My Vision for mpls.
Building a city where everyone can afford a home, walk a safe street, and live with dignity.
I love Minneapolis.
My wife and I are raising our two young daughters here, and I recently moved my parents down the street from us. This city is my home. And over the last five years, together, we have confronted some of the greatest challenges our city has ever faced. Serving as your mayor, standing shoulder to shoulder with the people of this city through thick and thin, has been the honor of my life. I’m not the same mayor that I was when I first took office. I’ve learned lessons that have made me a better leader and, frankly, a better person. But, through it all, I have always tried to stay true to my core conviction as your mayor: to do what is right for those I serve and our city, even when it’s hard, unpopular, or politically difficult.
Public safety
In Minneapolis, residents shouldn’t have to choose between safety and accountability, and under our leadership, they'll never have to. We are rebuilding MPD's ranks with community-oriented and diverse officers, deploying mental health professionals to the right calls, and making historic reforms within our police department. We are seeing a decrease in crime throughout the city in nearly every category this year; however, we know that there is still a lot of work to be done. The measures of success are simple: fewer victims, measurable accountability, and greater community trust.
We’re building a comprehensive public-safety system, but a fully staffed police department must remain its foundation. We’re making real progress: our new recruitment program drove applications up nearly 135%, and this year, we surpassed 600 officers for the first time in years. Still, there’s more work to do. Over the next four years, we will prioritize recruiting and retaining diverse, community-oriented, professional officers.
For far too long, increased violent crime has been accepted as a fact in underserved and working-class neighborhoods. That is wrong. Everyone in Minneapolis, regardless of race, income, or zip code, deserves a safe neighborhood. That’s why we have invested in more resources, established new partnerships, and implemented new strategies on the North Side, and right now, we are seeing the lowest levels of shooting victims since 2014.
Minneapolis continues to have one of the lowest levels of officers per capita when compared to other major cities. My first priority will continue to be rebuilding MPD’s ranks while we expand our comprehensive system of public safety and implement needed reforms.
What’s next
We will fully staff the MPD by hiring and retaining over 150 more community-oriented, diverse officers by investing in recruitment programs that work to fully rebuild the MPD
We will direct Investment to programs that work, like 24/7 mental health response, as we build out our comprehensive public safety system.
We will expand our community policing programs so that officers are out of their cars, walking and biking the streets in order to build strong community relationships.
We will continue making needed reforms to the department by achieving full compliance with the federal consent decree and state agreement, with public metrics and strengthened civilian oversight.
Bottom line: Safer streets and greater trust—by design.
What we’ve built
We created the Office of Community Safety in 2022 to coordinate MPD, Fire, 911, Emergency Management, and Neighborhood Safety, improving data-driven deployment and response.
We invested in an aggressive MPD recruitment program that produced the first net MPD staffing gains since 2020. Today, the department now boasts more than 600 sworn personnel, is the most diverse the department has been on record, and is supported by a modernized labor contract and officer wellness investments.
We are delivering real police reform via a Minnesota settlement agreement and a federal consent decree secured in January 2025 to upgrade MPD policies and training across the board. Recently, Minneapolis was praised for making “more progress in our police reform efforts…than nearly any other jurisdiction” in our first year under the agreement.
We commissioned the Southside Community Safety Center, a first-of-its-kind hub that co-locates police, mental-health, and prevention services.
We launched the Behavioral Crisis Response Teams to handle emergency mental health calls in 2021, and then expanded the program citywide and 24/7 in 2023. BCR Teams now handle 10,000+ calls annually that previously went to police—with zero injuries reported.
We ended low-level pretext stops in 2021 for minor equipment violations that disproportionately impacted drivers of color.
We rebuilt the pipeline of MPD officers: applications are up 135%; we established a new internship program, hired almost 100 new officers in 2024, and have dozens more in our various academies.
We expanded Group Violence Intervention and Next Step hospital-based outreach, working with community partners to reduce retaliatory shootings.
We drove measurable crime reduction: compared to last year, robberies are down 47%, carjackings are down 40%, and shooting victims are down 32% compared to the prior year. In North Minneapolis, 2024 saw the fewest gunshot victims since 2014; at the once-infamous “Murder Station,” shootings fell from 38 (2021) to just 1 (2024).
