 The City isn’t the only unit of government in Minneapolis facing difficult budget choices. On Tuesday night, Minneapolis Public Schools presented its long-anticipated School Transformation Plan. The district enrolls fewer than 30,000 students but has facilities to accommodate 43,000. More than half of its schools are less than 70% full. With much of the district’s funding tied to enrollment, maintaining so many underutilized buildings takes resources away from serving students and places enormous financial strain on the district.
Across Ward 7, I continue to hear frustration about the district’s last major reform effort: the Comprehensive District Design, or CDD. It redrew attendance boundaries over teacher and parent objections and helped create the very problems we are now trying to solve. Families living north of 36th Street, south of I-394, and west of Hennepin Avenue were reassigned from Southwest High School to North High School in an effort to better integrate schools long divided by race and geography.
Families voted with their feet. Many chose other districts, charter schools, or private schools and many Ward 7 families lost neighborhood cohesion. Some left Minneapolis altogether. Whatever the good intentions behind the CDD, a plan that families don’t buy into can’t deliver on its promises.
The enrollment data paints an ugly picture. In most of the school attendance areas serving Ward 7, two-thirds or more of school-age children are not enrolled in MPS. That pattern holds on both sides of I-394. Schools are central to why families choose to move to, invest in, and stay in Minneapolis. When our public schools lose families’ confidence, the consequences reach far beyond the classroom.
Our city can’t afford more well-intentioned bad choices.
That’s why I was encouraged to see that Options 2 and 3 would largely restore the pre-CDD attendance boundaries for Ward 7 families that were affected by those changes. Students in the proposed Kenwood Elementary attendance area — including South Bryn Mawr and Stevens Square — would follow a pathway through Anthony Middle School to Southwest High School. Under Option 1, students assigned to Kenwood Elementary would instead attend Franklin Middle School and North High School.
Stevens Square families face a different outcome under Option 1: students would switch from Kenwood Elementary to Whittier Elementary, then attend Anderson Middle School and South High School. Under Options 2 and 3, they would be on the Kenwood Elementary, Anthony Middle School, and Southwest High School pathway.
For North Bryn Mawr families, all three options would lead from Bryn Mawr Elementary to Franklin Middle School and North High School.
Restoring the Southwest pathway is what I advocated for when I met with Superintendent Sayles-Adams and her staff in April. I am glad to see this direction reflected in two of the district’s three options.
Other proposed changes would apply under all three options. Emerson would remain a bilingual magnet school drawing students from across the district. FAIR High School downtown would merge into North High School. Wellstone, which currently operates at Minneapolis College and serves students ages 18–22 who are still developing their English proficiency, would move to South High School.
All three options also involve closing at least a dozen schools, including Anwatin Middle School in Bryn Mawr. That is a painful prospect for the families those schools serve, the staff who work there, and the surrounding neighborhoods. Anwatin families deserve clear answers about what comes next. Under the proposals, Anwatin students would attend either Franklin Middle School or Anthony Middle School, depending on where they live and which option the district adopts.
But doing nothing is not a viable path forward. Keeping buildings open while enrollment declines does not protect students from difficult choices. It leaves fewer resources to support their education.
The teachers’ union has already come out strongly against school closures, arguing that MPS can’t cut its way to growth. Its response did not address attendance boundaries. Those boundaries will be central to my assessment of any final plan. The district needs to control costs, but it also needs to give families a reason to choose MPS and stay.
A plan that closes schools while preserving the boundary decisions that helped drive families away would only repeat a serious mistake. I will advocate for a final plan that includes the revised boundaries and pathways in Options 2 and 3.
I encourage you to follow this debate and make your voice heard:
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Complete the MPS online survey by October 16. It is open to everyone in the community and available in multiple languages.
- Attend the October 7 engagement session at North High School at 6 p.m.
- Attend the October 8 engagement session at Southwest High School at 6 p.m.
The School Board is expected to vote on November 10. Families should weigh in now, while these choices are still being debated.
This is personal for families across our ward, including in my own office: one of my aides taught in MPS before coming to work for me, and his children attend district schools. The strength of our schools is central to the strength of our city. Supporting public education means being willing to confront what isn’t working, reverse misguided past decisions, and make the changes needed for a sustainable future.
 A Ward 7 business reached out recently to detail the frustration they had with our city permitting, which allowed rental halls to host only private events, but not public events. Their desire was to be able to purchase a single permit from the city, which would allow for the flexibility to hold both public and private events. Allowing for one permit would create stronger, more flexible venues with a larger variety of events, less licensing confusion and application errors, as well as a streamlined licensing process. Doing some inquiry with the economic development staff, I learned this is something they had been thinking about and working towards for a few years. Yesterday the council unanimously voted to change the ordinance to allow for both types of events. It’s a simple change, but a win for giving more options and flexibility to our small businesses. Thank you to CM Rainville for co-authoring this work with me and for the collaboration between the Ward 3 and Ward 7 offices. If interested, you can view the staff presentation slides detailing these changes. A small win for business support and efficiency!
