It has been over a decade for KFNA of ice cream delivered to every party, meeting new neighbors, greeting so many old friends…it is hard to sit home on the first Tuesday in August and not think of all of you! Here are some photos to remind you of all the parties, from the past events!
Thank you for your patience and care as our city and nation experience a housing crisis compounded by the recent COVID-19 global pandemic. The population of unhoused neighbors living in MLK Park encampments has grown 3x since June.
How can I help my unhoused neighbors? The best way you can help right now is to use your time and energy to advocate for dignified short, medium and long-term housing solutions in our city. We do not recommend individual citizens attempt direct engagement work with encampments. Those experiencing homelessness deserve social service solutions delivered by trained and trauma-informed providers. Please respect the autonomy of all encampments, including prioritizing your personal safety and boundaries. Consider a financial donation to trusted organizations serving our community: ZACAH, Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center, The Link, and Park Avenue Center.
Housed neighbors stand in solidarity with unhoused neighbors prioritizing humanitarian aid, while acknowledging systems, events and health issues that can lead to short-term and chronic homelessness. Informal mutual aid efforts provide food and minimal ice to as many parks across the city as possible, this is not a sustainable solution. We demand our elected officials immediately address the current humanitarian housing crisis in Minneapolis. Please contact your elected officials, today! And then copy that email to Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz.
More information to be communicated through KFNA in the near future, stay tuned.
MLK Park Housing Advocates
Passed by the KFNA Board 7/19/2020
Whereas, the Kingfield Neighborhood Association (KFNA) sees an urgent need for transformational change to community safety and policing in the City of Minneapolis.
Whereas, the current Minneapolis City Charter does not allow for that change and accountability.
Whereas, the community of Minneapolis should be given the opportunity to voice their opinion on this change and directly engage with the question of policing and safety.
Whereas, the need and responsibility to take bold action now is essential.
KFNA calls on the City of Minneapolis Charter Commission to fulfill their duty and let the people of Minneapolis vote on a meaningful City Charter amendment.
But what does this mean and what will the Charter Language Be? That Remains to be Determined.
Background:
In June, the Minneapolis City Council unanimously initiated a process to allow voters to decide whether to adopt a proposed charter amendment whether to create a new Department of Community Safety & Violence Prevention. The Charter is essentially the City’s constitution, and this change (if approved by a majority of voters) would allow much more flexibility in how public safety is ensured or everyone in our City. The charter amendment would not eliminate law enforcement. Instead, this measure is needed so that we can incorporate strategies in addition to traditional policing. The language that was to be voted on as an ammednment is “Shall the Minneapolis City Charter be amended to provide for the establishment of a new Community Safety & Violence Prevention Department and to remove the Police Department.”
However in July the Minneapolis Charter Commission has proposed another possible change to the City Charter, our City’s constitution, and will also seek public input on this proposal. This new proposal removes minimum funding requirements for the Police Department without eliminating Police as a required department. The language for this ammednment is ““Shall the Minneapolis City Charter be amended to remove the minimum funding requirements of the Police Force.”
The Charter Commission’s new proposal is separate from the Minneapolis City Council’s existing proposal to eliminate Police as a required department in the City Charter and instead require the creation of a Department of Community Safety and Violence Prevention, which may include a police division. PLEASE NOTE: If both proposals are approved by the deadline, they could both appear as ballot questions this November.
The public hearing for this newer proposed Charter amendment is set for:
How to participate and submit comments
Background information
Talk with us about transportation policy in our region at our online Transportation Committee on Monday, July 27 at 4 p.m. | Register to comment during the meeting.
About the transportation policy plan
The region’s transportation plan comes together by collaborating with counties, cities and townships to create a vision for a shared transportation system. The Met Council builds these partnerships to help make a stronger system possible, serving people and connecting to places across the region. Our job is to listen to our partners and the people who live in the region to hear what they want in a transportation system. We then translate a shared vision for our region’s transportation system into investment plans and decisions that help build and maintain that system.
Comment period open until 5 PM Aug. 10
The Met Council is ready to hear from you. To comment:
More information
Learn more online about the Draft 2020 Update to the 2040 Transportation Policy Plan.
