| Council Member Cashman speaking from the dais in a black shirt against a dark background ShotSpotter coverage and contract: This week my Council colleagues and I voted in support of an extension and expansion of the City’s contract with SoundThinking Inc. for their ShotSpotter technology. This will bring ShotSpotter to Ward 7 for the first time, specifically in the Steven’s Square-Loring Heights and Loring Park neighborhoods, both of which are hotspots for gun violence. In the last few weeks, we have formally directed staff to conduct both internal and external investigations to assess the effectiveness of the ShotSpotter program. The external report will be returned by March of 2026. I addition to this investment in technology, I have also requested that the Office of Community Safety direct violence interrupters to the hotspots at 19th and Nicollet and Oak Grove . They agreed that it is currently a gap in their system and will work to address the safety issues with a comprehensive approach. Please see the map of the ShotSpotter coverage expansion below. - The red border is the current coverage zone; the blue border is what the expansion will cover.
- The red outline of a person indicates a gun related homicide reported between January 1 and April 1, 2024.
- The blue dots signify a gun-related event (sound of shots, shooting, person with a gun) reported between January 1 and April 1, 2024.
- The heat map is based off 911 calls of “sound of shots” reported between January 1 and April 1, 2024.
A heat map of South Minneapolis demonstrating concentrations of 911 reports and the ShotSpotter technology coverage - Office to residential conversions: Office to housing conversions are gaining steam, as more developers are finding way finance and adapt commercial buildings to new uses like housing. Our goal is to double our downtown residential population in the coming years, and to do so we need to create more housing with some of these vacant commercial buildings. But developing housing in an existing building comes with often significant costs and logistical challenges. While I continue to support a statewide building conversion tax credit that I hope will pass the legislature next session, the zoning code amendments that I authored and were approved by Council this week represent a few of the things we can do at the City level now to streamline, shorten, and thereby reduce the costs for developers pursuing these projects.
- Agate Housing Rehab Project Funds: Today my colleagues and I allocated a $1.5m grant to Agate Housing & Services in support of the urgent capital investments needed to keep their emergency shelter and lodging in operation following necessary building rehabilitation. I do not want to see these residents permanently displaced at a time when the City and County are facing a number of barriers to siting, opening, and operating new shelter facilities. As for many other industries, it has become much more expensive for our affordable and supportive housing providers to operate in recent years. While it is the County’s role to oversee and administer human services, the City can help to be a part of the solution with this financial investment. The City Council passed a resolution at the end of last year declaring unsheltered homelessness a public health emergency, and I believe taking this action today demonstrated that the Council is committed to finding ways to address it at every opportunity.
- Encampment Removal Reporting Ordinance: Supportive housing and shelter advocates I've spoken with agree that having more data is helpful, but we all know there is still more to do here. I want the City to be in a better position to quantify the current approach to encampments both in terms of moving people into more stable housing outcomes and the expending of City resources, as we know that simply dispersing an encampment does not address the root case of the problem. While the policy passed yesterday does not single-handedly change the City’s overall approach to encampment response, it will generate key info for making data-informed policy decisions in the months ahead. It is important to know that this is one of a couple encampment response policy pieces that are in motion, and they are intended to work in concert.
- Rethinking I-94: The resolution passed reflects how infrastructure planning, in this case highway building, greatly impacts people’s ability to move around, thrive, and generate wealth for generations to come. What’s supposed to connect us has resulted in communities being displaced and disconnected. And we cannot accept that trade off. Having the Minneapolis City Council weigh in on Rethinking I-94 is an opportunity for us to collaborate meaningfully with the Minnesota Department of Transportation to repair harms committed to communities along I-94 in the 50s and 60s. My own neighborhood of Loring Heights was disconnected from Loring Park because of the construction of I-94. As Chair of the Climate and Infrastructure Committee, fellow Council Members communicated with me through our Committee Work Plan that highway removal and expanding public transit, walking, biking, and rolling are top priorities I’m grateful for the leadership of the community, particularly those in Wards 2 and 6, in reimagining a more equitable, sustainable, and imaginative future for I-94.
- Ordinance Introductions & Referrals: Council Members introduced and referred to the appropriate committees five new ordinances and/or ordinance amendments relating to service animal cleanup, fence height regulations, public swimming pool health code, and designation of landmarks and historic districts.
- Honorary Resolutions: 3 honorary resolutions were brought forth celebrating the service of City employee Kathy Waite, honoring firefighters who have died in the line of duty, and commemorating Latino Heritage Month.
Budget Committee: Monday, September 23, 2024 at 6:05 pm - City Budget Public Hearing #1 (2024-01056): The proposed 2025 City Budget and tax levy, the Fiscal Year 2025 Consolidated Plan, and the proposed water and sewer rates
Business, Housing, & Zoning Committee: September 24, 2024 at 1:30 pm - Conditional use permit appeal: Jacob Saufley, 1801 Nicollet Ave (2024-00979): Considering an appeal submitted by Jacob Saufley, on behalf of Sentinel Management and YellowTree Corporation, regarding the decision of the City Planning Commission to approve a conditional use permit (PLAN18054) to allow an emergency shelter for 64 people in the existing building at 1801 Nicollet Ave, subject to conditions.
