Ward 2, Robin Wonsley “Housing is a human right, and city leadership has the moral responsibility to guarantee housing for all residents. Minneapolis must halt encampment evictions immediately and adopt a “Housing First” approach to encampments. No one believes encampments are suitable housing, but brutal encampment evictions only shuffle residents to new sites at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars. A Housing First approach centers the humanity of unsheltered people and prioritizes support services. Public health experts, the Biden Administration and cities from Houston to St. Paul have successfully adopted a housing-first approach.

High rents are a major factor in homelessness and must be addressed by the City of Minneapolis. I will fight to pass rent control with a 3% cap on annual rent increases; pass the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA); enact just-cause eviction; expand and revamp vacancy fees to include commercial and residential properties; establish a public-housing levy; increase coordination with the county, state, and nonprofits to provide unhoused residents with permanent housing and wrap-around social services.

I will urge my colleagues on the City Council to vote for the policies I outlined above, and work with community partners, nonprofits, and advocates to educate voters and leaders about the benefits of those policies.”

Ward 3, Michael Rainville “Everyone in Minneapolis should have access to safe, decent, stable, and affordable housing.

The trauma of addiction, family tragedy, job loss, domestic violence, and mental illness all play a significant role in the cause of homelessness. The City, County, and State have an intertwined responsibility to provide support to persons in crisis. My strategy is to strengthen the bonds between our three governments and to leverage County resources to help address the issues related to homelessness in Minneapolis.

Some key actions using a City/County approach that I have taken in the Business, Inspections, Housing and Zoning Committee (BIHZ) and the Public Health and Safety Committee (PHS) have been:

• Authorizing a Memorandum of Understanding with Hennepin County relating to managing and supporting the Office to End Homelessness from 1/1/23 - 12/31/25.

• Authorizing a Joint Powers Agreement with Hennepin County for Emergency Solutions Grant Rapid Rehousing funds for up to five years.

• Approving up to $100,000 in regular 2023 Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funds for essential services.

• Authorizing a Joint Powers Agreement with Hennepin County for Emergency Solutions Grant Essential Services Funds for up to five years.

• Approving up to $300,000 in funds for street outreach: $150,000 in 2022 Emergency Solutions Grant funds and $150,000 in 2023 City General Funds

• Authorizing a Joint Powers Agreement with Hennepin County Street Outreach Funds for up to five years.

• Approving $1,200,000 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for operations for Avivo Village.

• Authorizing a Joint Powers Agreement with Hennepin County for Avivo Village operations.

Our homeless neighbors are our sisters and brothers, and we have a responsibility to help them.”

Ward 4, LeTrisha Vetaw “The most important role the city has in ending homelessness is to invest in more transitional and affordable housing. This requires partnering with county, state, and federal governments. The City of Minneapolis plays a critical role in connecting unhoused people to existing services. I support providing more funding for the city’s Homeless Response Team, so that we are able to reach more people. I also support deepening our partnerships with private organizations and partners at the county, state and federal levels.

Most, if not all of the cross-organizational partnerships needed to address those experiencing homelessness already exist. As a City Council Member, my role is to deepen those partnerships and call upon them for help. A lot of the time, our partners are eager and willing to help, they just need to be presented with the problem and asked for their help. This is what I have done as a Council Member and will continue to do in my next term.”

Ward 7, Ken Foxworth “We can not end homelessness until we understand how to tackle each problem piece by piece. There are 3 reasons why homelessness exists. One Vetens , two mental health/lgbtq teenages who run away and vulnerable adults with disabilities/drug addictions. Three seniors and single parents that simply cannot afford rent or earn 3 times the rent. Not to mention evictions and UDs on record. From that we have others but these are the main issues on top of the list.

Changing the zonings in areas like the tiny homes and creating sub-committees provide community support.”

Ward 7, Katie Cashman

Ward 8, Andrea Jenkins “The City plays multiple roles in addressing the homelessness crisis. From supporting the development of more affordable housing through funding to partnering with other agencies like Hennepin County, Met Council, State of Minnesota as well as advocacy groups to address one of the most challenging issues in America. Additionally, the City must ensure the safety of its residents including our unsheltered neighbors by addressing sanitary needs, storage of personal belongings, and assistance with securing safe, accessible housing.”

Ward 8, Soren Stevenson “Everyone in our city deserves to feel safe. This includes our unhoused neighbors and our housed neighbors. In order for all of us to feel safe, we need to address the root causes of the housing crisis and homelessness in Minneapolis. Homelessness is a solvable problem, and I believe it is thecity’s responsibility to take action to find solutions to homelessness that work for everyone. The City must be serious about ending homelessness. To properly address some of the root causes of this issue, we need new money and new public housing units. That’s why I’m committed to helping enact a full public housing levy and organizing with fellow progressives to win it. In addition, we need to invest in supportive housing solutions and shared housing solutions like SROs. We need to produce a variety of publicly owned options that support folks to live independently and with dignity throughout the city. To do that, we need a public housing levy that’s ambitious enough to match the scale of the problem. In addition, in order to create more permanently affordable, community-owned housing we need to pass a Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act as well as expand the types of housing allowed in the city.

