Minneapolis City Council discusses public safety, rent control at Thursday’s in-person meeting

The complete Minneapolis Metropolis Council met in individual for the primary time Thursday for the reason that starting of the pandemic, and councilors took up some necessary subjects on two of the largest challenges the town is going through – lease management and public security.

Earlier than the assembly started at 9:30 a.m., a coalition of Minneapolis renters spoke, encouraging councilors to take up lease management proposals, and including they want a lease stabilization instantly.

“I’ve seen a number of ways in which the housing disaster in Minneapolis has affected me and my neighborhood,” stated Mikhail Koha, a renter within the metropolis. “I’m terrified my lease goes to go up. It’s gone up about $50-$100 within the final yr and a half.”

As beforehand reported final November, voters gave metropolis leaders the go-ahead to create a lease management ordinance or to place a proposed ordinance up for a vote in a future election.

Minneapolis poll questions put authorities construction, public security, lease management in voters’ fingers

Advocates say rising lease has turn out to be an actual downside for a lot of households, with the newest lease report from realtor.com displaying the common price of a two-bedroom condominium within the metropolis in February was almost $1,900 – a 4% enhance from final yr.

Rents attain ‘insane’ ranges throughout US endlessly

Metropolis leaders might be discussing the primary main step in that course of, forming a workgroup that can examine the problem and assist give you attainable lease management plans.

The workgroup might want to submit its closing report with suggestions from metropolis leaders by the top of the yr.

Advocates say whereas that’s a step in the proper course, it doesn’t come fast sufficient. They’re pushing to get a proposal on the poll for lease management this yr.

“We want a coverage this yr. We will’t wait till subsequent yr. we are able to’t wait till 2024. Each month that goes by, extra renters are evicted from their houses due to the price of lease, so it’s crucial that we get a coverage this yr,” stated Jennifer Arnold, of House to Keep Minneapolis.

As well as, the council mentioned one other push to create a brand new division of public security. An analogous proposal was voted down in November’s election.

Push to exchange Minneapolis Police Division fails

As an alternative of changing the police division as that proposal would have, this plan would reorganize another emergency departments like hearth response, 911 and site visitors management beneath a division of public security.

The police division would stay.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey’s message on public security reform: ‘Let’s work collectively’

Activists preserve police reform push regardless of Minneapolis loss

At the moment, metropolis leaders are nonetheless narrowing down the companies that might fall beneath the brand new division, how this modification may impression these companies and who would oversee the brand new division.