Governing Report · 2024

Governing Report 2024

I am Hennepin County Commissioner Irene Fernando, but you can call me Commish! This year, I continued to serve as Chair of the Board and extend gratitude to my colleagues for their trust and partnership. I’m proud of all we have been able to achieve together. I also know how much more our communities need from governments, and I’m dedicated to continue working to improve the lives of residents. This report outlines the ways my office delivered results by promoting innovation and implementing imaginative solutions. I am grateful to residents, community partners, County staff, and my colleagues for their work and dedication—and I look forward to continuing to work hard on your behalf to achieve a more equitable County.

Dr. Irene Fernando, Hennepin County Commissioner, District 2 · Chair, Hennepin County Board of Commissioners

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The year in figures

2024 in numbers

Commish Irene’s 2024 in numbers

  • 130+community events attended
  • 500+Hennepin resolutions voted on
  • 30+hours testifying for Hennepin priorities at the MN Legislature

Hennepin’s 2024 in numbers

  • 700people, including 117 families, transitioned from homelessness into housing
  • 7,500households served by Tenant Resource Center
  • $13 millionin emergency rental assistance
  • $19.5 milliondedicated to create or preserve affordable housing
  • 3,100businesses served by Elevate Hennepin
  • 203new business launches supported
  • 34,000new voters registered

Work my office completed this year

Work Completed

  • Advanced the Blue Line Extension Project through Municipal Consent

    Hennepin County led the efforts to achieve “Municipal Consent” for the Blue Line Extension project in Hennepin and the four cities along the route.

    How it affects you. Municipal consent is a critical step in moving this project forward, in order to build a regional transit system to meet residents’ needs.

  • Effectively Ended Veteran Homelessness in Hennepin County

    Hennepin’s approach to addressing homelessness resulted in the Federal Government certifying that Hennepin County is meeting their benchmarks for effectively ending homelessness among veterans in Hennepin County.

    How it affects you. Our commitment is for homelessness to be rare, brief, and nonrecurring. Our system is prepared to quickly respond and move people back into permanent housing in less than 90 days on average. We thank all partners and advocates for their continued efforts.

  • Funded Future of Blue Line Extension Project

    The Board approved $173M for the Blue Line Extension project to keep work moving ahead on this critical project through 2025 and beyond.

    How it affects you. Hennepin has demonstrated a commitment around the Blue Line Extension that centers residents, prioritizes those with the most needs, and invests in a manner that allows the people and businesses who are already in the corridor to thrive.

  • Invested in Food Support and Food Shelves to Reduce Food Insecurity on the Northside

    Invested $600K for the renovation and expansion of the Shiloh Cares Northside Food Access Renovation Project on Broadway Ave in North Minneapolis.

    How it affects you. Through this action, Hennepin was able to help the food shelf increase capacity to store and distribute nutritious and culturally relevant food, enhance sustainability, and foster a stronger sense of community.

  • Behavioral Health Care Facility & Support for County Involved Youth

    Invested $15M in capital funds and $7M in ongoing operational funds to develop a regional youth crisis stabilization center at our Behavioral Health Center, 1800 Chicago Avenue in Minneapolis.

    How it affects you. Residential crisis stabilization services fill an important gap for youth who cannot remain safely at home, offering treatment and therapeutic support for youth while triage, assessment, and planning take place with families.

  • Remain Committed to Concluding Trash-Burning at the HERC

    The County intends to convert the HERC facility to a recovery and reuse center. My office worked with policymakers from all levels to ensure they are investing in zero-waste efforts so Hennepin can responsibly conclude trash-burning at the HERC.

    How it affects you. As our communities continue to create waste and continue to grow in population, it will be increasingly important to reduce waste, increase reuse, and establish practical and sustainable solutions for the waste we do create.

  • Elevate Hennepin & small business support

    Elevate Hennepin offers 25 hours of no-cost, on-demand consulting to eligible entrepreneurs and small businesses. Hennepin staff and advisors have served over 3,100 businesses, facilitated more than $31M in capital funding, and supported the launch of 203 new businesses.