Without a doubt, one of the most important ways that I will use my platform and power to address the needs of those experiencing homelessness is by working closely with community organizations and housing advocates. I believe that elections and elected officials are most powerful when they are deeply rooted in community. It's no exaggeration to say that without community organizations, the wins that we need in order to address homelessness are nearly impossible. The work of community organizations outlasts election cycles and terms of office. As organizations that do the important work of advocating for and organizing with the people who have been most marginalized by our housing crisis, v cx it’s important that council members and the mayor’s office recognize the value of your work. I believe that we can achieve the transformational change that we need by working together. To me, this requires building deep relationships across organizations. It will be the responsibility of me and my staff to be in regular communication with organizations that address the needs of people experiencing homelessness and at risk of homelessness. It will be my responsibility to know your organization’s priorities and concerns. I will proactively seek out your input on policy development–involving organizations in the process, from conceptualization to implementation.”

Ward 9, Daniel Orban “Minneapolis has a huge problem right now with law enforcement, open air drug scenes, and lack of public safety. According to some faith traditions, the government’s primary role is to enforce moral and ethical laws and to reward the righteous. When this is not happening, the government has failed to be a servant to its citizens.

Since the government’s job is to create ethical policy and enforce laws, that is what it should do. If a law is not ethical, it should be amended or removed. However, if good laws are not enforced, they are meaningless, along with the government that creates them. One major problem with our city is that people do not trust those who are enforcing the laws. We desperately need to restore this trust between citizens and police officers. How do we do this? I think faith based organizations can help us be creative here, as they are often agents of morality. They teach the messages of forgiveness, humility, love, acceptance, reconciliation, mercy, grace, and kindness. Both police officers and citizens needto learn these virtues. Can we work together on something completely different (e.g. build or fix a house together) so that we can reclaim the image of God for every person? We need to restore the humanity of each person. Unfortunately, Minneapolis currently does not possess the time tested wisdom of ancient traditions.

The city’s role in homelessness is to create policies and laws that benefit everyone, including those who live in tents. Policies should also help residents and business owners. Right now Minneapolis has no policy on encampments, sonothing is being done (or the actions are undefined and appear random, like encampment closers). Fortunately, laws doexist regarding drug dealing, public indecency, violence, theft, rape, and trespassing. Therefore, the current approachinvolves holding people accountable to these laws. This is a good thing, for it protects its citizens and creates aninvitation for redemption through consequences.

It is here that the city needs the help of cross-organizational partnerships. How do we best care for those who are notfollowing the law? Incarceration is usually not the answer. Often people need long term drug addiction or mental illnesstreatment. Experts in social work and psychology must provide help, direction, and a purpose. Faith based organizationsoften excel at providing community, purpose, connection, and love. Let’s embrace partnerships to introduce ourneighbors to living thriving and productive lives.

All this said, people of faith have the power to end homelessness. Tradition says, “If my people, which are called by myname, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear fromheaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14) We need healing. Do we really believeGod would come through? Are we really people of faith? Do we fast and pray for justice, peace, and righteousness? Tradition says, “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of theyoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide thepoor wanderer with shelter–when you see the naked to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go beforeyou and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help,and he will say: Here am I.” (Isaiah 58:6-9)

People of faith, healing comes from you, not the government. You are the salt of the earth and the city on the hill. You are the righteousness of God and the rivers of living water. From you come justice, mercy, and grace. You know how to forgive and set the captives free so that they are free indeed. You know the great stories and traditions that give life meaning. You have wisdom and truth as a lamp unto your feet and righteousness as your weapon of peace. You follow the owner of the cattle on a thousand hills, the creator of the universe. You know the ultimate healer. Is anything too small or too big for God? Yes, you can and should end homelessness. Please pray and fast, and help those in need.”

Ward 12, Luther Ranheim “The City’s role is to address the root causes of homelessness. The primary reason for homelessness is the lack of affordable housing in Minneapolis, so the City needs to build more affordable housing. Strict rent control would stifle the development of affordable housing. We also need deeply affordable housing that is accessible to those on the brink of homelessness: We need a South Minneapolis Avivo Village equivalent. We also cannot ignore how the opioid crisis is compounding the homelessness crisis in the city. Rules exist to prevent drug use in shelter spaces. Therefore, users end up on the street with nowhere else to go. We must fund treatment programs to respond to this crisis.

I am best positioned of the candidates in this race to build partnerships to address homelessness. My nearly three decade career experience of working in social service organizations that serve the most vulnerable in our community, as well as in financial services and arts organizations, have given me connections to organizations and people who have the financial capacity to contribute to solving our homelessness crisis at a local level. We need to innovate and establish more public-private partnerships that leverage the desire of the philanthropic community to have a positive impact on the community and on people’s individual lives. I have the relationships that are necessary to achieve innovative solutions to our homelessness crisis.”

no other responses were provided

Ward 2, Robin Wonsley- “No, I am not. No one believes encampments are suitable housing, but brutal encampment evictions only shuffle residents to new sites at the cost of tens of thousands of dollars. Forcing people out of them destroys their dignity, threatens their safety, and accomplishes nothing in the long term.

I will continue to push for safe and humane supervision of encampments, including non-police alternatives to public safety, harm-reduction approaches to drug use, free medical and mental health treatment, and paths to stable housing for residents.”

Ward 3, Michael Rainville- “The City must balance the needs of unsheltered individuals, community members, and businesses owners in its response.

I believe that we must continue our efforts to educate all parties about the options available to the unhoused for healthier and more humane forms of shelter. We are fortunate to have many partners helping us in our outreach efforts. Amongst these are: the American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC), Avivo, Downtown Improvement District (DID); Hennepin County Healthcare for the Homeless; Hennepin County Streets to Housing; The Link; Metro Transit Homeless Action Team (HAT); Minneapolis Parks and Recreation, and Simpson Housing.

