In a series of one-on-one interviews with journalists on Monday, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey summarized what he saw as progress in the city in 2024 as the year winds down.

Asked if there was one thing he’s most proud of at year-end as the city’s chief executive, Mayor Frey said it was “difficult to identify one single element.” before, first, landing on housing.

“One piece that we are being recognized on nationally is our work around housing,” he said.

“We’re providing people with that foundational right of housing.”

It’s a talking point that can be traced back to the mayor’s earliest campaign days. Years later, getting people into stable housing remained among his central strategies, and he was proud of the progress made in 2024.

“We’re producing eight-and-a-half times the amount of deeply affordable housing that we were before I took office,” Frey said.

More affordable housing means fewer people who are homeless, the mayor said, adding, “But if we’re talking about unsheltered homelessness, specifically homeless encampments, this is a far more complex issue.”

MPD Police Brian O’Hara has said encampments have been shooting hot spots in 2024, with nearly a quarter of incidents in the 3rd Precinct within 500 feet of one.

“Let’s get them the addiction treatment that they need, the wraparound services that they need, the culturally sensitive healing that we should be providing. Let’s do all those things, and when that service is rejected, yes, we do need to close homeless encampments,” Frey said of his administration’s homeless response strategy.

Police recruitment was another point of progress for the Minneapolis Mayor. Applications to wear the MPD uniform were up 45% in 2024 compared to the prior year, he said.

“We’ve turned a corner. We’re netting positive in terms of officers this year of 2024, and I anticipate 2025 being a banner year,” Frey added.

Asked, he also acknowledged it could be tougher in 2025 with money for those efforts slashed.

Members of the City Council’s veto-proof progressive majority said it was among many tough decisions ahead of a tough budget year, which includes a rise in the property tax levy.

“I made my objections to that budget clear back earlier in December,” the Mayor told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS on Monday. “Now we got to move forward.”

Looking to 2025, he said there will be a focus on improving what he referred to as “basic city services, including 911 call response.”

The planned opening of a new 3rd Police Precinct in 2025, five years after the former building burned — would be a part of that, he said.

“And we’re trying to provide a response, not just from police officers in adequate time frame – in a fast time frame, but also provide a unique skill set that is matched with the unique circumstances on the ground, whether that’s a mental health responder or a social worker. We want to get that done in the form of a south side safety center,” Frey said.

2025 is also expected to be a campaign year for sitting mayor. Frey has not officially announced, but confirmed he plans to seek re-election.

If so, he faces a run against City Council Member Emily Koski and State Senator Omar Fateh, among others.