We've made significant progress on the backlog of police misconduct cases with nearly 100% of the backlog ready for civilian review
We restored 911 staffing to full strength for the first time since 2020, with calls answered 10% faster year-over-year.
Housing
In Minneapolis, we’ve made housing a top priority, and it’s working. While many cities saw rents jump 31% since 2017, Minneapolis rents only rose about 1%. We’ve produced 8.5× more deeply affordable homes than before I took office. Our Stable Homes Stable Schools program has kept more than 6,000 MPS children housed and learning. And unlike most big cities, unsheltered homelessness here is down nearly 33% since 2020; in just the last few months, more than 270 people from encampments moved into stable housing and services, and related 311/911 calls fell 80%.
These results come from policies that don’t just sound good; they deliver results. We ended exclusive single-family zoning so more types of homes can be built in more neighborhoods, encouraged housing near transit, and eliminated parking minimums that drive up costs. We invested in our Affordable Housing Trust Fund to expand affordable housing development. We promoted office-to-housing conversion policies that ensure no space goes wasted. We enacted Inclusionary zoning laws that require more affordable units in new development. We’ve increased long-term support for public housing and invested in preserving the homes people already can afford.
We have a blueprint for how to increase access to stable, affordable housing in every neighborhood -- expanding on programs that we know work, pursuing more changes to make it easier to build housing, and investing in deeply affordable housing.
What’s next
We will build over 12,000 new housing units across the income spectrum, with a focus on family-sized and deeply affordable units.
We will continue to invest record amounts in public housing and deeply affordable housing.
We will double down on affordable housing preservation by expanding 4d, funding critical repairs, and preventing displacement in changing neighborhoods.
We will work to close the racial homeownership gap through the Minneapolis Homes program to assist with down-payment assistance, build new homeownership units, and provide grants.
We will replace all lead lines in Minneapolis to protect against the harmful health effects on our children and families.
Bottom line: More homes, more affordability, more stability—citywide.
What we’ve delivered
We are producing 8.5x the amount of deeply affordable housing compared to before the Mayor took office.
We held the average rent growth to around 1% city-wide since 2017, while rents nationwide have soared by nearly 31% in the same time frame..
We have helped deliver more than 4,679 affordable homes since 2018, backed by $363 million in local investment and a deliberate shift toward ≤30% AMI units.
We have enacted needed zoning reform to create density citywide and focused growth along transit, adding 1,000+ additional homes on formerly single-family-only lots.
We restored the public-housing levy in 2023, providing $25+ million—about 5× prior annual funding—to preserve and improve roughly 500 units over five years.
We utilized the 4d tax program to preserve thousands of affordable homes by cutting property taxes for owners who keep rents affordable.
Minneapolis Homes invested $4+ million to redevelop 450+ city-owned vacant properties into affordable ownership—especially for families of color.
The Affordable Housing Trust Fund committed $18 million in 2024, a 26% increase from 2020 awards, alongside $17 million in direct investments and $1.5 million in 10-year federal credits supporting 11 projects in 2024.
Stable Homes, Stable Schools
In 2019, we brought together nonprofit partners and neighboring government agencies to launch the award-winning Stable Homes Stable Schools initiative. The initial $3.3 million pilot program connected Minneapolis Public Schools students and families directly with the resources they need to prevent homelessness or find safe, secure housing. Today, the program is a part of the city’s ongoing budget and has stabilized homes for nearly 6,000 MPS children from 2,000 different families.
Next, we will expand the program and its impact by broadening funding sources to support its long-term financial stability. We will pursue opportunities for gradual and sustainable growth, such as expanding it to reach more schools, increasing support in schools with the highest levels of homelessness and housing instability, and including additional eligible age groups.
Supporting Renters’ Rights
Finding an affordable home or even the fear of eviction are challenges that too many renters in Minneapolis face. To combat these issues, we have taken decisive steps to support renters and the unique issues they face.
We allocated $3.5 million in rental assistance aid for Minneapolis renters and families regardless of citizenship status amid the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
We created the “More Representation Minneapolis” initiative, which provides pro-bono representation for Minneapolis renters facing eviction or seeking to enforce their legal rights against landlords.