Housing is a human right. The City Council needs to do its part to address resource gaps where they exist, and we need to continue our collaborative work with the county and other agencies to connect our unhoused neighbors to stable forms of shelter that meet them where they are. Once housed, people must also have the option to access resources that will help them build healthier and safer lives.

The Avivo Village model provides dignified housing and the chance for a better life for the unhoused through access to a stable living environment combined with good nutrition and wrap-around services. I am proud to have approached Mayor Frey and secured $1,200,000 in Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for operations for Avivo Village. I am also proud to have authorized a Joint Powers Agreement with Hennepin County for Avivo Village operations. I support the building of additional Avivo Villages in our neighborhoods to provide the unhoused a supportive and humane alternative that meets them where they are.

Everyone in Minneapolis should have access to safe, decent, stable, and affordable housing.

Our unhoused neighbors are our sisters and brothers and we must help them.”

Ward 4, LeTrisha Vetaw- “Every person has the right to stable, affordable and safe housing and no one should have to live outside. Encampments pose serious public health and safety issues for both those living in them and those living near them. These issues require a coordinated approach from not only the city, but also the county and state. Allowing encampments to stay in place is not good for neighborhoods or the people living in the encampment, and this is not a legitimate way to address homelessness. Instead, we need to call upon and deepen our partnerships with our county, state, and federal counterparts, as well as community organizations to invest in and expand services that get people off the street, not keep them there.”

Ward 7, Ken Foxworth- “No , I am not comfortable with it at all. Change policy and change zoning. We have to create a safety program that protects our unsheltered neighbors who fear going to shelters.”

Ward 7, Katie Cashman- “Every human deserves a safe, warm, and comfortable place to call home. Housing is one of the most pressing and urgent issues that we must tackle in our city. I advocate for affordable and deeply affordable housing, stronger renter protections, landlord accountability, expanding public housing, and so much more.

While I don’t support encampments, I understand why people choose to live in encampments and do not support inhumane closures of encampments. Even if we had enough shelter beds in the City, some residents still may not choose a shelter, and so we must create solutions that account for the varied and legitimate reasons residents have. For some, encampments offer more safety than a shelter would. Therefore, we should invest in a variety of shelter models: tiny homes, collective/co-op housing, repurposing single family homes/hotels, etc. Residents may choose to live in an encampment because they are able to have pets and more of their possessions with them. So, we should ensure that our shelter options allow animals and that all shelter options have accessible storage options. Some residents choose encampments because they are also navigating substance abuse. Shelters must also have testing areas and kits available for residents to bring with them. Supervised injection sites and needle exchange could also be offered at shelters. To further support unsheltered residents, I will also advocate for 24/7 shelters and culturally-specific shelters.

In the interim, we have residents and community helpers at encampments creating their own hygiene and storage solutions. The City could offer fresh water at encampment sites and trash receptacles that are changed frequently & consistently. “

Ward 8, Andrea Jenkins- “I have read the statement and agree with the vision that all people should be treated with dignity and respect, and have access to resources to help secure safe, deeply affordable housing. I am not comfortable with encampments, nor traumatizing closures. It is not dignified nor safe for folks to live on the streets. We have to be honest about this crisis. It truly is a housing crisis, but also an addiction crisis, and mental health crisis. These conditions are unsafe for everyone, the residents residing in the encampments, and the surrounding neighbors. Solutions have to take into account everyone being impacted. As a seated elected official I hear from exacerbated neighbors and business owners about encampment residents committing livability crimes and trespassing. So we must have a balanced approach that respects and protects everyone.

Ward 8, Soren Stevenson- “Absolutely not. Violently clearing encampments is cruel and does nothing to solve the problems unsheltered people face that push them into encampments in the first place. City leadership often justifies their violent sweeps by claiming there are shelter beds available, implying that folks in encampments are refusing help and therefore deserve the mistreatment. This behavior is appalling and misleading. Shelters are full and access to them can’t be guaranteed. Shelter rules limiting pets, possessions, and requirements to leave during the day make shelters impossible options for some. There are many needed changes to our housing policy in order to get everyone in the city housed, one of which is permanent public housing.

Homelessness is a solvable problem. We know what it takes to end homelessness. Our neighbors are currently living in encampments because we are making policy choices that ensure we don’t have enough housing to accommodate everyone who needs it. Instead, we’ve spent decades subsidizing the building of market rate apartment buildings in exchange for a few “affordable” units. These apartments cost less than the luxury units throughout the building, but they are nowhere near affordable for our most vulnerable neighbors. We’ve forced folks without housing into shelters that don’t meet their needs and are often unsafe. Encampments are the natural result of decades of policies that were designed to maximize profits, not prioritize people. That is why on the council I will work towards increasing supportive services and passing policies like housing first, overdose prevention centers, and banning encampment clearings unless adequate shelter exists for all the residents of the encampments. I will also prioritize addressing the root causes that push people into homelessness in the first place.”

Ward 8, Terry White- “I wrote a blog tonight that explains my position on the encampments: https://betterminneapolis.com/homeless-encampments-where-do-we-go-from-here”

Ward 9, Daniel Orban- “I am not comfortable with the existence of encampments. These are often called open air drug scenes because of the illegal drug activity. There is an open air drug scene in an abandoned lot behind my house right now. Just yesterday a man was shot and murdered there (https://kstp.com/kstp-news/ top-news/shooting-in-minneapolis-leaves-1-man-dead/). People have also died from overdoses. My kids have not been able to play outside with the neighbors all summer long due to the illegal drug dealing and violence. Our trash cans and organic containers are stolen and stuffed with unmentionable biohazards. People with masks are patrolling the street and threatening our neighbors, making them afraid to take out their trash. Stolen items have been hidden in our yard for safe keeping. Two houses across the street caught fire this summer, evicting my neighbors from their homes. In fact, a week ago I had to call the fire department because there was a fire in the encampment itself.