 We’ve had a lot of truly weighty, contentious items on the council agenda recently and our office has been busy, so it was great to be able to take a break and participate in Bryn Mawr’s wonderful Paint the Pavement event last weekend. As you can see from the photo above, the event attracted people of all ages and stages, from all over the neighborhood, who put on their painting clothes and showed up prepared to get messy. Thanks to all who organized and participated in this event – the final result is lovely, and uniquely Bryn Mawr!
 This week, the City released body-worn camera footage from the four officers who confronted the shooter on the ninth floor of Shoreline Plaza on September 2. It's hard to watch. What comes through clearly is that these officers were ambushed at close range — two of them wounded in the exchange — and they responded with courage and composure under fire. I'm deeply grateful for their heroism in ending the threat to residents, and for every MPD officer who shows up each day willing to put their life on the line for this city.
 Reminder: I hope you’ll join me for a Community Conversations event focused on the city’s 2027 budget this coming Thursday, September 24, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m., at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church, 2020 W. Lake of the Isles Parkway. Joining me will be Shawn Greene, the Budget Director for the City of Minneapolis. We’ll discuss the mayor’s proposed budget, the maximum levy set by the Board of Estimate and Taxation (which will be set the day before!), the role of the council, and any other topics or questions that may be of interest to you. Mark your calendars, and I hope you can join us.
Please mark your calendars for Tuesday, October 6, at 6:00 p.m., when we’ll be holding a community-wide event related to public safety in the Loring Park neighborhood, hosted by the Miracle City Church, which is located in the Music Box Theater, 1407 Nicollet Ave. This topic has obviously been front and center since the tragic shootings at Shoreline Plaza, but there are a number of other neighborhood concerns that need addressing as well, ranging from so-called “livability” issues to open drug dealing to domestic violence. These are all problems with solutions, even if they’re not easy, and we’ll have a chance to hear from other local officials and stakeholders as we work together to chart a path forward.
 Photo of project area from Minneapolis Public Works
As previewed in last week’s newsletter, the Public Works Department is hosting an open house this coming Wednesday, September 23, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., at the Walker Library Bde Maka Ska room, to discuss proposed changes to the roadway/sidewalk areas around Hennepin, Lake, and 31st Street. The work, some of which is expected to happen this fall, may include incorporating space for curbside uses on Hennepin, including space for loading and unloading or metered parking. Work planned for 2028 may include upgrades to the existing bike lanes to a two-way protected bikeway on Hennepin and installing a new protected bikeway on Lake Street, and providing space for curbside uses on Hennepin Ave S. For full information, please visit the project homepage.
The Ward 7 office plans to attend this open house, and I hope you’ll be able to make time as well!
 Like many of you in Bryn Mawr, I got caught up in this week’s Wirth Parkway closure, and it made me yearn for the end of road construction season. Not so fast! This weekend, the eastbound portion of I-394 will be closed between Highway 100 and downtown as bridge work continues. The closure began this morning at 10:00 a.m., and will continue through 5:00 a.m. on Monday, when travel will be restored in both directions. Please plan ahead – the official MNDOT detour is shown in the map above, and other routes may be available to you as well depending on your destination.
 What should Minneapolis look like in the future? The City is working on its next comprehensive plan, Minneapolis 2050. Your input can help shape the plan’s goals and vision.
Take the Minneapolis 2050 survey today to share your ideas about the future of Minneapolis. You can take the survey in:
The survey is open until Sept. 30. It should take you less than five minutes to complete.
Over the next couple of years, there will be more opportunities to learn about Minneapolis 2050 and share your ideas and feedback.
Learn more at 2050.minneapolismn.gov.
Sign up for Minneapolis 2050 text or email updates.
 There is a public hearing scheduled for proposed regulations related to autonomous vehicles coming up before the Business, Housing and Zoning (BHZ) committee on September 22, with a follow-on hearing anticipated at the Committee of the Whole (COW) the following week, after which the council will vote on the proposed ordinance. The ordinance includes licensing requirements and mandates that every autonomous vehicle have a human monitor. We’ve already been receiving feedback on this issue, both pro and con, and this is an opportunity for you to be heard directly by a larger group of policymakers if you wish.
 As you likely know, I’ve been working with city staff and my council colleagues to craft new zoning rules for data centers in the 21st century, working to ensure we balance business needs and opportunity with limiting any negative effects on the broader community.
If you want to learn more, the City has created a data center webpage, which includes the City’s research report about data centers, a summary of the preliminary recommendations, and a recorded presentation.
Visit the Data Centers page on the City website to learn more.
