 I have heard from many of you on the need to improve the area around the Midtown Lake Street Station for community safety and accessibility. During my time in office, we have established a Lake Street Safety Center here, reconstructed the Hwy 55/ Hiawatha Ave and Lake Street area into a more pedestrian and bike friendly layout, and are now bringing Community Safety Ambassadors here this Summer.
Our work to improve the area which surrounds East Phillips, Corcoran, and Longfellow will continue. I wanted to share some additional good news. At Friday’s City Council meeting, we approved a contract with the Minnesota Department of Transportation and GoodSpace Murals LLC for the Hiawatha Avenue and Lake Street Bridge Pier Public Art. This work will also include a team of artists including Greta McLain, Daniela Bianchini, Natchez Beaulieu, and Pablo Kalaka. They will design a two-dimensional public artwork for the Hiawatha Lake Underpass. I’m excited to see this work come to fruition and to see the beautification of this intersection.
 The City is looking for community input before advancing a development group for Peoples’ Way to the mayor and City Council for approval. Please take a survey by March 21 to share your feedback.
Redeveloping the Peoples’ Way site for community use is a part of the City’s effort to work with the community on a new vision for George Floyd Square. Years of feedback from community members has informed a shared vision for the area.
Read more about Peoples’ Way on the City website and take the survey by March 21. You can also see presentation materials and video recordings from a Feb. 26 event with four applicants to redevelop the site.
Here is a statement I released Friday regarding this disheartening news.
I want to thank everyone who reached out to me last month when I experienced homophobic remarks at City Hall and when my colleagues and I experienced threats of violence.
Your stories, bravery, and commitment to protect our most marginalized communities helped me get through a hard week for our community. The painful remarks reminded me why it was so hard for me to come out and was a stark reminder of the ongoing hate our community faces. I appreciated the way our community said that hate will not be tolerated in Minneapolis and that our LGBTQIA+ community is welcomed here.
I am saddened to see that the Mayor and his Administration are now asking the Minneapolis City Council to approve a $643,632 contract with a non-profit associated with the same person who lobbed these homophobic remarks towards me and threatened my colleagues and me (according to tax filings). This contract would have the option to extend for two additional years.
I want to be clear; hate has no place in Minneapolis, and I will not let the alarming hate directed towards LGBTQIA+ people become the norm. I will always be a strong believer in reconciliation, but that must come with accountability and self-reflection.
Learn more here.
Minneapolis renters have rights that help them know what to expect from good property management and protect them in difficult situations. March 1 marked the first day that the following two new renters’ rights ordinances went into effect.
Changes to the pre-eviction filing notice for unpaid rent
One of my top priorities since coming into office has been renters’ rights, which is why I authored the rental pre-eviction notification ordinance last year. A comparative analysis of eviction statistics at the time revealed eviction filings across the state of Minnesota were up 43% relative to the pre-COVID average, and eviction filings across the Twin Cities (Hennepin and Ramsey Counties) were up 62% relative to the pre-COVID average. Eviction statistics made available by Hennepin County showed that around forty percent of all eviction filings resulted in a formal eviction, indicating that most eviction filings in Hennepin County are either dismissed or ruled in favor of the tenant.
This ordinance addresses one of the City’s goals of housing that prioritizes equitable access to safe, stable, accessible, and affordable housing to help eliminate racial disparities in housing. It will help increase housing security and help prevent displacement from safe and affordable housing. Additionally, it could also help reduce the rate of evictions that disproportionately impact people of color. Renters who are at risk of being evicted for not paying their rent will now have a greater “heads up.” Before property owners start the eviction process, they must now give renters 30 days’ notice. Previously, the notice period was 14 days. The period begins once the notice is mailed or the day it is hand-delivered to the renter.
Renter rights mandatory disclosures
In 2024, I supported Council Member Wonsley when she authored an ordinance that set a new standard for transparency in renting. The ordinance helps new renters learn more about the places they call home and their protections and resources—just in case they need them. Property owners must share certain information before new renters sign a lease, including mandatory disclosures to tenants regarding the owner’s name and contact information; the rental license status of the property; a copy of unabated housing code violations in the common areas; the history of housing code violations of that contribute to the tier of the property; and the tier status of the property before they sign a lease.
