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Dear Neighbors,
As your council member, I want to address recent developments concerning our unsheltered population and the city's approach to housing the unsheltered individuals. Firstly, as some may be aware, Mayor Frey has recently evicted unsheltered individuals from Camp Nenookaasi multiple times. I don't support these evictions without any plans to house our unsheltered population. Our unsheltered neighbors deserve dignity and respect, and it's imperative that we work together to provide them with necessary resources such as affordable housing and mental health services. I am actively collaborating with city leadership to devise a comprehensive strategy to support our community members in need, not only in Ward 6 but across Minneapolis.
Additionally, I wish to discuss the recent Ceasefire Resolution authored by Council President Payne and Council VP Chungtai, along with Councilmembers Chowdhury, Chavez, Ellison, Wonsley, and Jenkins. While Mayor Frey took a different course and vetoed the ceasefire resolution, a supermajority of the City Council, including my vote, overrode Mayor Frey’s veto and approved the ceasefire resolution today. I wanted to take a moment to mention that I have received numerous messages from Ward 6 constituents who have asked me to support the Ceasefire Resolution. I assure you that I have heard your voices loud and clear, and I am committed to representing your interests to the best of my ability.
Finally, I am honored to serve as Chair of the Business, Housing, and Zoning Committee. This role presents a unique opportunity to directly impact our community's growth and ensure a balanced development that benefits all. I look forward to working together to build a brighter future for our community.
- Jamal
The Minneapolis City Council set its membership Jan. 8 for the 2024-2025 term. Council Member Elliott Payne is the council president. Council Member Aisha Chughtai is the council vice president.
The 2024-2025 committees include:
- Administration & Enterprise Oversight Committee. Chair: Council Member Robin Wonsley.
- Business, Housing & Zoning Committee. Chair: Council Member Jamal Osman.
- Public Health & Safety Committee. Chair: Council Member Jason Chavez.
- Climate & Infrastructure Committee. Chair: Council Member Katie Cashman.
- Budget Committee. Chair: Council Member Aisha Chughtai.
- Committee of the Whole. Chair: Council Member Jason Chavez. This committee will have a subcommittee on the settlement agreement and consent decree.
- Intergovernmental Relations Committee. Chair: Council Member Aurin Chowdhury.
Read more details on the City website.
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Celebrate Black History Month with us. The City of Minneapolis is offering free, public events under the theme African Americans & the Arts.
Upcoming Black History Month events
- Black Music and the Arts – The Minneapolis Sound A panel discussion to explore the history of Black contributions to music with a focus on the “Minneapolis Sound.” Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7 City of Minneapolis Public Service Building, Conference Room 100 505 Fourth Ave. S.
- Black and Belonging A community discussion around belonging to a collective and creating welcoming spaces where we all belong. Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 14 City of Minneapolis Public Service Building, Conference Room 100 505 Fourth Ave. S.
- Family Feud: Black History Month Trivia Featuring Hennepin County and City of Minneapolis employees: a live event to have fun, laugh, show off what you know about Black history, or learn something new. Noon-2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 21 North Point Conference Center, Fifth Floor, Suite 5200 1256 Penn Ave. N.
- History Makers at Home The Minneapolis Civil Rights Department will recognize leaders in the areas of business, criminal justice, education, economic development, health, housing and government. 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22 Capri Theater, 2027 West Broadway Ave.
- Rock Your Crown This is the event where hair rules! With the State of Minnesota signing the Crown Act into law, we will celebrate the history of Black hair and the art of styling it. Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 City of Minneapolis Public Service Building, Conference Room 100 505 Fourth Ave. S.
The mayor and City Council passed a resolution honoring Black History Month. The resolution states that “the Mayor and City Council do hereby commemorate the achievements of Black Americans as history makers and legacy trailblazers and their role in the development of the region and the nation since its inception, and we join in recognizing the annual celebration of Black History Month and the anniversary of the Minneapolis Black Employee Network.”
The events for Black History Month are presented in partnership with the City of Minneapolis and Hennepin County through the efforts of these employee resource groups: City of Minneapolis Black Employee Network, Hennepin County People of Color Employee Resource Group and Hennepin County African American Employee Resource Group. History Makers at Home is presented by the Minneapolis Department of Civil Rights.
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 Minneapolis residents can sign up now for the free 2024 Community Connections Conference on Feb. 17. Join in for a fun day of learning and connecting. Get involved in your local community. Meet the people behind important City services, community groups and other institutions. The conference is free and open to everyone.
