City briefs - Oct 2026

Safe Outdoor Parking
The City Council has set a public hearing for 1:30 p.m., Oct. 20, at the Business, Housing & Zoning Committee, to consider an ordinance amendment establishing licensing requirements and regulations to allow nonprofit organizations to provide overnight parking for unhoused individuals in designated, managed lots that have on-site staff during operating hours and are cleared daily. The site could only operate with an approved interim use permit and business license and after a public hearing.

Service improvement districts
The City Council has approved the 2027 operating plans, service charges and budgets for several special service districts including those for 50th and France, 54th and Lyndale, Eat Street, Linden Hills, Lowry Hill, Lyndale-Lake, and Uptown, as well as for the Downtown Business Improvement District (DID). The districts use service charges to property owners to fund services that go beyond those provided. The 2027 budget for the DID is $9.5 million to pay for safety ambassadors, cleaning services, plantings, maintenance of furniture, snow removal and more.

NRP policy board elections
The City Council has amended the ordinance that governs Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) elections so they no longer require a Community Connections Conference. The policy board will now have the authority to determine when and where the board election is held as long as it is held before Nov. 30 every two years.

MPD Internal Affairs contract
The City Council has approved a contract that could go as high as $2.3 million to Grant Thornton Advisors, LLC, for a two-year term to help the police department complete reviews and investigations in their Internal Affairs Division.

Whiting’s new baby
On Sept. 5, Kelly and Jamison Whiting, council member for Ward 11, had their first child, Louella Katherine Whiting. All are reportedly healthy. “We are overjoyed, and we could not be more excited to raise Lou here in Ward 11, among you all,” Whiting said in an email.

Chowdhury’s marriage
Ward 12 Council Member Aurin Chowdhury got married to Aaron Wagner on Aug. 30, 2026.

Behavioral Crisis Response
The Public Health, Safety and Equity Committee did not approve a new contract with Arizona-based Community Bridges Inc. to operate the program that was previously operated by Canopy Roots. Staff had also proposed changing the name of the program to “Mobile Crisis Response” and expanding the scope to include a variety of livability issues such as unsheltered homelessness. The committee voted to deny the contract on Oct. 7. Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley would like the council to consider bringing the service in-house.

34th Street Greenway Project
The City is planning to develop a new greenway project on 34th Street between Hennepin Avenue and Hiawatha Avenue to improve safety and better connect people to neighborhood parks and schools.

NARCAN at Southwest’s Fire Station 12
The City of Minneapolis has installed a NARCAN® vending machine at Fire Station 12 at 5401 33rd Ave, S, offering free and anonymous 24-hour access to the medication used in response to opioid drug overdoses. Other machines are located at Fire Station 5 (2700 Bloomington Ave. S.), Fire Station 14 (2002 Lowry Ave. N.) and Fire Station 21 (3209 38th St. E.)
Brownfield Grant

The City Council has accepted a grant of $141,042 from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development to support the Seven Points Residential project at 3045 Hennepin Ave.