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Dear Friends and Neighbors,
As we speed towards the holidays, I'm wishing you all the best of what the season has to offer.
Here at the county, we continue to hone in on the details of the 2026 budget, feel free to follow along through our 2026 budget webpage, and be in touch with your thoughts. There's plenty more going on around the county, read on to learn more about:
- Application for a Hennepin County community advisory board
- An update on the county's single-room occupancy strategy
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Participation in Hennepin County’s Student Art Contest
- A refresher on your rights in the midst of increased ICE activity
- A review and toolkit for extreme risk protection orders
- Details on the limited-edition Prince themed library card
- 'Love Local' shop small business this season
- Food assistance options, and
- Homestead status for tax season
My best,
Apply to a Hennepin County community advisory board!
The Hennepin County Board is recruiting volunteers for positions on 10 advisory and watershed district board through its annual open appointment process.
Each fall, the board accepts applications from residents interested in volunteer service positions on advisory boards, commissions, councils and special task forces. Board members will advise commissioners and help set policy on a variety of topics important to the county.
Community advisory board openings:
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Adult Mental Health Local Advisory Council
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Birth Justice Community Advisory Board
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Capital Budgeting Task Force
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Community Action Partnership Board
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County Extension Committee (UMN Extension)
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Race Equity Advisory Council
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Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act Board
Watershed board openings:
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Minnehaha Creek Watershed District Board
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Starting January 2025 – the county board will conduct interviews.
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First quarter of 2025 – the county board will appoint volunteers to the positions.
 The Robin, an affordable housing project in Robbinsdale that opened its doors in August, offers a mix of single room occupancy units and one-bedroom units for veterans.
Single-room occupancy housing isn’t a new idea. The practice of renting out single rooms as a low-barrier, low-cost option dates to the late 1800s and peaked in the 1970s. Over time, cities ended up demolishing most of them and establishing zoning standards that prevented them from being built again. These closures contributed to skyrocketing levels of homelessness.
Now, Hennepin County has taken an old idea and made it new again through our single-room occupancy (SRO) strategy. It’s all about filling a gap in the housing market that’s critically needed, while adhering to modern housing practices that create desirable homes for residents and neighbors.
Read the full update here.
Hennepin County is sponsoring a student art contest in partnership with the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Students in grades 6-12 who live or attend school in Hennepin County are invited to enter the contest. Winning art will be honored and exhibited at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
This year’s theme - Belonging Begins Here: Our Stories, Our County, and Our Pride – invites students to explore the meaning of belonging through a personal and local lens.
The program encourages participants to reflect on their identities, communities, and shared spaces that foster inclusion and connection. Students will highlight stories, landmarks, and cultural touch points within their districts that bring people together or represent sources of pride.
Contest submissions are being accepted now through January 4.
With an influx of ICE agents being deployed to Minneapolis and Saint Paul specifically to target our Somali community, it's an important time to revisit your rights.
I am diametrically opposed to the xenophobic, racist, and hateful rhetoric and actions coming from the White House. Somali residents are an important part of our community, and we stand together as neighbors.
If you believe you are witnessing ICE activity, you can call the MONARCA rapid response hotline at 612-441-2881 to report as many details as possible, including what’s happening, how many individuals are involved, what time the incident started, and vehicle ID info.
And remember – you have rights:
- You have the right to remain silent.
- You do not have to open the door unless ICE presents a warrant signed by a judge.
- You have the right to speak with an attorney before signing anything.
- If you are stopped, you can ask: “Am I free to go?”
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office is leading the state in helping law enforcement and community members make full use of extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs).
Two full-time staff members are dedicated to law enforcement training, collaboration, and in educating and assisting the public.
The office has also held town halls to help get this vital information into the community.
ERPO Toolkit
The ERPO toolkit was created to be a resource for our communities. These orders save lives and this guide is a great first step toward learning more about what they do, how they work, and how you can secure one.
ERPO Toolkit.
Hennepin County Library has released a limited-edition Prince library card celebrating one of Minnesota’s most iconic artists. The card is available at all library locations while supplies last. Choose the Prince design when signing up for a new library card or when replacing your existing card! Details at hclib.org/prince.
Library cards are free, yet one of the most valuable cards you can carry. Discover millions of books and audiobooks, research tools, creative spaces, and services that support learning for you and your family at every stage of life.
This is the season to celebrate and support the small businesses that make Hennepin County such a great place to live.
We encourage everyone to shop, eat, and have fun at your favorite local businesses this holiday shopping season and all through the year.
The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners took a moment at a recent meeting to celebrate our local businesses this season and how we support them all year with Elevate Hennepin.
Too many Hennepin County residents don’t have the resources to feed their families. In response to the federal shutdown, the Hennepin County Boad approved a request for up to $2 million to support local food banks, food shelves and food rescue organizations serving Hennepin County residents. Read the story from November 6.
The county is now in the process of distributing that funding to partner organizations to support ongoing community needs.
Additional assistance available
Programs like SNAP and WIC can help, too.
WIC is a nutrition and breastfeeding program that serves pregnant people, new mothers, babies and children up to age 5. In addition to nutrition education and breastfeeding counseling, WIC provides nutritious foods. Learn more here.
Both programs are accepting applications.
Attend a free event to talk with a county representative about homestead, delinquent taxes, property transfer basics, and more.
You may qualify for homestead status, if:
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You or one of your relatives live in the home
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You own the home in your name and not as a business entity
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You have a Social Security number or an ITIN
Free property clinics
Deadline to homestead your property: December 31, 2025
As you may know, my then-Twitter, now-X account was hacked, and all of the handle data was subsequently lost. While unfortunate, my office is using this as an opportunity to update my social media presence. Please follow us on the following platforms for more timely updates on our work:
Given the elimination of my X account data, @MarionGreene is currently dormant. However, please give me a follow in anticipation of reasserting the account at some time in the future.
Contact us
Marion Greene
Commissioner, 3rd District
612-348-7883
Elie Farhat
Principal Aide
612-348-7125
Laura Hoffman
District Aide
612-348-0863
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