Program
Our program this year is built around the theme of “Open city, your Minneapolis.” We chose this theme to showcase how Minneapolis is a transparent, accessible city open to everyone, open to new ideas and open for business. We highlight the ways you can get involved in both government decision-making and your local community. We also celebrate the many parts of the city reopening and recovering after the pandemic.
This year's conference will have workshops, music and dance, activities for the whole family, an exhibit hall, and a community dialogue on youth and community safety.
Exhibits
Among the 150 exhibits, you can find:
- Jobs and paid internships for young people at the City of Minneapolis.
- Pathways to green careers and other job opportunities.
- The City Clerk’s booth on how to connect with the Minneapolis City Council; how to make your voice heard; and how to view the City Council’s ordinances, resolutions and meetings online.
- A free COVID vaccine clinic. No insurance needed.
- An indoor soccer field with the New Americans Youth Soccer Club.
- Minnesota Zoo animals.
Learn about:
- What all the different City departments do.
- How to save someone’s life with CPR and practice it on a mannequin.
- Immigration and other legal help.
- Opioid addiction resources.
- Crime prevention and services for victims.
- Community air pollution monitoring.
- Voting in elections.
- Resources to get rid of lead in your home. You can even bring in toys or ceramics you’d like to test for lead.
Breakout sessions
Join your choice of breakout sessions including:
- Your rights as a renter.
- Buying your first home.
- The Minneapolis Climate Equity Action Plan and how the City puts resources toward projects in communities that need it most.
- Voter engagement.
- Community dialogue on being a safe, healthy, and child friendly city.
Community Connections Conference 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17 Minneapolis Convention Center, first floor, Hall E Lunch is included. Metro Transit offers free rides to the conference.
Read more and register for the free conference on the City website
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Early voting has begun in Minneapolis for the presidential primary. Voters in the city are among the first in the nation to cast in-person ballots in this high-profile race. They can do that at the Early Vote Center now through the day before the March 5 primary. The Early Vote Center is at 980 E. Hennepin Ave.
Unlike with other elections, voters in the presidential primary choose which of the participating major party’s ballot they want. The party they choose is not public information, though it will be available to the selected major party.
Standard hours for the Early Vote Center are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday. The center is closed on Presidents Day, Feb. 19. The center is also open the last two weekends before the primary. Besides the Early Vote Center, voters can vote early at the downtown Hennepin County Government Center, 300 Sixth St. S. You can find more information on early voting options on the City website.
The Early Vote Center makes early in-person voting more convenient for Minneapolis voters. It’s especially helpful to people who need language support or other special accommodations, such as curbside voting. Voting early can help people avoid lines and crowds at polling places on the day of the election.
Vote early by mail
Any voter can vote early by mail; no reason is required. Please allow enough time to complete the process by mail. It can take up to seven days. You can complete your applications online on the City website.
Make sure you’re registered to vote
While people can register to vote at the polls, preregistering speeds up voting on the day of the primary. Voters can check the status of their registrations on the City website. If you’ve moved to a new address or had a name change since last registering, you’ll need to reregister to vote. If you haven’t voted in the past four years, you’ll need to reregister.
Preregister online, or fill out and mail in a registration application, which is available at government offices and the City website. Preregistration ends 21 days before the March 5 primary.
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The City is making plans for the future of the former 3rd Precinct building at the corner of East Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue. That work includes finding how a portion of the building could be used for community purposes.
In the coming months, the City will engage with residents, community leaders and stakeholders to help guide this work. A community information session is planned in early March.
Ongoing updates on this effort are available on the City’s website. You can also sign up for updates on the engagement process.
Office of Community Safety Commissioner Toddrick Barnette has presented an update on the South Minneapolis Community Safety Center. The goal is to open the new Community Safety Center in early 2025.
A purchase agreement has been signed for a building at 2633 Minnehaha. The City will inspect the property, perform environmental testing, etc. By April 15, the City will decide whether to move forward with the purchase based on the findings.
A Design and Implementation team first convened in November 2023. The team has been working toward making recommendations, using the Safe & Thriving Communities Report as a roadmap.
Find information about the Community Safety Center and the progress of its development on the City website.
The Minneapolis Park Board marked its 140th anniversary last year. Staff, volunteers, park visitors and community leaders shared their Minneapolis park stories. These stories have now come together in a project called 140 Years: Our Parks, Our Stories, on display free to the public at Mia Feb. 3-25.
