A mayoral forum hosted by the African American Leadership Forum (AALF) in North Minneapolis spotlighted pressing issues including affordable housing, public safety reform, and inclusive economic development. The event, held at The Capri Theatre, featured a performance by singer Kennadi Watkins, who opened with ‘Hold on (Change Is Comin’)’ by Sounds of Blackness, setting a tone of resilience and transformation. n nDera Beevas, AALF’s interim CEO, emphasized the organization’s mission to advance community mobilization, leadership cultivation, and policy shaped by grassroots insight. Participants included incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey, Senator Omar Fateh—his leading challenger—and candidates DeWayne Davis, Brenda Short, and Jazz Hampton. The discussion, moderated by Dr. Yohuru Williams, brought together residents and advocates to focus on revitalizing underserved neighborhoods. n nCentral themes included youth engagement, equitable access to housing, and strategies to foster long-term economic vitality through small business support and homelessness prevention. Amber Jones, AALF’s managing director of policy impact, stressed that collective community action—not reliance on individual leaders—will determine the city’s trajectory. n n“We are not bound by the limitations of today’s Minneapolis,” Jones stated. “Our strength lies in uniting the energy in this room and extending it into every corner of the city.” n nAttendees posed questions directly to the candidates, covering a range of civic concerns. n nHousing and Homelessness n nAll contenders affirmed their commitment to expanding affordable housing and preventing displacement. Frey pointed to his 4d Affordable Housing Incentive program, which lowers property taxes for landlords who maintain affordable rents. Fateh advocated for rent stabilization policies and the adoption of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, giving renters first rights when their building goes on the market. n nDavis emphasized strengthening development through nonprofit and public-sector partnerships, particularly in historically marginalized areas. He proposed relocating the city’s homelessness response team to the Department of Health and expanding its capacity. Frey maintained that the city’s housing-first model has contributed to a decline in homelessness, while acknowledging the need for greater investment. n nFateh underscored the importance of culturally responsive care, ensuring mental health and recovery services are accessible within affected communities. n nPublic Safety and Police Accountability n nA local resident and student raised concerns about ensuring safety and accountability for Black residents, touching on youth programs, mental health resources, and violence prevention. Candidates were asked whether they would back legislation addressing hate crimes and police misconduct—all affirmed their support. n nFateh criticized the portrayal of youth in media, stating, “The so-called ‘troubled’ youth aren’t failing society; we’re failing them.” He and Hampton both supported rerouting non-emergency 911 calls to mental health professionals and expanding alternative safety initiatives. n nFrey noted that the city already operates a 24/7 mental health crisis response and allocates approximately $3 million annually to youth recreation programs. “Is more needed?” he asked. “Undoubtedly. But measurable progress has been made.” n nThe Minneapolis Police Department remains under a legally binding agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights aimed at systemic reform. Davis urged embedding lasting change by requiring the public safety commissioner and police chief to deliver an annual, comprehensive plan for violence reduction. n nEconomic Development and Equity n nShort highlighted the need to better connect entrepreneurs with existing support, such as grants and no-cost business training. “To remain and thrive here, we must collaborate,” she said. n nFateh shared a recent conversation with a Black business owner on Hennepin Avenue who closed due to lost foot traffic, calling it not just a business failure but a personal economic loss. He stressed the importance of ongoing dialogue between city officials and local enterprises. n nDavis spotlighted the Northside Forward initiative—a decade-long strategy to counter displacement and stimulate growth in North Minneapolis. He called for targeted technical assistance to help local entrepreneurs access funding and resources. n nHe also addressed historical injustices, noting that redlining, segregation, and systemic disinvestment deliberately excluded Black communities from economic benefits. “These were deliberate acts,” Davis said. “Undoing them requires equally deliberate and sustained action.”n
— news from The Minnesota Daily
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Minneapolis mayoral forum centered Black voices, housing, safety and economic equity