    How it affects you. Over 70% of the new businesses were launched by entrepreneurs of color and over 60% by women, demonstrating our impact toward closing gaps in business ownership. Additionally, many Elevate Hennepin advisors are local entrepreneurs with diverse backgrounds and expertise.

  • Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery

    I worked with county staff to provide essential funding to The Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery.

    How it affects you. This program assists families to manage their crisis within the community and not having the crisis elevated to child protective services.

  • Ensured continued funding for Reproductive and Birth Justice, Gender Affirming Care, and Anti-hate crimes work

    My office worked with Hennepin Public Health and Budget staff to ensure the continued funding of much needed programs that serve residents.

    How it affects you. Hennepin will continue our commitment to funding providers who serve residents with marginalized identities.

  • Being a Safe Space LGBQTIA+ Community

    This November, the Board declared Hennepin a Safe County for the transgender, gender nonconforming, lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, intersex, and allied community.

    How it affects you. This declaration reaffirms Hennepin’s dedication to protect the gender identity and expression of all.

What we got passed

Legislative advocacy

Housing Stability

  • Emergency rental assistance funding
  • Affordable family housing funding
  • Strengthened tenant’s rights

Transportation and Infrastructure

  • $10 million of funding for the implementation of anti-displacement measures and strategies for the Blue Line Extension
  • Approved the implementation of the Arterial Bus Rapid Transit Network

Law, Safety, Justice

  • Increased the penalty for straw purchases of firearms

Public Health and Human Services

  • Passed the African American Family Preservation Act

Energy and Environment

  • Passed the Packaging Waste and Cost Reduction Act
  • Dedicated roughly $12 million for community forestry and tree planting grants to address Emerald Ash Borer damage to our tree canopies

2024 appointments & District 2 team

Appointments and team

Leadership roles

  • Chair, Hennepin County Board of Commissioners
  • Vice Chair, Hennepin County Resident Services Committee
  • Board of Directors, Hennepin Healthcare System (HHS)
  • Board of Directors, NorthPoint Health & Wellness Center
  • Executive Committee, Metropolitan Emergency Services Board
  • Chair, Municipal Building Commission
  • Co-Chair, Workforce Leadership Council 2.0
  • Co-Chair, Blue Line Community Works Steering Committee
  • Co-Chair, Blue Line Extension Project Decisions Board
  • Vice Chair, National Association of County’s Human Services and Education Policy Committee
  • Vice Chair, Association of Minnesota Counties General Government Policy Committee
  • Vice Chair, Economic Development Workforce and Housing Subcommittee within Association of Minnesota Counties
  • Executive Committee, Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board
  • Liaison, Better Together Hennepin Advisory Group
  • Liaison, School Superintendent Annual Meeting

Member

  • Blue Line Extension Corridor Management Committee
  • City of Minneapolis Stable Homes Stable Schools
  • Greater MSP
  • Green Line Extension Light Rail Transit Community Works Steering Committee
  • Health Insurance, Benefits and Employee Wellness Advisory Board
  • Hennepin County Audit Committee
  • Hennepin County Elections Canvassing Board
  • Joint Committee on Community Corrections (Bench/Board)
  • Meet Minneapolis
  • Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) Board
  • St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board

Appointees and representatives

  • Shelby Couch, Board of Appeal and Equalization
  • Elise Wehrman, Capital Budgeting Task Force
  • Jenny Ackerson and Billy Binder, Active Transportation Committee
  • Lyssa Washington, Designer Selection Committee

District 2 team in 2024

Akhi Menawat, Communications and Policy Aide
akhi.menawat@hennepin.us | 612-348-5335

Bill Emory, Constituent Services and Policy Aide
bill.emory@hennepin.us | 612-348-3526

Letty Rogers, Constituent Services and Policy Aide

LyLy Vang-Yang, Board Specialist (reports to the Clerk of the Board)

This and past Governing Reports are published at hennepind2.com/reports. For the full eight-year record across fifteen policy areas, see Eight Years of Results.