Ward 7 Community Survey Series In each Ward 7 Newsletter, we include a question for constituents to weigh in on. Questions may be related to upcoming policy decisions, future planning, issue prioritization, community project ideas, and more. Today's question: Staff at MnDOT, community advocates, and organizations like Reconnect Rondo and Our Streets have been working for years to identify a future for the I-94 corridor that both reconnects neighborhoods and repairs the past harm done by the interstate construction. What's most important to you for the future of I-94? - a) reconnecting neighborhoods that were disconnected by highway construction
- b) quieter neighborhoods with cleaner air and better public health
- c) reducing transportation-related carbon and greenhouse gas emissions
- d) economic growth and tax revenue from new housing and businesses along the corridor
- e) walkability and multimodal public transit options
A navy blue and beige graphic with event details and photos of Council Members Cashman, Chughtai, and Koski Join us for our Budget Workshop next Thursday Happening next week! Join me and other City leaders for a workshop on Thursday, September 26th at the Woman’s Club (410 Oak Grove St) in Loring Park. With participation by the City’s Budget Director and the Chairs of our Council’s Budget Committee, Council Vice President Chughtai and Council Member Koski, we’ll learn more about how the City’s budget works, walk through a budget simulation, and work in small groups to evaluate priorities. This will be a great opportunity to actively participate in the City’s 2025 budgeting process. Register here. The City is seeking diverse applicants for appointed boards and commissions The City is recruiting members for boards and commissions to strengthen the work of the City. People with a diversity of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives are encouraged to apply. Members are recruited twice each year, in the spring and fall. Fall applications will be accepted through Sept. 30. City boards and commissions offer a direct way for residents to advise City leadership about topics important to them. An circular red, white, and blue graphic with the words "VOTE" and the Minneapolis Elections & Voter Services logo Early Voting Starts Today for November 5th Election Voters can cast their ballots early by mail or in person at the Early Vote Center, 980 E. Hennepin Ave., starting Sept. 20. Voting by mail: All mail-in ballots need to be received by Election Day (Nov. 5) to count. If you choose to deliver your ballot in person to the Elections & Voter Services office, it must be returned by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 5. Mail ballots cannot be dropped off at polling places on Election Day. Find more information on how to vote by mail on the City website. Voting at the Early Vote Center: The Early Vote Center, 980 E. Hennepin Ave., makes early in-person voting more convenient for Minneapolis voters. It’s especially helpful if you need language support or other special accommodations, such as curbside voting. Voting early can also help you avoid lines and crowds at polling places on the day of the election.  |
A group of people standing in front of the renovated building smiling and cutting a yellow ribbon together Celebrating the renovation of affordable veterans housing In partnership with the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) and the CenterPoint Energy Foundation, I am celebrating the renovation of the 29-unit LaSalle Building here in Loring Park! Every unit in the building is reserved for Veterans, providing former service members with a secure and dignified place to call home and age in place with dignity. To accelerate renovations to be completed this year, the CenterPoint Energy Foundation provided a $500,000 grant to MACV. This project is a great example of the importance of public-private partnerships that truly benefit the community. An image of people enjoying Nicollet Mall, with seating, a bus shelter, bikes, and trees around them Nicollet Mall transit changes survey and engagement The City and and Metro Transit are considering some changes to the public uses of Nicollet Mall in Downtown. The goal of this work is to make transit as good or better than transit on Nicollet Mall today. A reminder that there is a survey opportunity live and an Open House happening this Tuesday, September 24th from 4-6pm at the Minneapolis Central Library (Doty Board Room. 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55401). Image of Council Members Jenkins, Chughtai, Osman, and Cashman seated at a table with microphones Out and About in Ward 7 The Ward 7 team continues to get out in community to talk to neighbors and stakeholders where they are. Here are a few highlights from the past couple of weeks. - Touring the Eureka Recycling plant to understand more about their operations, successes and challenges, and future opportunities
- Discussing the City budget, Uptown economic revitalization, safety strategies, and more with business community stakeholders hosted by the Lake Street Council
- Engaging with neighborhood leaders in Lowry Hill, Cedar-Isles Dean, and Loring Park on the City budget process and current issues and opportunities in each part of the ward
- Touring the Hennepin Avenue Reconstruction project with Public Works leadership and staff
- Celebrating all the work and investment put into the Loring Greenway by volunteers over the past year
An image of Hennepin Avenue with the Basilica of St. Mary on the left and other buildings on the right Infrastructure Updates Hennepin-Dunwoody Bikeway: The City has started work on the Hennepin-Dunwoody Bikeway and Multi-use Trail project, which will put in a multi-use trail and off-street bicycle lanes along Hennepin Avenue and Dunwoody Blvd. The project will also pass through the Lyndale Avenue intersection. Goals for this project include: - Build a two-way, multi-use trail on Dunwoody Boulevard and Hennepin Avenue. The trail will run from Linden Avenue to the west of 17th Street. The trail will be above the street grade. It will also protect users from vehicle traffic by a concrete barrier.
- Build one-way curb protected bicycle lanes on Hennepin Avenue between 17th to 12th Street. The lanes will replace existing painted on-street lanes and raise the lanes to the level of the sidewalk at intersections.
- Make crossing improvements for pedestrian traffic along the whole street.
- Slow turning motor vehicle traffic.
Project staff are holding a weekly stakeholder meeting to get an overview of the project as well as the upcoming construction work. Meetings will be held virtually using Microsoft Teams. Meetings will occur every Thursday from 12-1pm, starting September 19th, 2024 and run throughout completion in 2025. Surface Water and Sewers project in Cedar-Isles-Dean: Public Works (Surface Water and Sewers) will be starting a new sanitary sewer replacement project the week of September 30th. The project is located in the alley between 28th Street and Sunset Blvd from Ewing Avenue to France Avenue. The City’s sanitary sewer pipe within the alley is collapsing, and staff will be replacing it. It is 12 feet down and over 96 years old. Residents and properties directly impacted by this partial alley closure will have received a mailed letter with further details regarding access and timeline. Any questions regarding this work can be directed to the general foreman at 612-673-5524. To find out about what’s going on in your part of town, check out the nine neighborhood organizations working to keep folks connected and engaged in Ward 7: |