All of this information must be shared with tenants within 90 days after the lease starts. Any tenant to whom such disclosures were not made prior to signing the lease may terminate the lease after thirty days’ notice to the property owner. Further, the owner must share within 90 days of the start date of the lease rights protected by federal and state law and city ordinance; and contact information for the City’s Regulatory Services department.
Make sure to visit the City website to see the full explanation of what property owners must share and when.
Property owners: Know what you must share and find resources
Renters: Learn more about your rights
If you’re a City Solid Waste & Recycling customer, watch your mailbox in the coming weeks for your annual service guide. Your guide will include a collection schedule for the year; ways you can create less trash and reuse what you already have; and a catalog of what belongs in the black garbage cart, blue recycling cart, and green organics cart. The guide also has instructions for setting out large items and for managing household hazardous waste.
Choose your best ways to use recycling and trash services:
- A searchable disposal guide on the City website shows the best way to dispose of specific household items.
- The Minneapolis Solid Waste, Recycling and Organics Facebook group answers questions about how to get rid of an item.
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Recycling reminder emails go out every other week with:
- A reminder for recycling day.
- Holiday notices with any collection day changes.
- Seasonal notices such as the start and end of yard waste pickup for the year.
- Upcoming events to reduce waste, reuse what people already have and drop off household hazardous waste.
- Fun facts about recycling and composting.
Learn more about recycling and organics on the City website.
 The City of Minneapolis has launched an initiative aiming to move the Minneapolis community toward a future grounded in racial equity and justice by harnessing the power of conversations to heal racial divisions. "Minneapolis Your Story,” a partnership with independent nonprofit StoryCorps Studios, will create an archive of community-centered stories focused on racial healing.
Now through May, people can record their perspectives in their own words and archive them as part of this special partnership. The community archive will include stories about the history of racial discrimination and injustice in Minneapolis, George Floyd’s murder, the civil unrest that followed, and the ongoing efforts to reform the Minneapolis Police Department.
The City will then host a community listening session to hear selected recordings.
Read more about StoryCorps and share your story on the City website.
The Vibrant Storefronts pilot program is expanding to offer rental support for artist spaces in new parts of Loring Park, Downtown and Uptown. Bringing property owners and artists together ensures stable tenants for the owners and furnishes space for the local creative community.
The first three awardees from November have opened their doors in the Harmon Place Historic District: Black Business Enterprises, Blackbird Revolt and Pride Cultural Arts Center. The two remaining awardees will open this spring. The Vibrant Storefronts pilot is a part of Minneapolis 2040.
Applications open March 14. The City will hold site visits April 11, 12 and 19. Interested artists can learn more and apply by May 16 on the City website.
For the Environmental Protection Agency’s annual Fix a Leak Week this month, take time to see if there’s a leak in your home plumbing. Common types of leaks found in the home are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets and other easy fixes. Stopping leaks can help conserve water and save money on your water bill.
Nationwide, more than a trillion gallons of water are wasted every year because of household leaks.
Resources
Find a checklist, a video and instructions on the City website for steps you can take to fix leaks in your home plumbing.
 Minneapolis is making history by becoming the first city in North America to own and operate a biochar facility. The City will process wood waste from Xcel Energy’s tree trimming around power lines. The facility will transform the wood waste into biochar, a specialized charcoal that holds onto carbon dioxide. This helps clean the air while also serving as an extremely powerful soil amendment for growing plants and trees.
Read more about the plan for biochar on the City website.
 National Night Out is a time for City residents to come together and celebrate with neighbors. Many blocks in Minneapolis take this opportunity to reconnect, eat and build relationships while kids play and bike freely in the closed street.
Registration is now open and is free. Pro tips:
- Include neighbors in your organizing efforts.
