each other that mental health is important for everyone. This year's theme is “You matter.” No matter who you are or what you're going through, you are important and you belong.
During May, we learn simple ways to take care of our minds, support friends and family, and build strong, caring communities. The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Minneapolis Health Department share tips, activities and safe ways to talk about mental health.
Each week has a different topic to help you learn more. This week’s topic is “Reaching out matters.”
Reaching out matters
If you're having a hard time, it's okay to ask for help. You can talk to friends, family, a trusted adult, or call the 988 Lifeline or Cope mobile crisis team for free support at any time.
Additional resources
Find mental health support resources on the City website.
I had a great time connecting with constituents at the Corcoran May Soup Supper!
 Citizens Utility Board Minnesota(CUB) is helping pay people’s utility bills (gas & electric). It was created to support people who were unable to work during Operation Metro Surge and need assistance paying their utility bills.
If you are an impacted individual and need assistance call 651-300-401.
You will need to provide your account information over the phone, which includes the utility company name, account number, name on the account, and phone number.
This post is for information only and is not an endorsement of the organization or its services.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS) are a critical piece of frontline first responders, saving lives and improving outcomes. During National EMS Week, May 17-23, we recognize and express our gratitude to EMTs and paramedics who provide this essential service to our community.
The City of Minneapolis is committed to helping the local EMS workforce. Through its EMS Pathways Academy, students receive training to learn what it’s like to be an EMT and earn an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification.
Metro Transit has shared that buses will replace METRO Blue Line trains between Target Field and Fort Snelling stations May 30-31 to allow for construction and repair work.
Replacement bus timing can vary and trips will take longer because of routing and traffic conditions. Metro Transit recommends planning extra time for your trip.
Additional dates for buses replacing trains:
- June 29-Aug. 19: Blue Line, Target Field to Mall of America stations
- July 1-26: Green Line, Target Field to West Bank stations
- Aug. 16-19: Green Line, Target Field to West Bank stations
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. |