Encampments exist because we are not meeting the needs of those in tents. The current goal is not for people to thrive, but to enable drug addiction that leads to death and despair. This is not a compassionate option and does not reduce harm! How can we sit by and allow this to happen on our streets? We should instead permanently break up these open air drug scenes, and provide shelter for all. To break these up, we must be brave enough to enforce the laws that make activities like drug dealing and theft illegal. We must also invest in more shelters to care for everyone in need. Since all people should have the opportunity to thrive, drug treatment and psychological care are necessary and required. It is also important to note that not all people need drug or mental health treatment. Some just need a place to live. Drug treatment and psychological care should be part of a long term program. For most, it will take at least 3-6 months working with health care professionals and social workers. We would need to work closely with the county and state governments. Enabling addiction does not display human dignity. Being made in the image of God requires us to care for each other. We each exist for a purpose, and society hurts when we do not fulfill our reason for being.

Finally, to care for those in need, we need to incentivize housing and meaningful jobs. How might we accomplish this? Here we have quite a bit of freedom and opportunity! Once someone has been through treatment, the community can now become more involved. What people need is accountability and purpose, while staying tangentially connected to previous care providers. From an unhoused perspective, they can now choose their own adventure. Across the city, we will build a network of community care providers. These partners, philanthropic in nature, often possess methods for funding altruistic endeavors. They have a goal to meet the needs of the most marginalized people. Care providers will provide housing and job training, while being transparent and accountable to the city. Example care providers might include nonprofits, neighborhood organizations, government organizations, ethnic specific groups, faith based organizations (mosques, churches, synagogues, etc...), treatment centers, and other philanthropic groups. In order to scale, each care provider on average will help only a few people, depending on available resources. In Minneapolis, there are more than 6000 such organizations that could qualify as community care providers. In January2023, there were under 4000 people who were classified as homeless. If on average, each care provider helped 2people, we could serve 12000 people (3 times as many people as needed). It is important that there is oversight and communication with care providers to make sure they meet ethical standards and housing standards.

Those who need care can choose their own care provider. This allows people to decide how their housing and job needs can be met. For example, perhaps someone in the Native community would prefer receiving care from an organization that exists in the Native community. Those who are providing care can feel good about helping others, finding meaning and purpose in life. Together we can meet the needs of those who are suffering and dying in the streets.”

Ward 12, Luther Ranheim- “We need to center the humanity of our unhoused neighbors while also centering the very real concerns around public health and safety that arise from encampments. Should we accept that encampments are safe, for those that live in them and for the residents around them? Personally, I do not. Nor do I believe that the cat & mouse game of uprooting encampments just for them to pop up in another location a day later is sustainable or humane. I’m equally uncomfortable with the inhumane conditions of the encampments– including hard drug use, and in some cases sex trafficking– as I am with the swift closures of the encampments. We need a new approach on this issue that involves 24/7 supervised city-sanctioned sites– no drug or alcohol use allowed– coupled with robust investment in chemical dependency treatment programs.

City-sanctioned sites for unhoused residents provide us with an opportunity to not only center the humanity of unhoused residents, but to allow them the opportunity to grow ongoing relationships with caseworkers who can help give them temporary housing placements, job placement, mental health treatment, chemical dependency treatment, and other services needed by our unhoused neighbors. The other part of the solution here is to build more deeply affordable housing – ~30% AMI – and more public housing including in Ward 12 and South Minneapolis, to ensure that every resident has a roof over their head.”

no other responses were provided

Ward 2, Robin Wonsley- “My diverse coalition of supporters includes many who work directly with unhoused individuals, as well as others who are or have been unhoused in the past. My staff and I are committed to seeking and listening to their input. We trust them to know what’s best for them and their loved ones far better than the city’s wealthy elite, elected representatives, or law enforcement.”

Ward 3, Michael Rainville- “I would like to work with Align Minneapolis to learn more about how I can best include people with lived experiences of homelessness in my problem solving and decision making related to homelessness.”

Ward 4, LeTrisha Vetaw- “As a Council Member, I would support the creation of an advisory board or regular focus groups composed of individuals who have or are currently experiencing homelessness that would help guide the Council and the Mayor in policy making related to homelessness. The city already has partnerships with organizations that have the capacity and expertise to create programming that could accomplish these goals. I would call upon those existing partnerships.”

Ward 7, Ken Foxworth- “I was once homeless living in a vacant house for 7 months so I can relate from personal experience. I will always have a street team doing grass-roots organizing engaging with all residence of the ward including our unsheltered community. Reach, Greet and Teach will build back trust in the community I listen I care and most importantly I know you matter.”

Ward 7, Katie Cashman- “I am committed to ensuring that people closest to issues are at the table in policy making. The City and policymakers can do better outreach to unsheltered residents, residents in transitional housing, and formerly unsheltered residents throughout our policy process. There are also many points in decision making where policymakers can intentionally integrate input from residents. As someone with an inclusive leadership style, I seek out input from residents instead of just listening to the loudest voices.”