Standing Up to a Hostile Federal Government
Here in Minneapolis, we don’t back down from bullies. When Trump attacked LGBTQ+ Americans, I issued an executive order making Minneapolis a safe haven for gender-affirming care. When ICE threatened immigrant families, we passed a separation ordinance and expanded legal-defense funds. When Donald Trump, or anyone else, tries to roll back our gains, we’ll meet them in court, on Capitol Hill, and at the ballot box. We beat his administration before, and we will do it again. While he tweets, we build. While he divides, we deliver.
We will always defend Minneapolis’ values and residents against hostile federal attacks, while making sure every available federal and state dollar is brought home to invest in our safety, housing, climate, and infrastructure. While Washington plays its games and attempts to divide us, Minneapolis will stand firm and continue to work for every resident.
We faced off against the Trump administration in court when they tried to cut funding for our city, and won.
We protected the Separation Ordinance and due-process rights so city services are not conditioned on immigration status; we continue to enforce and publicly report compliance.
We safeguarded LGBTQ rights locally, expanding gender-affirming health coverage for city employees, supporting inclusive youth programs, and ensuring city ordinances and services remain protective regardless of federal rollbacks.
We established Minneapolis as a safe haven for reproductive rights, following the overturning of Roe v. Wade - protecting individuals coming to Minneapolis from out state to seek reproductive care.
We kept Minneapolis in the climate fight by aligning local investments—100% renewable city operations, Green Cost Share, and the new biochar facility—with city-led coalitions rather than waiting on Washington.
We are developing an Asylum Seeker Rapid Rehousing pilot to bridge families into housing while work authorization is pending, while safeguarding access to SNAP and essential services.
Bottom line: We will defend our people and our progress, protect core services and funding, and stand by our values as a city. While he tweets, we build. While he divides, we deliver.
Leading on sustainabiltiy
Climate action isn’t just a slogan, it’s a necessity. It doesn’t matter if Washington has decided to abandon our sustainability goals, we will deliver on them right here in our community. We owe it to future generations to build and maintain a city that is clean, resilient, and sustainable. And in doing so, we have the opportunity to lower costs for families, clean the air our kids breathe, improve climate equity, and create good-paying, local jobs. With these goals in mind, we’ve transitioned to 100% renewable electricity for city operations, invested in innovative green technology and brought home energy improvements to neighborhoods that need them the most.
In July 2023, we announced the creation of the Climate Legacy Initiative. This initiative funds the City of Minneapolis’ aggressive climate goals over the next 10 years. Through the CLI, $10 million of new funding is now dedicated for equitable climate action work each year. This funding more than triples the City’s investment in climate action prior to the CLI.
In 2024 alone, Minneapolis did more to combat climate change than in the previous decade combined.
What we’ve done:
100% Renewable Electricity for City Operations (2023): We achieved this promise ahead of schedule, powering all municipal buildings through Xcel’s Renewable*Connect and on-site solar.
Green Cost Share Program: We quadrupled participation in the program to 1,000+ projects in 2024 alone; eliminating 12,000 tons of pollution that year which projects to $300M in lifetime resident energy-bill savings. At least 40% of those savings taking place in environmental-justice neighborhoods in Green Zones.
We built the first city-owned Biochar plant in North America, which will process 3,600+ tons of wood waste annually, produce 500 tons of biochar, and sequester ~3,700 tons CO₂ each year while enriching urban soils.
Convention Center Carbon Cuts: Our new energy agreement reduced the Minneapolis Convention Center’s carbon footprint by 85%.
Electrification of City Fleet: We put the 100th electric vehicle into service in 2024, alongside nearly 100 charging stations in place or planned.
We dedicated $10M in new annual funding for deep carbon-reduction projects, green jobs, and equitable climate investments via a new franchise fee agreement.
Bloomberg American Cities Climate Challenge (2018–20): We are a nationally recognized cohort city; received technical resources to accelerate building and transportation emissions cuts.
Green Stormwater Infrastructure: We expanded rain gardens, permeable pavement, and green roofs to improve water quality and urban resilience.
Tree Canopy & Urban Greening: We advanced plans to expand the city’s tree canopy by ~30% over two decades, prioritizing heat-vulnerable neighborhoods.
Workforce & Training: We partnered with labor and community groups to train 1,000+ residents in renewable energy, HVAC, and energy-efficiency careers.