- Register only one event per block (appoint one neighbor to register).
- Consider whether you want your street blocked off to traffic.
- Checking the box for 75% approval is fine if you plan to notify every household of the event.
- Call 311 to request a firetruck, MPD K9, and/or MPD Mounted Patrol.
- Contact a City crime prevention specialist with questions.
Registration closes July 29. Read more about National Night Out and register your block’s event on the City website.
March is Explore Construction Employment month in Minnesota. This industry offers good wages and career advancement. Registered apprenticeship is a common path to a job in construction. The City is a partner in a new resource on apprenticeships, the Apprenticeship Outreach Office. The office is a valuable resource for anyone looking to start their careers and earn while they learn.
Construction companies hire the most apprentices in Minnesota. Apprenticeships are also growing in other industries.
The Minneapolis Apprenticeship Outreach Office is a partnership of the City of Minneapolis, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, and the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry.
Apprenticeship 101 workshops are held monthly at the CareerForce Minneapolis North. If you have questions, please contact Navigator Harrell Mathieu or call 612-494-8755.
 With the early warmup, some people may want to tidy and rake up their yards. But pollinators nest in the broken stems of plants and overwinter in leaf piles. To protect them, please do not rake any leaves or clean up your yard until temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees.
Yard waste collection will begin the week of April 7.
 Help us understand how you use tap water. This survey will guide us as we plan for a sustainable future that meets human needs and protects the environment.
When you take the quick survey, you'll get the chance to enter into a raffle to win an iPad. Your answers will stay anonymous and will only be used to help with planning.
Take the five-minute tap water survey from the City of Minneapolis and the Water Research Foundation.
The City Council has passed a resolution honoring Women’s History Month. The resolution commemorates the achievements of women and pledges to continue efforts to promote gender equity, celebrate diversity, and support the empowerment of all women in our community.
The resolution also:
- Recognizes that all women are leaders, regardless of their formal roles or leadership positions.
- Supports opportunities within our organization where women, especially Black women, Indigenous women, transgender women, and women of color, are equitably represented and thriving across departments and roles.
Read the full resolution on the City website.
 Recruiting members for boards and commissions is now open. We’re looking for applicants with a diversity of backgrounds and experiences representing the demographics of Minneapolis to strengthen the work of the City. Translation and interpreting are available so all residents can participate.
Serving on City boards and commissions offers a direct way for residents to advise City leadership about topics important to them. This is a way to help make changes and improvements that affect your community.
Applications will be taken throughout March for these boards and commissions:
- Advisory Committee on Aging
- Advisory Committee on Disabilities
- Advisory Committee on Housing
- Bicycle Advisory Committee
- Community Commission on Police Oversight (applications open until March 16)
- Homegrown Food Council
- Pedestrian Advisory Committee
- Public Health Advisory Committee
Apply by March 31, and stay up to date on vacancies, position descriptions and timelines by visiting the City website.
 Join us in our City’s annual celebration of National Public Health Week honoring our local public health heroes. The City will host a resource fair and Local Public Health Heroes Awards ceremony on April 9. This year’s theme is Building Bridges to Create Healthier Communities. This event is free and open to the public.
Local Public Health Heroes April 9
- 11 a.m.: Resource fair
- Noon: Award ceremony
- Public Service Building, 505 Fourth Ave. S., Room 100
A free lunch will be served.
Nominate a local public health hero
The work community members do in public health is essential to building healthier communities in our city. To honor those who do this important work, we give Local Public Health Hero Awards to individuals, teams/collaborations and organizations.
Nominate a Local Public Health Hero by 5 p.m. March 19.
Contact the Ward 9 Office
Email: jason.chavez@minneapolismn.gov
Phone: 612-673-2209
We've moved while work is being done in City Hall. Our office is in:
Room 100, Public Service Center
450 South 4th St.
Get directions
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. TTY users call 612-263-6850. Para ayuda, llame al 311. Rau kev pab, hu 311. Hadii aad caawimaad u baahantahay, wac 311. |