Ward 8, Andrea Jenkins- “I am available to meet with community members and advocacy groups. I attend theatre performances presented zAmya theatre which is a group that brings together homeless and housed individuals to create and perform a theatrical production. I visit encampments and shelters to hear directly from folks experiencing homelessness.”

Ward 8, Soren Stevenson- “I believe that those who are most impacted and marginalized by the housing crisis know best what solutions we need. Therefore, I turn directly to my unhoused neighbors, those who have lived experiences with homelessness and organizations that work directly with my homeless neighbors in order to get information about issues and policies that concern homelessness. In shaping my campaign platform, I have met with housing advocates and people with lived experience of homelessness, in Ward 8 and across the city, to learn directly from them what are the most important issues in this election. I am committed to representing all of my neighbors, housed and unhoused, not corporate interests. If elected, I will continue to listen to and work closely with the organizations that are working on the issue, policies, and decisions that most impact homeless people.”

Ward 9, Daniel Orban- “I started my campaign in the homeless encampment behind my house. It was the first venue I visited before talking to anyone else. From the faith traditions, I’ve heard it said “love your neighbor as yourself”, “love your enemies”, and “overcome evil with good”. Where else should I start except with the very people who I should love and pray for? It is for their good and the good of their neighbors that I’m running for office. My wife and I talked with homeless people on multiple occasions to try and understand and meet their needs. We saw despair, pain, and hopelessness. I’m no expert here, but I love the idea of an open discussion with others. Including people with lived experiences of homelessness will help us optimize policies that work.”

Ward 12, Luther Ranheim- “On the Council, I will propose establishing an appointed body made up of individuals who are currently homeless, individuals who were previously homeless, and individuals who have an ability to make a direct impact on improving lives in this area (i.e. subject matter experts including social service nonprofit, housing, mental health and chemical dependency counselor representatives) to create a body that is tackling this issue head-on at the municipal level. Only by hearing the voices and perspectives of homeless residents and formerly homeless residents can we create solutions that will have a real, positive impact on people’s lives. To my knowledge, a body such as this doesn’t currently exist.”

no other responses were provided

Ward 2, Robin Wonsley- “My answer to the first question includes my long-term vision for housing. Furthermore, we must de-commodify affordable housing through rent control, public housing, and exploring a public bank coupled with a social housing development authority. We should ensure our city’s wealthiest residents support housing our most vulnerable residents via increased taxes for corporations and the rich and a vacancy fee on empty homes.”

Ward 3, Michael Rainville- “I am using all levers at my disposal as Council Member for Ward 3 to increase our City’s stock of affordable and deeply-affordable housing. I sit on the Business, Inspections, Housing, and Zoning Committee (BIHZ), where I have voted to authorize the following bonds and tax increment financing to advance affordable and deeply housing:

• Several funding streams for Currie Commons, an affordable housing project at 187 Humboldt Ave N. $3,263,000 million was authorized as a tax increment finance note and $30 million of multi-family housing revenue bonds were authorized. The 187 units of new housing will be priced at 30-60% AMI (area median income), have units dedicated for previously unhoused citizens, and for people with disabilities. The building will be managed by Simpson Housing.

• $13 million in bonding for the Midtown Crossing apartments at 2837-2843 11th Ave S. It is affordable and deeply affordable housing that will feature 86 apartments that include studio, 1, 2, and 3 bedroom units. This mix of units will be priced at 30%, 59%, and 60% AMI.

• $280,000 from the Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) Preservation Fund Loan. This will support the acquisition and preservation of an 8-unit property at 3121 3rd Ave S.

• The building of Canvass, a 160 unit affordable housing project on 23rd and California is underway. Canvass will be managed by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority and will be housing for formerly unhoused people, accept Section 8 vouchers, and feature a large amount of 3 and 4 bedroom units for families.

• $26 million in tax exempt multi-family housing revenue bonds for the MPLS Public Housing Authority to build 84 new townhomes which will feature 2 and 3 bedroom units. All will be priced at 30% of income, and 17 will be dedicated for unsheltered citizens.

• An Inclusionary Zoning tax increment financing plan for the new housing in the NorthStar building. This project is turning offices space into housing of which 20% will be priced at 50% AMI.

• To address the housing crisis we must build more housing, especially affordable housing. I recently spent time with the development team of Alatus who are building a 360 unit apartment building at 200 Central Ave SE. This $145 million, 27 story investment in housing will feature 173 affordable units. The other 187 units will be market rate. The main financier is an investment company whose mission is to build affordable housing. The City will help fund the housing via tax increment financing (TIF) which will also help fund the building of the affordable units. This use of the City's resources is one of the ways we will increase the supply of housing in Minneapolis.

• This public-private method of using TIF combined with market rate housing is also being used at the former Calhoun Square site. There will be 270 units of market rate housing built, along with 120 units of affordable housing. Sherman Associates has used this innovative method of the market rate and affordable apartments being built on Washington Ave S as well.

As Council Member for Ward 3, I support the City’s successful 4d Program, which preserves affordable homes in Minneapolis by helping apartment building owners obtain property tax reductions if they commit to keep 20% or more of their rental units affordable. Through the program, the City has helped preserve hundreds of affordable units for Minneapolis renters and families.

Minnesota State Law establishes legal processes for tenants to enforce their legal rights to live in safe and healthy housing, including Rent Escrow Actions and Tenant Remedies Actions. I support efforts to educate tenants on their rights and I also support the More Representation Minneapolis initiative, which pairs pro bono attorneys with tenants facing eviction.