Climate Equity Plan (2023): We set bold goals to reduce emissions 30% by 2025 and 80% by 2050, embedding equity in climate investments.
Bottom line: Cleaner air, lower bills, good jobs.
homelessness
Housing is a human right; everyone deserves a place to call home. We know that the best way to end homelessness is to build more affordable homes, and Minneapolis is producing 8.5 times more deeply affordable housing than before I took office. We’re pairing housing with rehabilitation; uplifting community partners like Avivo Village to provide dignified housing and wraparound services; expanding access to medication-assisted treatment, including the long-acting option Brixadi, at no cost for qualifying residents. That gives people time and stability to recover. These are proven solutions that yield results - and those results are more people housed safely.
Minneapolis is one of the only major cities in the country to reduce unsheltered homelessness since the pandemic, driving it down 33% since 2020. In the past few months, our Homeless Response Team has connected more than 270 residents from encampments to stable housing and services, leading 311 and 911 calls tied to encampments to drop nearly 80%. While we are making progress, there is still a lot of work left to do.
Unlike my opponents, who promise to never close encampments, I recognize that encampments are neither safe nor compassionate for the people living there or the surrounding neighborhoods. A sidewalk is not a care plan, and encampments are not stable housing.
That is why the Homelessness Response Team, which brings housing navigation, mental health providers, health care services, substance use treatment, and consistent follow-through directly to people living outside, is so important. But if an encampment poses a danger to those living there or the surrounding community, and after multiple attempts to connect folks with services and shelter are declined, we need to close them down for the safety of those who stay in them and the surrounding neighborhood.
The job is not finished, and we need to do more. We will build more deeply affordable homes, expand supportive housing, invest in treatment and rehabilitation services, and ultimately help those living on the streets and in encampments get back on their feet. We will continue to offer shelter and services to those living in encampments, but we will also work to stop them from forming, and we will close them down when they become unsafe.
What’s next
We will continue to invest in affordable, deeply affordable, and public housing to ensure everyone can afford a home.
We will prevent encampments from taking root while rapidly offering shelter, services, and stable housing.
We will strengthen the support system for individuals and families facing or at risk of facing homelessness by working with Hennepin County, health partners, and philanthropic partners.
We will confront opioid addiction head-on through services and treatment.
We will build record amounts of affordable housing so that everyone can afford a place to call home.
What We’ve Done
Unsheltered homelessness dropped ~33% since 2020, with an additional 14% decrease from 2024 to 2025, as we shifted to coordinated outreach, storage, case management, and direct shelter/housing connections.
We helped 270 people transition from encampments into housing in just the past several months.
Encampment-related 911 calls fell 85% and 311 calls fell 87%, while closure costs fell 81%, all while more people accepted shelter.
We launched a Mobile Medical Unit bringing basic health screenings, wound care and vaccinations directly to underserved communities.
We expanded harm-reduction programs (including installing Narcan vending machines), and scaled medication-assisted treatment with Brixadi to stabilize withdrawal and support recovery.
We launched Stable Homes Stable Schools in 2019, now citywide at every MPS elementary school, which has supported 6,200+ students and families with rental assistance and wraparound services, reduced absenteeism and improved academic outcomes.
We increased city funding for public housing fivefold to $5 million annually, enabling critical repairs, bringing long-vacant units back online, and fueling the largest public housing rehabilitation in city history.
We invested in record affordable housing: 4,700+ new affordable homes funded since 2018, quadrupling the annual pace of production compared to the prior decade.
We delivered 8.5x more deeply affordable housing (at 30% AMI) than before 2018, ensuring options for residents most at risk of homelessness.
We expanded shelter capacity in partnership with Hennepin County and community providers, giving more residents immediate alternatives to encampments.
We paired housing stability with supportive services, including case management, mental health care, and substance use treatment, to help residents remain stably housed.
Confronting the Opioid Epidemic
We are working every single day to reduce opioid-related deaths among our residents. That’s why in May of 2025, we directed the Minneapolis Health Department to launch a first-of-its-kind pilot program to accelerate services for those struggling with opioid addiction. Through this program–the Opioid Treatment Project–eligible individuals can receive treatment, free medication, and connections to services and support. This includes insurance coverage assistance for longer-term treatment. Moving forward, I plan to improve these efforts and curb those impacted by:
Collaborating with community organizations to develop culturally sensitive treatment options and provide training to healthcare providers on delivering culturally competent care.
