Kingfield Neighborhood Association

KFNA is thankful for Active (and Activist!) Neighbors

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Kingfield Neighbor Michael Vanderford took the time to attend the City of Minneapolis Budget Hearing and testify to the value of all 82 neighborhood associations’ role in creating a safer and more connected city.  Here is what he said:

 ” I am Michael Vanderford, 4154 Blaisdell Avenue, 8th Ward, Kingfield Neighborhood. 

 I ask that you support an amendment to the 2023-2024 City Budget proposal to comply with the City Council’s resolution of May 25, 2019, assuring “Base Funding” of $25,000 per year to the 85 neighborhood organizations. [approved by the Council (including an “Aye” vote from Andrea Jenkins), and approved and signed by Mayor Jacob Frey, on May 22, 2022.] 

Your 2023-24 Budget proposal sounds a death knell for the City’s neighborhood organizations such as my Kingfield Neighborhood Association. The City’s 85 neighborhood organizations can’t operate on the $10,000 administrative base funding in the current budget proposal. The current Budget proposal also defaults on the City Council’s, and the Mayor’s, Resolution 2019R-153, copies which are distributed to each of you. On the tabbed 2nd page, the Council and Mayor commit to: “The minimum neighborhood base funding allocation will be $25,000.”  Your budget proposal cuts this to $10K each. 

So What? Why is this important? Because you are killing one of the City’s best investments in public safety.

An example is that after 15 years of Christine Kreitz’s murder (1985) at ML King Park by gang violence, it was still hard to get families from the neighborhood to come to King Park. There was still a strong feeling that it wasn’t a safe place to bring your kids. The Kingfield Neighborhood Association Executive Director turned this around, starting in 2002, by recruiting volunteers, the ML King Park Director, and NRP funds to establish the “Little Kickers” soccer program at ML King. 20+ years later, we have 175 kids and their families gathering every Wednesday evening in the summer, playing silly games with soccer balls. 

If you fail to keep your Resolution 2019R-153 commitment to neighborhood organization base administrative funding, such community safety efforts cannot continue.” 

Those of you that know Michael might know him as the volunteer that has led the above-mentioned Little Kicker’s soccer program at MLK Park since 2002. Clearly good ideas don’t go very far without dedicated and determined volunteers! We are thankful for Michael’s activism to speak directly the City Council on KFNA and other neighborhood groups behalf, and for his twenty-year commitment to the Little Kickers program.

Statement from Council President Jenkins regarding Public Safety at 38th and Chicago

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Dear Neighbors:

These have been tremendously challenging times for our community, our city and our nation. Respect for the rule of law is seemingly at an all-time low. We have witnessed high levels of violent crime, including carjackings, armed robberies, burglaries and murders. This is unacceptable and the City must use all of its resources to address this issue. We know and understand that there are a variety of factors contributing to this current crisis – from the lack of affordable housing, opioid addiction, the over saturation of automatic guns in our communities to the very real staffing shortages in the law enforcement ranks. However, this is not the time for excuses but time to take action. I have been working with public safety officials to come up with strategies and solutions to address the many concerns we are hearing. To that end, I will be hosting a community safety meeting for the 38th and Chicago area next week, Thursday August 25th at 6:00 p.m. in the Phelps Recreational Center Gym, 701 E. 39th St. I have invited and confirmed the attendance of Interim Police Chief Huffman, Public Safety Commissioner Dr. Cedric Alexander, 3rd Precinct  Inspector Gomez.

In the meantime, 3rd Precinct Inspector Gomez has committed to extra patrols in the area of 38th and Chicago. Governor Walz has committed to extending State Patrol resources for Minneapolis, and the FBI has been involved in addressing the proliferation of guns in our community. I know these are challenging times. I extend my apologies to the victims of violent and property crimes in our communities and vow to stay on top of this issue until we see some visible, effective and positive change.

Andrea Jenkins

Visit us at minneapolismn.gov/ward8

Applications open through June 6 for rent stabilization work group

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The application deadline has been extended through June 6 for renters, property owners and developers to serve on a new rent stabilization work group. The work group is charged with recommending a policy framework and analysis for the City Council on a City policy regulating rent amounts for private residential property.
 

On April 14, the City Council adopted a resolution creating the work group.

We expect that the work group will begin convening in July and meet twice a month for up to two hours throughout 2022. The substantial work is expected to be inside the regularly scheduled meetings, planned to be held in person.

Fill out the application on the City website by June 6.

Contact Joey Dobson at 612-257-5214 or with any questions.

KFNA Position on Transitional Change, including position on 2021 Charter Amendments

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Approved by the KFNA Board on 10/13/21

Whereas, the Kingfield Neighborhood Association (KFNA) recognizes that the City of Minneapolis has experienced a collective trauma that has further exposed the need for deep transformational change;

Whereas, there is a broad consensus among the people of Minneapolis that we must fundamentally change our approach to governance, public safety, and housing stability for all;

Whereas, the people of Minneapolis will be voting on three proposed City Charter amendments that seek to address those issues;

Whereas, the vote margins on each of these amendments is likely to be very close and the passion of our neighbors is very high both for and against each ballot question;

Whereas, the work to fulfill our collective vision of a safer, fairer, and more equitable Minneapolis will continue regardless of the outcome of the vote on any of these amendments;

Therefore, be it resolved that KFNA is committed to supporting elected city leaders in designing deep transformational system change.  We recognize the deep desire of all citizens to create a better city. This process will require deep listening to all stakeholders, particularly those communities who have borne the brunt of systemic racism.  

With this in mind the KFNA Board also endorses:

  • a NO vote on the strong mayor charter amendment;
  • a YES vote on the Department of Public Safety charter amendment;
  • a YES vote on the rent stabilization charter amendment.

An Ask From Our Friends at Beacon (aka Nicollet Square!) To Act Today & Support Affordable Housing

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Hello Kingfield Friends!

I want to let you know of an opportunity to impact housing policy in the Minneapolis in a really simple way. This is the time of year when the city is looking at the way they prioritize funding in the Affordable Housing Trust Fund – last year one of our developments for families coming from homelessness was not funded, and this opened our eyes to the hard choices they are making. We ultimately want to see them use the dollars they have to invest a LOT more in housing at the lowest income levels. We think they need to start by making that a more explicit goal.

I thought of you all of course because Kingfield is so proactive about looking for deeply affordable development! It would mean a lot for the city to also be hearing from you. Please take 5 min to send in letters through Friday April 30th following the simple instructions below.

THE ACTION!

The City of Minneapolis has published proposed guidelines for the next round of funding through the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. They are receiving comments from Minneapolis residents through the end of the month. This is our chance to make a smoother path for housing that will be truly affordable for residents with low incomes!

  1. If you’d like to read Beacon’s full letter and comments find it here.
  2. Write your own email or letter using the template below. We’re asking residents of the City of Minneapolis to send these messages, and to include your councilmember when you do. You do not need to repeat the long and detailed comments we are sending in – the main point is for the city to hear your agreement that resources should first be targeted for households with the lowest incomes. Remind them – this program can do so much more to address homelessness and racial disparities!
  3. Email your letter to: carrie.goldberg​@minneapolismn.​gov and copy to egoldthwaitefri​es@beaconinterf​aith.org and your City Council member. Look your councilmember up and find their email address here.