Approximately 50,000 Minneapolis renter households earn less than 60% of the area's median income. Adequately funding and incentivizing the production of affordable housing is one of the City’s primary tools for helping to close the gap between what it costs to provide decent, safe housing and what people can afford. I support the Affordable Housing Trust Fund which provides gap financing for the production and preservation of affordable rental housing for households earning less than 50% of the area median income, with a priority for units affordable to households earning less than 30% of area median income.”

Ward 4, LeTrisha Vetaw- “To encourage the production of more affordable homes, I support using strategies like creating incentives for developers, allowing for more higher-density housing developments by changing zoning and land use policies, and continuing to invest in programs like Minneapolis Homes that support low-income families looking to purchase a home and our Emergency Stabilization Pilot that provides affordable renting options.”

Ward 7, Ken Foxworth- “The most important thing you can do is create a sub-committee bringing in leaders from orgs like PPL and better families living together with the big dogs and the owners who own the housing companies together to design programs to reduce renters' percentage.”

Ward 7, Katie Cashman- “Incentivize local developers to build affordable housing, ease permit and licensing process, shift vacant hotels and luxury buildings to mixed-income and affordable housing. Producing more housing is part of the solution, we also need to ensure that our protections for renters are strengthened and actually enforced.”

Ward 8, Andrea Jenkins- “The production of affordable housing is one the most critical ways to address the homelessness/ housing instability crisis. Since being in office we have been investing historic amounts of resources to the "Affordable Housing Trust Fund", in the upcoming budget we are proposing to invest $18.5 million dollars, more than any other year. This leverages other investments by the State, the County, Metropolitan Council, philanthropic organizations and others. I have worked directly with affordable housing developers, like PPL, Trellis, and others to produce new, deeply afforable housing resulting in almost 700 units of housing in Ward with over 400 of those units being deeply affordable. These include opportunities for seniors, young people and those experiencing housing insecurity.”

Ward 8, Soren Stevenson- “The Minneapolis my neighbors and I want to build is a Minneapolis in which everyone—no matter what they look like, what language they speak, or how much money they have—has access to safe and stable housing. Increasing the supply of more affordable housing is a crucial part of achieving this vision. In order to adequately address the scale of the crisis, we will need to take many multifaceted approaches. I support creating a development board to explore strategies to increase housing production like regulatory and zoning changes to make the process more straightforward. This way more people with building know-how can build in the city. I will also work towards funding for staff to help guide local developers through the City process. I support exploring options like loan loss reserves to incentivize banks to invest in Minneapolis or a developer fee guarantee to incentivize developers to build in Minneapolis. In addition, I believe that in order to address the need for more housing supply we need to change zoning laws and regulations that don’t allow for gentle density to happen naturally. There are a myriad of rules that make ADUs, duplexes, and triplexes infeasible on most lots. Those rules need adjusting so that our neighborhoods can grow incrementally. Finally, I support a Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act so that more renters can have the opportunity to purchase their homes when they are up for sale. This would allow for more permanently affordable, community-owned housing.”

Ward 9, Daniel Orban- “As with any difficult problem, the solution will also be complex. First, we need to increase the number of homes, driving the market prices for rentals down. I am encouraged by the city’s attempt to zone for multi-family public housing. This seems to address some density problems that occur with single family homes. I think that a balanced approach is best here, with both public and private development adding to housing. Increasing the number of options will help diversify the market, removing unforeseen risk. Second, we need to encourage and support more home ownership. People take pride in their properties, and establish mortgages that are not as subject to market fluctuations. In other words, home ownership can be much better than rent control. Third, we need to encourage and invest in meaningful jobs that allow people to pay for housing.

In the context of homelessness, I believe faith based organizations should be involved, partnering with the city to provide housing. If each church, mosque, or synagogue (i.e. community care providers) in the city met the housing and job needs of one or two homeless people, everyone would be housed and working. At the same time, tradition provides meaning and community, both core human needs. This is what faith based organizations were called to do, to meet the needs of the oppressed and hopeless.

Ward 12, Luther Ranheim- “I would encourage the development of more deeply affordable and affordable housing units to be built in Minneapolis. We already saw record progress in 2022– 919 affordable rental units were built that year compared to an average of 322 annually in the decade prior. So the city has tripled its output of affordable units and we should triple it, again. In order to do that, we need to ensure that we are tackling this on the supply-side to meet the demand. We can build more deeply affordable housing units in a climate where market rate units are also being built, as they subsidize the creation of affordable and deeply affordable units. A strict rent control policy of 3% with no exceptions would lead to significantly less affordable housing development in Minneapolis– as occurred in Saint Paul– at the very time when we need to be building more units. We can prevent double-digit predatory rent hikes without instituting one of the most strict rent control policies in the nation which would effectively halt affordable housing development.”

no other responses were provided

Ward 2, Robin Wonsley- “One of my proudest achievements during my first term was to help allocate the final $1.2 million needed to install sprinklers in all 42 high-rises owned and operated by the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority. We’ve also had great success organizing alongside public housing residents on the High-Rise Council to put pressure on MPHA to support funding for public housing.

A lack of political will has resulted in 7,000 families stuck on a waiting list for housing and $200 million in backlogged repairs. Public housing residents deserve safe and clean homes. Our current housing system is premised on making profits, even at the expense of people's need for housing. Fully funding public housing is crucial to tackling the housing crisis in Minneapolis by adding housing that isn’t profit driven. I support the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority’s call to pass a fully funded levy in 2024 with an expressed intention to renew it for the next 20 years. I am always looking for solutions to create new public housing while improving existing units.”