140 Years: Our Parks, Our Stories Regular Mia hours, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays, until 9 p.m. Thursdays Feb. 3-25 Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 Third Ave. S.
Visit the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board website for more.
 Open Streets will once again take place in 2024, and the City of Minneapolis is seeking event organizers for the 2024 event series.
The City is soliciting proposals for up to five event organizers to coordinate and implement up to two Open Streets events each. The City will provide up to $50,000 for each event. If an event organizer is awarded two events, the contract would be up to $100,000.
Open Streets Minneapolis events give local businesses, artists and community groups a one-day opportunity to transform the streets into a place where people can gather and celebrate the diversity and creativity of the city while walking, biking and rolling. From the first event in 2011 through the 2022 season, Open Streets events have drawn more than 677,000 people.
There are plans for five Open Streets events in 2024:
- West Broadway.
- Lyndale Avenue South.
- Central Avenue Northeast.
- Franklin Avenue.
- Nicollet Avenue.
Proposals are due by 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15.
Open Streets Minneapolis was first inspired by other initiatives around the world. However, our version is one of a kind and specific to our city. It stands apart from Open Streets events in other states, nations or globally. During Open Streets, our local businesses, artists and community groups come together to turn the streets into a special space temporarily free from car traffic. They’re a place to grow community connections and embrace what’s unique about Minneapolis.
Find more information on the City’s website.
 The Urban Scholars application for internships this summer is open. This program invites college students and graduate students who want to work in the public sector to apply.
These paid internships match interns based on:
- Career goals.
- Skills.
- Experience.
- Academic work.
- Interests.
The Urban Scholars program pursues equity. It works toward an equitable workforce with leadership that reflects our community. Its goals are to provide:
- Leadership and professional development training.
- High-quality, resume-building work experience.
- Guidance and opportunities to grow a meaningful professional network.
Read more, hear about the experience from program alumni, and apply by March 4 on the City website.
The City's Partnership Engagement Fund is now open for applications. Community-based organizations, groups and individuals can apply for funding for small-scale, meaningful projects to make Minneapolis communities more socially connected, healthy and safe.
In 2024, a total of $1 million is available for 40 $25,000 contracts with the City. Applicants will need to work with one of the City’s 70 neighborhood organizations for their project engaging underrepresented residents in Minneapolis.
Previous community projects have included youth mentorships, public events, garden infrastructure, civic leadership development, entrepreneurship training, addressing health disparities, employment support, youth peace building, corridor development, resource support for unsheltered neighbors, community building, youth media and storytelling, arts programming and placemaking.
Online information sessions
Two online information sessions covered more about the Partnership Engagement Fund program and how to apply. The sessions have passed, but you can find a recorded webinar on the Partnership Engagement Fund City webpage.
Applications are open now with an interest form due Feb. 19 and the completed application due March 3.
Learn more on the City website.
The City Council has approved $18.3 million to help produce or save 876 affordable rental homes throughout Minneapolis. For every dollar the City invests, more than $18 will come in from other sources to support these homes.
The investments came from the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit programs for 2023.
The Affordable Housing Trust Fund supports housing for renters with incomes at or below half of the area median income. That’s $62,100 per year for a family of four. Most renters pay more than 30% of their income for housing because of the affordable housing shortage in the city.
Read more about affordable housing investments on the City website.
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Khalid is a seasoned community activist and advocate. Born in Yemen and raised in Somalia and Minnesota, Khalid has a strong connection to the diverse communities in Ward 6 —which he has called home since his youth.
His advocacy experience focuses on critical issues such as language access, affordable housing, and income equality — particularly for communities of color.
Fluent in English, Somali and Arabic, Khalid’s linguistic skills will only enhance his community engagement abilities. He holds a degree in Political Science and has been very active in the community since high school — notably raising over $400,000 for drought relief in Somalia from 2012 to 2018.
Khalid’s professional background spans the public and private sectors — including internships with the City of Minneapolis and with former Governor Mark Dayton. He also has worked for non-profits — most recently with the Urban League of Metropolitan Seattle and Kajoog in Minneapolis.
His extensive experience in political campaigns and community organizing makes him a valuable addition to CM Osman’s Team — where he will continue to advocate passionately for the betterment of Ward 6 renters, workers, and neighborhoods. Welcome Khalid!
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