Accomplishments

• Expanded the Minneapolis Homes Program to expand affordable homeownership opportunities that may not be available on the market.  

• Led the effort to expand the Minneapolis Stable Homes Stable Schools program to help families facing homelessness get stable housing. 

• Reinstated an Emergency Housing Vouchers program at $1.8 million to provide 50 families and 50 individuals with permanent housing and wraparound services, which has proven incredibly effective since its re-implementation.

• Expanded the Inclusionary Zoning policy to increase the amount of deeply affordable housing.

• Expanded the 4D program to preserve deeply affordable housing through tax deductions that fund the upkeep and maintenance of affordable housing units.

• Authored and passed an ordinance to increase the pre-eviction notice for nonpayment of rent from 14 days to 30 days, which creates a more realistic timeline to make minimum rental payments.

• Supported and passed a mandatory disclosure ordinance requiring landlords inform tenants of their rights as renters.

• Passed an ordinance to allow adaptive reuse of buildings, such as the conversion of vacant office buildings to housing in the downtown core.

• Supported ongoing funding to continue a partnership with Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to help working people make necessary housing repairs without being saddled with costs they cannot afford. 

• Led and passed an Encampment Removal Reporting ordinance to increase transparency and accountability by requiring regular quarterly reporting around encampment removal actions. This includes costs, staff present, services offered, and residents impacted.

• Authored and passed a budget amendment that provides resources for an adequate public health approach to encampments. 

• Authored and passed a budget amendment to stabilize the operation of the AVIVO Village Tiny Homes. This program has helped hundreds of individuals receive permanent housing, treatment, access to medical care, and other resources that lead to stability.

• Authored and passed a budget amendment to pilot a safe parking program mirroring the successful Duluth Safe Bay program. 

• Addressed the encampment formation in the Walgreens parking lot by:

  • Building relationships with Walgreens, the Railroad company, and nearby property owners.

  • Met with both service providers and unhoused neighbors to help coordinate a pop-up service tent and mitigate negative impacts of an impending encampment removal.

  • Held regular meetings with residents in apartment buildings, single family homes, and the relevant impacted neighbors, to address safety concerns when our current Mayoral administration failed to respond to residents’ needs.

• Did all of this work while emphasizing our community’s value of treating every person with dignity, and working to give everyone a place to call home.

• Authored the budget amendment to establish the Lake Street Safety Center to give Ward 12 residents a nearby in-person place to get direct safety services, such as:

  • 311 Customer Service

  • Support in filing police reports 

  • Community Navigators to provide resources for people facing hardship

  • Crime Prevention Specialists

  • Lake Street Safety Coordinators

  • LEAD Minneapolis 

  • BE@School voluntary case management for youth and families

  • Greater Minneapolis Council of Churches support programming for substance use disorder

  • Satellite offices for the Behavior Crisis Response Team, Community City Attorney, and Lake Street Social Workers.

• Worked with the Department of Neighborhood Safety to bring additional safety services to the Hiawatha and Longfellow neighborhoods to not just respond to safety issues, but prevent them.

• Authored the budget amendment to create the Transit Safety Coordination Program to make sure that as Metro Transit works to make platforms and train cars safer, the City of Minneapolis also supports safety efforts on major transit hubs like 46th & Hiawatha, Midtown, and Lake Street.

• Expanded the Behavioral Crisis Response Program to address more mental health and behavioral crisis calls, and added an additional Southside location to shorten response time. 

• Supported efforts to reach the mandatory minimum of police officers, funding to increase wages to get our Minneapolis Police Department to the Mandatory Minimum level and career pathways recruitment efforts necessary to get to this level. 

• Authored and passed a budget amendment to create the Lake Street Public Safety Coordinator Pilot Program that is now active. This program proactively addresses safety concerns on the Lake Street Corridor by connecting with residents, businesses, and stakeholders on the corridor to implement a comprehensive safety plan. 

• Hosted a community meeting to get input from Ward 12 residents on the Southside Community Safety Center (2633 Minnehaha Ave) where Third Precinct officers and non-police safety and social services will be housed. Opening in 2026. 

• Authored a budget amendment in 2023 and 2024 to support the Let Everyone Advance With Dignity comprehensive safety program that supports individuals navigating the legal system, focusing on long-term case management and a harm reduction model specifically for the East Lake Street Corridor.