Increasing the availability of low-barrier medication-assisted treatment (MAT) facilities and partnering with healthcare providers to enhance access to comprehensive treatment and long-term recovery resources.
Strengthening efforts in prevention, treatment access (e.g., Brixadi), and harm reduction programs (e.g., naloxone distribution) to directly address the issue of overdose deaths and emergency department visits, particularly for individuals under the age of 24.
Economic Growth & Inclusion
We are building an economy that uplifts workers and businesses and celebrates innovation in all neighborhoods. We streamlined starting and growing a business, invested in cultural districts and corridors, and launched tools that help Black, brown, and immigrant entrepreneurs buy commercial property and build generational wealth.
As cities across the country rebound post-2020, one thing is certain: we’re not going back to the way things were before. Instead, we’re moving forward. The days of downtown as an 8-to-5 workplace are over. We are building a core where people live, shop, dine, experience culture, and yes, still work. Since 2017, downtown’s population has grown nearly 40%, surpassing 60,000 residents, larger than the city of Edina. We’re accelerating this momentum by converting vacant offices into housing. We are breaking up commercial space, recognizing that the massive department stores are a thing of the past, but small and local businesses on safe, pedestrian corridors are the future. As the third Ward Council Member, I helped transform North Loop into a vibrant destination, and now we are bringing that formula to downtown. There is still a lot of work to be done to build a local economy that works for everyone, but I am proud of our progress.
What’s next
We will invest in infrastructure, public safety, transit, and public spaces to foster economic growth and opportunity in all neighborhoods.
We will reimagine Nicollet into a 24-hour, pedestrian-first spine of culture and commerce; New Nicollet reconnects the street grid to unlock mixed-income housing and local retail.
We will accelerate office-to-residential conversions, promote flexible leases, and expand one-stop permitting and small-business support across the enterprise.
We will advance a vision that honors the memory of George Floyd, reflects the modern needs of the corridor and expands opportunities for community use via 38th and Chicago Re-envisioned (George Floyd Square).
We will work to pass smart budgets that mitigate shifting a larger tax burden on our small and local businesses.
What we’ve done:
The Ownership & Opportunity Fund invested $13 million into local entrepreneurs—many in historically disinvested areas—allowing them to purchase their buildings and build equity.
We partnered with labor and community organizations to train 1,000+ residents in HVAC, renewable energy, and energy-efficiency careers, tying climate goals to workforce equity.
We led on cultural Districts initiatives, delivering façade and interior grants, marketing, and capital in historically disinvested corridors, strengthening small-business corridors.
Downtown recovery is real: about 70% of workers now return at least once a week, and downtown residents exceed 60,000, an all-time high.
The Vibrant Storefronts pilot tripled its reach, using rent support to convert vacant space into shops and art hubs that stabilize corridors.
We implemented a $15/hour minimum wage so that every worker in Minneapolis—large and small employers—now earns at least $15/hour, with automatic cost-of-living adjustments each year.
We continued support for the STEP-UP program, which has helped create more than 34,000 high-quality internships for students and addressed equity gaps in employment since 2013.
We launched Warehouse District Live which helps keep downtown Minneapolis safe late night by patrolling key areas with friendly, skillful team members every Friday and Saturday night, yielding double-digit drops in violent crime.
We built out the Late Night Safety Plan which combines enhanced police presence with community partnerships and a focus on youth interventions like curfew enforcement for downtown.
Bottom line: Shared prosperity reaches every neighborhood.
In Minneapolis, we take pride in getting the basics right. Whether it’s by filling potholes, creating safer intersections, having reliable transit, and cleaning up our public spaces - our city is worth every investment. We advanced Vision Zero, slowed speeds, and activated downtown on weekends to reduce crime and boost foot traffic. The next phase reconnects Nicollet, continues office-to-home conversions, and strengthens riverfront access and trails.
Investing in infrastructure
What we’ve done:
We adopted Vision Zero and lowered default speed limits to 20 mph on residential streets and 25 mph on arterials, paired with corridor safety upgrades and signage citywide.