Wednesday’s mayoral forum, hosted by the African American Leadership Forum, opened with a performance by singer Kennadi Watkins, who sang ‘Hold on (Change Is Comin’)’ by Sounds of Blackness. n nThe AALF focuses on community mobilization, leadership development and policy driven by community wisdom, said Dera Beevas, AALF’s interim CEO. The forum, held at The Capri Theatre in North Minneapolis, featured incumbent Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, top challenger Sen. Omar Fateh, DeWayne Davis, Brenda Short and Jazz Hampton. n nThe event brought together residents, organizers and candidates with a focus on North Minneapolis neighborhoods. The discussion centered on youth services, public safety and economic prosperity for all through affordable housing, homelessness prevention and small business development. n nAmber Jones, AALF’s managing director of policy impact, said community power will shape Minneapolis’ future. n n“The city we see today does not define what it must become,” Jones said. “Our opportunity lies in harnessing the collective power in this room and beyond it. We are not waiting on a single leader to decide our future.” n nCandidates answered questions from the community and audience members. Dr. Yohuru Williams, a prominent academic and activist, moderated the discussion. n nHousing and Homelessness n nAll candidates said affordable housing, homeownership and homelessness prevention are key priorities. n nFrey highlighted his 4d Affordable Housing Incentive program, which reduces property taxes for property owners who keep rent low. Fateh called for rent stabilization and the implementation of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, which gives tenants the first opportunity to purchase their building when it is put for sale. n nDavis said it is important to build infrastructure through non-profit and public developers, especially in neighborhoods experiencing disinvestment. On homelessness, he said the first thing he would do is expand the homelessness response team and move it to the Department of Health. n nFrey said the city takes a housing-first approach, and homelessness has gone down in Minneapolis. He added that it is righteous to say the city needs to be doing more. n nFateh called for culturally competent care, ensuring people have access to treatment services within their neighborhoods. n nPolice Accountability and Public Safety n nA Minneapolis resident and college student asked about their plans to ensure police accountability and safety for Black residents. The question also addressed youth programming, mental health support and violence prevention. n nCandidates were asked whether they would support a crime bill to address Black hate crimes and police violence. All candidates said they would support the legislation. Candidates agreed on the need to invest in and expand services that expand youth jobs and programs. n n“These ‘bad’ kids you’re seeing in the media that are being portrayed negatively, they’re not failing us, it’s us failing them,” Fateh said. n nFateh called for redirecting more 911 calls to mental health workers. Hampton also called for diverting 911 calls through higher investment in alternative public safety services. n nFrey said the 911 mental health response is 24/7, and the city invests about $3 million annually into kids’ recreation already. n n“Do we need to be doing more?” Frey said. “The answer is absolutely, and we can do that together, but the progress is very real.” n nThe Minneapolis Police Department is under a court-enforceable agreement with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights that aims to reform the department. n nDavis said this is the city’s chance to embed the change. n n“One of the things that I would do right away is to task the public safety commissioner and the chief of police to have an annual comprehensive violence intervention and reduction plan,” Davis said. n nEconomic Growth n nShort said more needs to be done to inform business owners about available resources, such as grants and free business classes. n n“If we want to stay here, we need to work together to stay here,” Short said. n nFateh said the city must stay in conversation with local businesses and keep them informed about support services. n n“We need to update them. We need to talk to them. I just had a conversation in my office with a black owner who had a business on Hennepin that had to close the doors because he lost foot traffic,” Fateh said. “That was not only his business, that was his livelihood.” n nDavis called attention to the Northside Forward investment plan, a 10-year anti-displacement framework and plan for growth in North Minneapolis. n n“Really make sure that we’re building capacity, that we are providing technical assistance to make sure that entrepreneurs are able to take advantage,” Davis said. n nOverall, North Minneapolis has faced redlining, segregation and disinvestment. Black people were intentionally carved out of benefits, Davis said. n n“Those were intentional actions that were taken,” Davis said. “We need to have intentional actions to undo it.”