Kingfield Neighborhood Association

Update and Actions to Take Regarding the MLK Park Encampment

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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 

Southwest Parks Plan public comment period closes August 1

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The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) closed all recreation centers and program buildings on March 17 and they remain closed in response to COVID-19. Due the continued closure of all Southwest Minneapolis recreation centers, the Southwest Service Area Master Plan public comment period has been extended to August 1. 

Public comments continue to be collected online. View the draft Southwest Parks Plan and submit your comments using the links below. The plan and online survey are also posted on the project page – www.minneapolisparks.org/sw, as well as on the exteriors of all 13 recreation centers in Southwest Minneapolis. [Read more…]

What is one thing you are going to do to create the more equitable and just city that we all desire?

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“My commitment to a more just Minneapolis is working to ensure people don’t forget the importance of racial equity and the importance of this moment in time.  To that end I plan to be on the 38th street bridge every tuesday from 4:30-5:30 until the end of this year with banners and signs keeping my own commitment right in front of me and hopefully others as well.  Please join me. ”

–Becky Dankowski, KFNA Board Member

This week, KFNA Staff and Board of Directors have made commitments to one another to how we will, both as individuals and as an organization, create a more just Minneapolis.

We are calling on community members, to do the same and submit an audio recording of their commitments to action, over the following week, in response to the question above.

There are four ways for you to share your commitments:
1) Call and leave a message @ 612-234-1867
2) Record a “Voice Memo” on your phone and email it to messages@kingfield.org
3) Submit a written comment of (which will be read and recorded by a KFNA board member) to messages@kingfield.org
4) Send a written or voice message via the mobile Facebook messenger app to The Kingfield Neighborhood Association

Submission Length: Please keep your answers to 60 seconds or 200 words (if written)
Submission Deadline: Friday June 19th @ 9pm

Call to Elected Officials to support PPNA in their call for a coordinated effort to provide short and long-term solutions for the Powderhorn Sanctuary

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To:

  • Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
  • Ward 8 City Councilperson Andrea Jenkins
  • Hennepin County Commissioner Marion Greene
  • Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board President Jono Cowgill
  • MN Governor Tim Walz and Lt Governor Peggy Flanagan
  • MN Commissioner of Health Jan Malcolm
  • MN Commissioner of Housing Jennifer Ho

From:

Kingfield Neighborhood Association (KFNA) Executive Committee

Subject: Please support PPNA in their call for a coordinated effort to provide short and long-term solutions for the Powderhorn Sanctuary

We stand in solidarity with the Powderhorn Park Neighborhood Association (PPNA) and are writing to demonstrate our support of their requests for collective action from the City, County, State, and Parks Board to support the residents currently living in Powderhorn Park. We support PPNA’s guiding statement and petition:

PPNA’s call for collective action to implement both short and long-term solutions to address homelessness and instability in our City align with KFNA’s values and mission. Supporting affordable housing is something that KFNA has done via policy, and action, since 2003.

We urge our elected officials to meet the urgency of this need in the City of Minneapolis.

Thank you for your service and for your consideration of our request.

Sincerely,

Kingfield Neighborhood Association (KFNA) Executive Committee

   Chris DesRoches, President, Chris@kingfield.org

   Sarah Tschida, Vice President, SarahTschida@kingfield.org

  Alice Johnson, Treasurer, Alice@kingfield.org

  Bradley J. Titus, Secretary, BJ@kingfield.org

 

What is one thing you are going to do to create the more equitable and just city that we all desire?

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“I am committing to working with the MLK Legacy Council and The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to continue the physical and programmatic development of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Park to further the park’s role as a reflective, active and inclusion space that honors the legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the current pursuit of justice for all people.”
— Chris DesRoches, KFNA Board President.

This week, KFNA Staff and Board of Directors have made commitments to one another to how we will, both as individuals and as an organization, create a more just Minneapolis.

We are calling on community members, to do the same and submit an audio recording of their commitments to action, over the following week, in response to the question above.
There are four ways for you to share your commitments:
1) Call and leave a message @ 612-234-1867
2) Record a “Voice Memo” on your phone and email it to messages@kingfield.org
3) Submit a written comment of (which will be read and recorded by a KFNA board member) to messages@kingfield.org
4) Send a written or voice message via the mobile Facebook messenger app to The Kingfield Neighborhood Association

Submission Length: Please keep your answers to 60 seconds or 200 words (if written)

Submission Deadline: Friday June 19th @ 9pm

Kingfield Restaurants

currently open for take-out
(more info available here)

  • Tap Society
  • Sunstreet Breads
  • Royal Grounds
  • Rincon 38
  • Revival
  • Patisserie 46
  • Nighthawks
  • The Lowbrow
  • Hola Arepa
  • Grand Cafe
  • Good Times Pizza
  • Five Watt Coffee
  • Young Man
  • Dave The Pie Guy
  • Curran's
  • Cocina Latina
  • Cafe Ena
  • Butter Bakery Cafe
  • Boludo Empanadas
  • Apoy