BRIEFS MAY 2022

FUTURE OF 3rd PRECINCT SITE
The Longfellow Community Council will be hosting two community conversation sessions, one virtual and one in-person, on the future of the 3rd precinct site. People can join the virtual meeting Monday, May 9 from 6-7:30 p.m. and attend an in-person meeting Monday, May 16 from 6–7:30 p.m. at Squirrel Haus Arts, 3450 Snelling Ave., to discuss the possible futures of the 3rd Precinct site. Registration is not required, but recommended. This in-person event is open to everyone. Registration is not required, but there is a capacity limit and masks are strongly encouraged. This event is sponsored by Longfellow Community Council, Seward Redesign, Lake Street Council, Longfellow Business Association and Longfellow Rising. For more information, see https://longfellow.org/event/3rd-precinct-community-conversations/.

2022 SHARED BIKE AND SCOOTER PROGRAM
The city’s bike and scooter sharing programs will begin this month. This year the city, working in cooperation with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board, the University of Minnesota and the city of Saint Paul, has entered into license agreements with three companies. An exclusive bike sharing license went to Lyft to continue operating the Nice Ride system with both classic pedal bicycles and electric-assisted bicycles. Lyft, Lime and Spin all received licenses to operate motorized foot scooters programs. For more information about motorized foot scooters, visit the city’s website or call 311.

STREET SWEEPING
Spring street sweeping has begun in Minneapolis and drivers should watch for temporary “no parking” signs to avoid a ticket and tow. Temporary “no parking” signs should be posted at least 24 hours in advance to make sure streets are clear of parked vehicles. Drivers need to follow street sweeping parking rules or they may have their cars ticketed and towed to the Minneapolis Impound Lot. In addition to signs, the city will make about 3,500 automated phone calls each evening to let residents know their street will be swept the next day. You can also use the interactive street sweeping map (found at https://www.minneapolismn.gov/getting-around/parking-driving/street-sweep/street-sweep-map/) to see when your street is scheduled to be swept.

RENT STABILIZATION WORK GROUP
In April, following lengthy debate, the defeat of an alternative proposal that could have brought forward a ballot initiative this year, and a number of amendments, the city council passed council president Andrea Jenkin’s motion to create a Housing/Rent Stabilization Work Group. The work group will consist of 25 people, 12 appointed by the city council and mayor and 13 by the community planning and economic development director, Andrea Brennan. Six of the council appointed positions are reserved for renters, three for rental property owners, and three for housing developers. Ward 10 Council Member Aisha Chughtai made a substitute motion that would have brought a rent stabilization policy for voters to decide this election instead of 2023 that was defeated on a 7–5 vote. In order to have a policy finalized in time to submit a question to voters in 2023, the work group will need to submit its final report with recommendations by the end of 2022.

GREENLIGHT TWIN CITIES SAFETY INITIATIVE ON LAKE STREET
In April, the GreenLight Fund Twin Cities announced a multi-year $1.4 million dollar investment in Let Everyone Advance with Dignity (LEAD) intended to use a community-involved approach to reduce police interactions for low-level offenses in the Lake Street corridor. “This investment centers a public health approach to community safety which will divert individuals cycling in and out of the legal system into a long-term case management model of care,” said Ward 9 Council Member Jason Chavez. “I’ll be serving on the policy coordinating group to help drive these efforts.”