City Briefs January 2023

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2023 city council candidates
So far, for the 2023 elections it looks like at least three of the 13 Minneapolis city council seats will be contested, and two of those are in south Minneapolis. Ward 6 has three candidates who have announced far. They are Jamal Osman (incumbent), Kayseh Magan and Tiger Worku. In Ward 12, Aurin Chowdhury,Jerome Evans, and Luther Ranheim have announced they are running for the seat now held by Andrew Johnson, who is not seeking reelection.

Annual affordable housing funding
The city council has approved using $15,880,000 of the Affordable Housing Trust Fund (AHTF) to support 10 affordable housing projects. This includes four projects located in the greater Longfellow-Nokomis area. One, located at 901 Cedar Ave in Seward, will receive $2.9 million to construct a 137-unit apartment building including 35 three-bedroom units. The Agra, also in Seward on Franklin and 27th, will receive $1.27 million (in addition to the $3.2 million it received last year) to help construct a 155-unit building of affordable rental apartments on the old Perkins site. Little Earth, in East Phillips was awarded $1.5 million to rehabilitate 212 units, and Snelling Yards Family Housing in Hiawatha was awarded $1.07 million (in addition to $1 million last year) to help construct a 90-unit building with 13 units reserved for homeless veterans.

Grants to creative businesses
Minneapolis’ office of arts, culture and the creative economy has awarded 26 enterprises money to assist in their recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This will include cash assistance, training, and planning. Those receiving funding in the greater Longfellow area and U of M areas include the Curiosity Studio, a community art therapy studio, and Sharp Design LLC both located at 3607 East Lake St.; Fireweed Community Woodshop in Prospect Park at 14 27th Ave. SE; Foci Minnesota Center for Glass Arts in Seward at 2213 Snelling Ave.; The Somali Museum of Minnesota at 1516 East Lake St.; Twin Cities Media Alliance at 2525 E. Franklin Ave.; Danceco at 2801 32nd Ave. S.; and the Semilla Center for Healing and the Arts at 2742 15th Ave. S.

Transportation plan and equity
The city is seeking comments on a racial equity framework for transportation planning in the city. The framework identifies racial equity strategies to be implemented through 2030. In 2020, the city council declared racism a public health emergency and outlined goals related to reversing past racist policies and practices. Now, city transportation planners hope to incorporate this in planning, designing, and maintaining transportation projects as a part of building an antiracist culture in the city. The draft was discussed on Dec. 6, at a meeting at the Midtown Global Market, and additional comments will be taken through Jan. 20 via the website at https://www2.minneapolismn.gov/government/departments/publicworks/tpp/racial-equity-framework/

Midori's Floating World Café
This relocated and recently reopened popular café at 3425 E. Lake St. can now serve beer and wine. They were approved for a wine and beer liquor license in December by the city council.

CIP Committee appointments
The council appointed Kellie Rose Jones from Ward 6, Regina Burstein from Ward 8, Will Woodworth from Ward 10, Devin Driscoll from Ward 11, as well as Christie Roach and Lindsey Miller, both from Ward 12, to this influential committee that reviews and recommends major infrastructure, road and building projects for city funding. They were all appointed for two-year terms ending Dec. 31, 2024.

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