Overlay districts no longer under consideration
Initial ideas included a potential overlay zoning district. It would have allowed for review and individual council approval of any potential smaller-scale data center outside downtown. Based on feedback, the overlay district will not be included in the staff recommendations presented to the City Planning Commission and City Council in October and November.
Share your feedback
The City of Minneapolis Planning Commission is scheduled to consider the data center proposal at its meeting on Oct. 13. This meeting will be open to the public. Attendees will be able to sign up to make public comments. The agenda will be posted on our Legislative Information Management System (LIMS) website when it is available.
Look for the Planning Commission agenda in LIMS.
Planning Commission Meeting 4:30 p.m. or shortly thereafter, Tuesday, Oct. 13 Public Service Center, 250 S. Fourth St., Room 350
Comments can also be submitted in writing. Share your thoughts on the proposed zoning changes for data centers by completing this form.
Monday, September 28: Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association monthly meeting, 5:30 p.m., via Zoom. Visit the DMNA calendar for Zoom instructions.
Monday, October 5: Kenwood Neighborhood Organization monthly meeting, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the Kenwood Rec Center, 2101 W. Franklin Ave.
Tuesday, October 6: Lowry Hill Neighborhood Association monthly board meeting, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the Kenwood Rec Center, 2101 W. Franklin Ave. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, October 6: Stevens Square Community Organization Board of Directors Meeting, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., 1900 Nicollet Avenue. Hybrid meeting with Zoom option.
Monday, October 12: Citizens for a Loring Park Community board of directors meeting, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., via Zoom. Click here for directions.
Tuesday, October 13: West Maka Ska Neighborhood Council annual meeting, 6 – 8 p.m., Bakken Museum Great Hall, 3527 Zenith Ave. S.
Tuesday, October 13: East Isles Neighborhood Association monthly meeting, 7:00 – 9:00 p.m., at Grace Trinity Church, 1430 W. 28th Street. Click here for more information.
Wednesday, October 14: Bryn Mawr Neighborhood Association monthly meeting, 6:30-7:30pm at Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church, 420 Cedar Lake Road.
Wednesday, October 14: Cedar-Isles-Dean Neighborhood Association monthly meeting, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., Jones Harrison Senior Living, 3700 Cedar Lake Avenue. Click here for full details.
 This section is intended to flag issues coming up in the next council cycle (and beyond) which we believe might be of interest to Ward 7 constituents.
Waymo: As previewed above, you should expect this to be an area of substantial focus in the next two weeks, with a public hearing on September 22 that is expected to be continued into the September 29 meeting of the Committee of the Whole. This is a subject that has captured a great deal of public and media attention, with feedback running both ways, and I expect this will be a dominant subject of public interest this next council cycle.
Minneapolis 2050 Plan: The Minneapolis 2040 Plan has been much in the news (and in the courts) over the last decade, and we’re now gearing up for the city’s 2050 comprehensive plan, which is required by state law. Tuesday’s meeting of the Business, Housing and Zoning (BHZ) committee includes an item updating the point system for 1-3 unit residences, which allows deviations from constraints otherwise required under the 2040 plan, typically in exchange for climate-friendly design features and the like. This particular item is not expected to be controversial, but I expect you’ll see more such tweaks and amendments as the 2050 process ramps up. So, if you care about the city’s long-term planning, now is a good time to start paying close attention.
Mobile Crisis Response: The agenda for Wednesday’s Public Health, Safety, and Equity (PHSE) Committee includes a proposed $5.9 million contract with Community Bridges, Inc., for mobile crisis response services. “Mobile crisis response” is also known as Behavioral Crisis Response (or “BCR”), which is embedded in our first responder system and is intended primarily as an alternative to 911 calls that would otherwise be dealt with by traditional police or fire. Staff reports that the bidding for this contract, currently held by a local company, was highly competitive, but the most competitive bid was from Community Bridges, which is based in Arizona. Based on early reaction, I expect this to be an item of significant discussion and debate. The council has an outstanding Auditor’s Report regarding the previous BCR contract scheduled for council presentation in October, which was an inquiry suggested in a recent Workforce Optimization Report. In these times of uncovering fraud and waste, in my mind it is important for the council to understand the issues flagged in the BCR audit before we are asked to move forward with a new contract and provider.
Traffic signal re-timing: Tired of sequential red lights? Thursday’s meeting of the Climate and Infrastructure (CI) committee includes a proposed $3.6 million federally-funded contract for the engineering work needed to update and re-time the city’s traffic light system. Traffic management does this every day in real time, but larger, systemic changes require more focused work, which happens every ten years or so. That time is now. While some of the changes will be driven simply by changing traffic patterns, other features – such as new bus rapid transit lines – simply didn’t exist the last time this work was done. While this may not be an edge-of-your-seat thriller, this is the sort of work the city does every day that impacts our overall quality of living. It’s truly important, and I have heard your concerns about this in many Ward 7 locations, including 9th and 10th streets downtown, Lake Street and Excelsior, where they merge west of the lakes, and of course the Hennepin Ave. flow changes.
