Governing Report 2019

Work I Led

Championed

• Affordable Housing

  Launched a ten-year strategy to invest $91 million to build 1,000 affordable units with integrated services that serve people and families more holistically.

• 2020 Census

  Hennepin has allocated meaningful funds with $320,000 in the 2020 budget. However, I proposed $1.2 million or $1 for every resident, and fell short of my goal. This will be a high priority next year.

• Public Works Paint Pilot

  Initiated a new practice to test traffic flow and safety innovations when there are multiple viewpoints among engineers and traffic models, creating space for community voice, while being both data-informed and more holistic.

• Embedded Social Worker 911 Pilot

  Initiated a pilot that embeds a social worker into the 911 dispatch center in Plymouth, MN. This is an important step to understanding the data, so that government emergency response best aligns with community need.

Work I Helped Push Through by Voting

Key Vote

• Racial Equity Advisory Council

  Supported the creation of a new council that brings community members directly impacted by race inequities into the decision-making process.

• Shelter Bill of Rights

  Supported continuing conversation about a Shelter Bill of Rights for the purposes of improving emergency shelter conditions in Hennepin.

• Suburban Evictions Committee

  Supported the work of researching the lasting impacts of housing insecurity and eviction, by contributing to a study in suburban Hennepin.

• Immigration Legal Defense Fund

  Supported providing universal legal representation to immigration defendants regardless of the merits of their case.

• Commissioner Budget Reduction

  Supported maintaining 2019 levels for commissioner office budgets, and further supported an additional $175,000 decrease as a way of restoring the proposed Human Services contract reductions.

• Wheelage Tax

  Advocated to increase wheelage tax from $10 to $20 per vehicle, which will generate approximately $10 million more annually for our aging infrastructure.

• Human Services Contract Restoration

  Advocated to restore previous funding levels, countering the proposed cuts for services in food support, senior case management, and housing mediation.

• Tree Canopy Grants

  Supported adding $500,000 annually toward grants that invest in Hennepin’s tree canopy, which impacts people by improving air quality, contributing to stormwater management, and creating spaces in nature.

Work I Supported Through Conversation and by Providing Direction

Key Voice

• Emergency Assistance for Housing

  Advocated for Emergency Assistance program representatives to be regularly available at Housing Court. I also supported a comprehensive study and redesign to improve processing time and quality of service for people seeking emergency housing funds.

• Tenant Resource Center Pilot

  Supported opening a two-month center in North Minneapolis, which will offer assistance to Hennepin tenants. The pilot benefits communities by connecting people with important resources, while also uncovering ways Hennepin may be able to streamline processes.

• All-Gender Restrooms

  Articulated a need to incorporate all-gender and single-occupancy restrooms in all future Hennepin County facility projects, and supported having this be the revised standard when planning remodels or new designs.

• Transition Age Probation Unit Design

  Supported the launch efforts of a Transition-Age Probation Unit within Community Corrections and Rehabilitation. This unit is designing a new, data-informed supervision model for young people aged 18 to 24. Research shows that young adults require distinct intervention practices, so a new approach will likely produce better outcomes for clients and cost savings for Hennepin.

• Resident and Real Estate Services

  Supported a new approach to the rehabilitation and disposition of tax-forfeited properties to create contracting opportunities for small businesses and promote permanent affordable home ownership for residents.

Financial implications of the above sections

2020 budget impact

Some dollar amounts displayed are approximate.

2019 appointments & District 2 team

Appointments and team

Commissioners are annually appointed to various governing and advisory roles which are essential to accomplishing our goals.