Ward 3, Michael Rainville- “Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) in its work in housing preservation and creation. I am especially supportive of its partnership with schools and the City on the Stable Homes, Stable Schools initiative, which provides local vouchers for families of elementary students. I support its collaboration with other housing authorities to reduce barriers and expand choice. Its plan to implement new supportive services at its properties, and re-establish its resident services programs is something that I have particular interest in. Through my work on the BIHZ Committee we issued $26 million in tax-exempt multi-family housing revenue bonds for the MPHA to build 84 new townhomes which will feature 2 and 3-bedroom units. All will be priced at 30% of income, and 17 will be dedicated for unsheltered citizens. In August of this year I joined Mayor Frey and my fellow Council Members in proposing a $4 million investment in public housing across the city as part of the 2024 budget proposal. This will bring the city’s total investment in MPHA to $5 million annually. This investment will help MPHA to tackle its backlog of deferred maintenance projects and bring its units up to code. It will also add to the public housing stock within the city which will help lower the wait time for persons in need of public housing. My efforts to support MPHA will help ensure preservation of this critical resource for the long-term”

Ward 4, LeTrisha Vetaw- “To preserve existing affordable housing, I support giving incentives to owners of affordable housing and the city acquiring affordable housing property when necessary. I support increasing investment into programs like our NOAH Preservation Fund and the Small & Medium Multifamily Loan Program which support housing providers and developers acquire properties to preserve affordability and prevent displacement. I also support our 4d Affordable Housing Incentive Program that provides tax incentives to property owners with affordable housing units.”

Ward 7, Ken Foxworth- “Making sure the government and local governor maintain a partnership with the developers.”

Ward 7, Katie Cashman- “I will support much greater funding for MPHA in our city budget cycle and will work with city, state, and federal stakeholders to preserve our public housing.”

Ward 8, Andrea Jenkins- “I supported the city reinstating the Public Housing levy that will produce $5 million per year (ongoing) to address the egregious maintenance backlog created by disinvestment by the Housing and Urban Development agency(HUD). The intention is that this significant investment will leverage other investment by the aforementioned agencies. I participate in a monthly workgroup that addresses these issues: https://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2023/03/minneapolis-public-housing-agency-cant-build-units-by-itself-heres-whos-signed-up-to-help/ “

Ward 8, Soren Stevenson- “It’s time to revive the levy to fund public housing, and it is time to pass it in full. We’re experiencing a housing crisis in Minneapolis. We need solutions that match the scale of the problem. That means deep, sustained investment in building new public housing and maintaining public housing properties that already exist. For years, we’ve relied solely on market-based approaches to increase the housing stock in Minneapolis. As a result, we’ve added thousands of luxury apartments and almost nothing that’s within reach for low-income folks. Building more public housing and better maintaining existing public housing is a necessary part of the solutions we need to address our housing crisis. I also support increasing the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. By creating a targeted funding stream for public housing, we can free up some of our current housing dollars for reinvesting in the AHTF. We can also generate new funds through policy by establishing more ambitious inclusionary zoning standards while increasing fees developers have to pay when they deviate from those standards. With those fees set aside specifically for AHTF spending. We could also consider options for revolving loan funds within the AHTF, low- and no-interest loans. Those are just a few ways to increase funding, and I am open to considering any policy that will get us toward more deeply affordable housing in Minneapolis. No policy solution is off the table.”

Ward 9, Daniel Orban- “While I agree that existing affordable housing is beneficial in addressing the housing crisis, if they cannot be maintained, then these are not cost-effective solutions. They will be funded by others through raising taxes. This is a good option if necessary, but a better option is to create more housing and more jobs. The increase in supply has the ability to lower market prices. Good jobs enable people to pay for housing and maintenance costs. There needs to be an economic incentive to maintain affordable housing.”

Ward 12, Luther Ranheim- “I take the idea of raising property taxes very seriously as it is a regressive tax that harms renters and low-income homeowners, especially Seniors, most of all. However, we are in a housing crisis. Some have proposed reviving the affordable housing property tax levy. I would support giving the voters of Minneapolis an opportunity to vote on reviving this levy in the form of a ballot question.”

no other responses were provided

Ward 2, Robin Wonsley- “Racial capitalism permeates our society, but there are countless ways to creatively chip away at the structures that have oppressed BIPOC Minneapolis residents.

I’m fighting for rent control, the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, Just Cause Eviction Protection, major investments into public housing and an Empty Homes Fee to combat the legacy of racist and exclusionary housing policy.

I’m fighting for free, publicly funded, diverse healing and community wellness programs to begin to address the health disparities and trauma facing our communities of color. I was a vocal proponent of the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute and its fight against city plans to build a facility there that would increase pollution in a predominantly BIPOC neighborhood.

I will continue supporting the Twin Cities Boulevard at the Rethinking I-94 Policy Advisory Committee to create healthier air, new economic and transit opportunities and begin undoing the devastating impact highway construction has had on Twin Cities Black communities.

As a Black socialist woman in elected office, I work hard every day to educate, agitate, and organize my constituents around the history of racial capitalism and the work we must do to overcome it.”

Ward 3, Michael Rainville- “We must do everything we can to ensure that Black persons, Indigenous persons and Persons of Color have the chance to build generational wealth through home ownership, as my family did. I deeply understand and appreciate the importance of stable housing in everyone's lives, especially children.