• Supported the creation of five new full time Civilian Investigator positions to help the MPD tackle its backlog of over 5,000 cases. 

• Supported and worked with my colleagues to pass the Off-Duty Policing Feeds ordinance that requires off duty officers to pay a fee for using city equipment for their private side gigs. 

• Kept strengthening and growing our public safety system ecosystem as a top priority for me, and did this work with regular constituent input.

• Being a member of the Business, Housing, and Zoning committee at City Hall, giving my first hand knowledge from local businesses in Ward 12 and throughout Minneapolis.

• Supported expansion of the Ownership Opportunity Fund to help local businesses own their buildings and help ensure long term activation in commercial areas. 

• Built strong relationships with local Ward 12 business owners to ensure their concerns are reflected at City Hall.

• Authored and passed a forgivable loan program to help business along corridors like Lake Street and Hennepin avenue recover from loss of revenue during construction. 

• Supported the creation and expansion of Latino and Black Business week. 

• Supported expansions of the Small Business Technical Assistance Program, including expanding technical assistance services to small developers, worker cooperatives, and artists.

• Led on efforts to ensure that local hemp retailers were not excluded from opportunities to be a part of the Minneapolis Cannabis industry as state legalization is implemented. 

• Worked with local business owners to bring traffic calming measures to stop dangerous near-accidents and crashes at 38th & Longfellow. 

• Supported the passage of the Vacant Buildings Fee ordinance to penalize property owners leaving buildings sitting empty, and encourage vibrancy back to corridors. 

• Voted in favor of the Adaptive Reuse Ordinance to allow for the conversion of unused buildings, such as empty offices, to be repurposed for things like housing. This will help revitalize downtown and revitalize the city tax base. 

In my first term, I have championed policies that fight climate change, improve air quality, and prioritize the future of our planet.

As your council member I have: 

• Bolstered transportation access by making Minneapolis a partner in the Transit Assistance Program (TAP), which will help make public transit more affordable. 

• Prioritized investments in walking, biking, and transit infrastructure, giving residents more options for getting around town.

• Increased access to electric vehicle charging stations and electric vehicle carshare. 

• Preserved and invested in our local green spaces and natural systems. 

• Passed an ordinance permitting planting of edible plants and trees on boulevards.

In my years of public service and advocacy, I have learned how important it is that our elected officials deliver quality public services. As your councilmember, I have put my years of experience to work so that Ward 12 residents have a council office that is responsive, transparent, and accountable to its residents.

As your council member I have: 

• Hosted over 50 regular community office hours and community meetings to hear feedback from constituents and solve constituent cases. 

• Sent regular newsletters with updates.  

• Been an active and presence in the community, not just during election years. 

• Hosted forums ahead of the city’s Budget process to ensure our investments reflect our values. 

• Leveraged my existing relationships across government to advocate for the City of Minneapolis and hold roundtable events to address our most pressing intergovernmental issues such as, homelessness, youth investment, the opioid epidemic, transit, and so much more.

People with disabilities deserve to have a City that is accessible, safe, and addresses their needs. People with disabilities have diverse experiences and live in every neighborhood of our city, yet have lacked representation in local government that meets their needs and invites them to be a part of civic life. I am proud of the steps we have taken to make our city more accessible and welcoming to people with all sorts of needs and backgrounds.

As your Council Member I have: 

• Implemented new traffic calming on major corridors to make crossing the street safer and more accessible.

• Began the work to end the Subminimum Wage for people with disabilities.

• Hosted accessible office Hours. Whether we need to meet virtually, with an interpreter, or out in a community setting, I am proud to have made constituent feedback so accessible.

Ward 12 is home to a wonderful and active Senior Community. I have had the honor of spending time with so many residents of our wisest generations. I am grateful for your partnership in building a city that lets people of all ages thrive.

As you Council Member, I have:

• Expanded health and wellness initiatives and services by funding Senior resource programs.

• Been a part of the annual Senior Resource Fair to directly connect with our aging population.

• Held numerous office hours in senior housing, like Becketwood and Nokomis Square.

• Worked to lower costs of prescriptions and medical care that is vital to seniors' livability.