We are reconnecting the city grid at the former K-Mart site after 30 years, restoring Nicollet Avenue for transit, pedestrians, and mixed-use redevelopment.
We are building the Upper Harbor Terminal Redevelopment: Transforming 53 acres of riverfront into a 19-acre regional park, new housing, and a community amphitheater, adding 20 acres of new public green space for North Minneapolis.
We partnered with Metro Transit on major BRT investments, including the B Line (opened June 2025)—a 13-mile route with faster service, pre-pay boarding, signal priority, and red bus lanes—replacing the slow Route 21.
We delivered a $225M Infrastructure Program: Major investment to repair and rebuild city streets, rehabilitate bridges, and replace lead water service lines.
We are leading on a Public Service Building: A $194M, 370,000-sq-ft civic hub consolidating 10 departments and public counters under one roof, improving access and saving long-term operating costs.
We are delivering a downtown Recovery & Vibrant Storefronts: Tripled the program’s reach to subsidize commercial rents, transforming vacant spaces into new small businesses, art hubs, and community venues.
We achieved 14 Consecutive Years of $1B+ Construction Value by building a steady pipeline of housing, commercial, and infrastructure projects even amid high interest rates.
Gun violence is not a talking point; it is trauma that tears through families and leaves lasting scars on our most vulnerable neighborhoods. In Minneapolis, we’ve refused to settle for words alone. We’ve focused our efforts on the small number of people and places driving harm, supported those at highest risk, and used every lawful tool—from community-led prevention to prosecution—to keep guns out of the wrong hands.
Reducing Gun Violence
Minnesota law may preempt cities from passing most local gun restrictions, but that isn’t stopping us from acting. We’ve called for a full, state-wide ban on assault rifles and high-capacity magazines, because weapons of war have no place on our streets. We’re also demanding legislators raise the bar on background checks, improve red flag laws and close loopholes on straw purchases.
Bottom line: Any single firearm has the potential to inflict harm and irreversible damage on both our residents and our communities. It’s our collective responsibility to ensure we’re working to prevent that harm.
Good governing & Responsible budgeting
The bedrock of a well-run city is made up of discipline, transparency, and a focus on the basics. Maintaining that foundation takes more than just big promises – it takes follow-through. We’ve proven that local government can be both ambitious and responsible: protecting taxpayers, investing in what works, and delivering services residents rely on every single day. Because good, local governance is at its best when it delivers programs that are effective, accountable, and flexible. For government leaders, it’s about lifting up programs that are proven to be effective and having the political courage to end ones that aren’t. As stewards of your taxpayer dollars, it is our duty to act and budget responsibly.
What’s next:
We will expand public dashboards for permits, inspections, 311 response, snow/ice operations, and public safety.
We will budget responsibly for federal uncertainty while protecting local priorities like housing, safety, climate, and economic inclusion.
We will double down on programs that work—like Stable Homes Stable Schools and the Affordable Housing Trust Fund—while sunsetting those that don’t.
We will prioritize strong capital investment in bridges, streets, and public facilities while keeping debt service loans through our AAA credit.
Bottom Line: In Minneapolis, government won’t be flashy—it will be steady, honest, and built to last. Our promise is simple: city government that is on time, under budget, accessible, and accountable.
What we’ve done:
Earned AAA bond ratings from all three major, U.S., accrediting agencies (2025), lowering borrowing costs and saving taxpayers millions.
Cut a projected 13% levy increase down to 7.8% (a 40% decrease) in the 2026 proposed budget by identifying $50M in savings—without layoffs or service cuts, by prioritizing core city services and tried and true programming.
Protected union jobs and frontline services by sunsetting vacant positions, scaling back unproven pilots, and ending double overtime in MPD.
Improved everyday service delivery: answered 261,000+ 311 calls, processed 44,500 permits online, filled almost 10,000 potholes, and recovered over $3 million in back wages 2018-2023.
Maintained a strong capital pipeline with 44,574 permits and $1.806 billion in construction value in 2024—the 14th consecutive year above $1 billion.
Kept momentum on major capital projects: Nicollet Avenue Bridge replacement, reopening the Nicollet at the Kmart site, the new Minneapolis Democracy Center, and miles of paving and alley repairs.
Embedded Outcomes Minneapolis—clear, public metrics—into budgeting and service delivery.