 Last week, Dr. Reginald Freeman was sworn in as the 19th Chief of the Minneapolis Fire Department. He’s had extensive leadership experience in fire and rescue services, emergency management and public safety in Oakland, California, and Hartford, Connecticut, as well as serving in a variety of executive roles across the United States and internationally.
Chief Freeman replaces former Chief Bryan Tyner, who retired at the end of 2025 after 30 years of service. Melanie Rucker has served as interim chief since Jan. 1, 2026.
Watch Chief Freeman’s swearing-in ceremony on YouTube.
 The City of Minneapolis is moving forward with its national search for the next Minneapolis Chief of Police. The City’s executive search firm has conducted its review of candidates, and interviews will begin in the near future.
Thank you to everyone who has participated in giving feedback to date. Ward 7 overlaps three police precincts, 1st, 4th and 5th, and we wrapped up the final listening session this past Monday in the 5th Precinct. The mayor recently announced two interview panels that will bring a range of community, law enforcement and public safety perspectives to the candidate evaluation process as well.
Community Panel
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Adam Duininck, President and CEO, Minneapolis Downtown Council
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Andrea Jenkins, former Minneapolis City Council President
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LaTonya Reeves, Chair, Community Commission on Police Oversight
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Catherine Shreves, Co-Chair, Plymouth Church Reimagining Community Safety Group
Public Safety & Law Enforcement Panel
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Sheriff Dawanna Witt, Hennepin County
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Chief Scott Boerboom, Minnetonka Police Department and President, Hennepin County Chiefs of Police Association
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Jason Case, retired Minneapolis Police Department Deputy Chief of Investigations
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Deputy Chief Tom Campbell, Minneapolis Police Department
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Col. Christina Bogojevic, Minnesota State Patrol
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Sgt. Sherral Schmidt, President, Police Officers Federation of Minneapolis
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Chief Booker T. Hodges, Bloomington Police Department and local representative of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE)
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Michael Harrison, Deputy Mayor of Public Safety, City of New Orleans
The search has attracted more than a dozen applicants, including a mix of internal and external candidates. The City’s executive search firm vetted applicants based on the qualifications, experience and leadership characteristics identified through the search process.
Learn more about next steps in the search on the City website.
 Now through Oct. 15, take a five-minute survey to share what matters most to you about renting, as well as challenges and opportunities you see.
The City is working to update how it categorizes rental properties in tiers to create safer housing, and a more accurate, fair and simplified system. Your insights will help the City refine its initial ideas for changes.
Ways to help
Comparta sus experiencias con el alquiler en Minneapolis.
Nala wadaag waayo aragnimadaada ku saabsan kirada Minneapolis.
From caps on security deposits to evictions for unpaid rent, Minneapolis renters have rights. This week, we’re highlighting two of those rights from the City and State.
Renter immigration status
When screening potential renters, rental property owners and managers cannot:
- Ask about someone’s immigration or citizenship status
- Require someone to disclose or provide proof of their immigration or citizenship status
- Deny a rental application because an applicant provided an individual taxpayer identification number
Renters may still be asked for this information under certain situations; for example, when it’s necessary to comply with state or federal law or needed to verify financial qualifications.
Renters’ right to organize
Renters have the right to form an association to address issues like maintenance repairs, the terms and conditions of renting, and housing and community development.
Retaliation can take on a lot of different forms. Retaliation against renters for organizing or seeking help for a housing issue is illegal. Reporting a current or prospective renter because of their immigration status might constitute retaliation.
 Join us this Saturday, Sept. 19 as first responders from the Minneapolis Police Department, Minneapolis Fire Department, Minneapolis Park Police and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office compete in the 9th Annual Battle of the Badges & the People's BBQ.
Officers, deputies and firefighters will participate in a “friendly” competition as they battle for the title of Best Ribs in the City. This free event will also have musical and dance performances, games and prizes.
Battles of the Badges & the People’s BBQ Noon-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 North Commons Park, 1801 James Ave. N.
As regular riders know, commuting with transit is a great way to save money on gas and parking, ease the stress of traffic and get the workday started right. Help mark the occasion this Sept. 30 by taking transit to work.
Join the City of Minneapolis and Metro Transit for a morning commute celebration. Transit commuters can pick up free coffee and donuts, take a selfie with Metro Transit mascot Skip Traffic and weigh in on local transit plans.
Downtown Transit to Work Day celebration 7-9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 30 Fifth Street South and Nicollet Mall (near the giant wind turbine blade)
Commuters near the University of Minnesota can join in on the day's celebrations from 7-9 a.m. at the bus stop in front of Coffman Memorial Union.
Happy riding! |