I am proud as Council Member for Ward 3 to support a diverse set of projects that increase options for underserved people, keep our neighborhoods affordable, and help those among us struggling with homelessness find housing.

In the area of housing stability for Black persons, Indigenous persons and persons of Color, I am working on expanding programs and partnerships that are working well, such as Stable Homes, Stable Schools, and Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) preservation strategies. I am also working to expand pathways for emerging developers, including BIPOC and women-owned businesses, to gain experience in affordable housing development.

My long term vision for a more equitable Minneapolis is to continue my work to grow our affordable and deeply affordable housing stock.”

Ward 4, LeTrisha Vetaw- “To promote housing stability for communities of color, I support creating and increasing investment in housing programs that are specifically targeted towards people of color. I am a staunch supporter of our Stable Homes Stable Schools program which offers stable housing and schooling for elementary-age students and their families. This program was expanded upon this year to offer help to more families. The Minneapolis Homes program which I mentioned prior helps end racial disparities in homeownership through financial assistance and support. I also believe that renters, especially those of color, need to be educated about their rights and available resources and programs. It is my role as a Council Member to help make those connections.”

Ward 7, Ken Foxworth- “I would push my people to stop being renters and become homeowners. Work with existing programs to empower by knowledge. Creating pipelines to resources that can build credit and provide classes on how to maintain a home once becoming a homeowner.”

Ward 7, Katie Cashman- “I am supportive of and closely watching the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Work Group to see what policy outcomes they recommend. Housing stability is closely connected to economic and social justice so I will advocate for upstream, systems-based solutions whenever possible. I will follow the lead of Councilmembers and Ward 7 residents of color in their solutions, removing barriers for their work to remedy our deep history of injustice in Minneapolis.”

Ward 8, Andrea Jenkins- “As an African American, disabled Trans woman, I am keenly aware that this is the crux of the problem. People need to earn more money, many Black, Brown and Indigenous communities experience racism in employment, education and healthcare. This has been and will continue to be my main focus. We must become an anti-racist city, internally and externally. I declared "Racism as a Public Health Crisis" after the murder of George Floyd. And I subsequently established the "Truth and Reconciliation Workgroup" in the city. I am the chair of the Racial Equity Inclusion and Belonging committee on the council. I meet bi-montly with the director of that department and am deeply engaged and committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-transphobic, anti-homophobic, anti-disabled world for all. ‘The artist's role is to raise the consciousness of the people. To make them understand life, the world and themselves more completely. That's how I see it. Otherwise, I don't know why you do it.’ –Amiri Baraka”

Ward 8, Soren Stevenson- “For our City to be what my neighbors and I want it to be and now that it can be, we must address the long history and ongoing practices of structural racism and discrimination in our housing system. We are in a housing crisis that disproportionately impacts communities of color. We have to take bold action to protect our communities and neighbors of color, as well as heal the legacy of racism that our City is responsible for. This will not be simple and will require many different approaches, all while centering racial justice and ensuring that people and communities of color are in the driver’s seat of decision-making and policy change.

One important way to confront racial discrimination within our housing systems is to address the crisis of increasing rents. I support a strong rent stabilization policy that includes just cause protection for renters. Nothing is more important for healthy people, families, and communities than safe and stable housing. When rent increases push people and families out of their homes there are huge hidden costs that are especially burdensome for the most vulnerable among us. Housing stability is essential for keeping our communities together and addressing the systemic displacement of people of color from our city. That’s why we have to prioritize policies like rent stabilization without carve-outs like vacancy decontrol.

In my experience working in affordable housing, I also know that a critical way that people of color are systematically discriminated against is through the legal system. In many cases, when someone is facing an eviction, they would be able to stay in their home with the support of legal representation. However, legal representation is not guaranteed in housing court and is often expensive or hard to access for a variety of reasons. This leaves people without any choice but to leave on their own or leave at the hands of a racist court system without any support. To address this, I will work towards passing and fully funding a right-to-council for evictions policy, that will ensure that everyone in housing court is guaranteed good, free legal representation.

Finally, I will work towards funding co-enforcement for racial discrimination in housing, to make sure that the City is taking an active role in intervening in cases of racial discrimination. All of the solutions and policies mentioned above must center racial justice and address the legacy of racism in our housing system. To make sure that I am accountable to my commitments I will work closely with community organizations of color and leaders of color through every step of the process.”

Ward 9, Daniel Orban- “We need to create more meaningful jobs that improve economies and enable homeownership. Much of this problem involves improving the economy so that people can afford to buy. Reducing rents by building more houses can also allow people to save. Culturally, the biggest problem is that we need to educate everyone on the value of owning a house. Many in my neighborhood either cannot afford it or they do not consider it a viable option. We need to explain that homeownership is far better than rent control, and you gain a valuable asset that you can have pride in. We also should create more pathways for home ownership.”

Ward 12, Luther Ranheim- “It’s important to me as someone with white privilege– particularly in a city that has some of the most segregated housing in 2023– to use my privilege to benefit those who make up historically marginalized communities. I will ensure that the voices and perspectives on a new appointed body with a mandate to tackle homelessness is made up of a diverse array of our community including Black, Brown, Indigenous, Immigrant and Queer perspectives. We also need to look to the home purchasing program for descendents of residents of Saint Paul’s Rondo neighborhood as a model for what we could achieve in Minneapolis in terms of investing in our historically marginalized communities and providing them with the opportunity to achieve equity and build wealth through homeownership.”

no other responses were provided