Ward 5 Date BookToday | This Week | This Month This calendar includes only public meetings of interest in the 5th Ward and does not reflect the Council Member’s full daily schedule. |
Absentee voting for the PrimaryPeople interested in voting absentee can vote in person at the Elections counter in Room 1B or apply for a mailed absentee ballot. Request an absentee ballot with this form (pdf). Requests are taken year-around. Eligible Minneapolis voters may vote by absentee ballot for any of the following reasons: Absent from the precinct on election day Illness or disability Religious discipline or observance of religious holiday Service as an election judge in another precinct Eligible emergency declared by governor or quarantine declared by federal or state government More information on absentee voting can be found on our website at ________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release
May 26, 2010 Contacts
Public hearing June 16 for Wirth Beach Phase III improvementsThe Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will hold a public hearing on plans for Phase III improvements to the Wirth Lake beach area in Theodore Wirth Park on June 16 at 6:30 p.m. in the MPRB board room, 2117 W River Road. The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC), after six formal meetings and multiple onsite tours of the project area, has completed its advisory process and is now prepared to recommend a final concept plan to the board. The public will have an opportunity to speak to commissioners about the plan at the hearing. The Plan Final concept plans include a trail loop around the lake, vegetation management along the lakeshore and Bassett’s Creek, picnic shelters and family picnic areas, as well as, ski, snowshoe, and mountain bike trails. A promenade along the east side of the lake will feature a performance area, restrooms and concessions, plus eco-friendly parking lots to accommodate visitors to the park. With a majority of the improvements concentrated around the beach area, much of the east and northwest lakeshore will be left undeveloped to support wildlife habitat and natural areas. The final concept will be posted on the MPRB website by June 1. The CAC also passed two resolutions related to future development of the Wirth park area. One resolution recommends the establishment of a dog park at an appropriate site outside of the Phase III project area, but within or near Theodore Wirth Regional Park. The second resolution recommends that current tennis courts be replaced with a tennis training facility of four to seven tennis courts in a neighborhood park near Theodore Wirth Regional Park. CAC Background and Process The 19-member CAC was charged with advising staff and consultants on “park visitor interests in the development of schematic designs that update the 1980 Existing Conditions and Long Range Improvement Plan for Theodore Wirth Regional Park for the section of the park bound by Theodore Wirth Parkway (west), Highway 55 (north), rail line (east) and Glenwood Avenue (south), and the portion south of Glenwood Avenue designated as “Picnic Area” in the 1980 plan.” The specified section of the park had been designated as “recreational open space” or “land presently committed to, or suitable for recreational facilities” in the 1980 plan. CAC members were appointed by Park Board commissioners, other government agencies, and community groups. Members represented the gamut of park user groups and included three appointments by the Youth Coordinating Board. The final concept design evolved through a process that considered the many relevant factors including • 1980 plan objectives • Sustainability planning and design principles • Park visitor data • CAC member preferences and feedback from the various groups represented by CAC members • Staff advisory and technical advisory committee feedback Project History and Funding Phase I Wirth improvements were completed in 2005 and included a beach house and utility replacement. Phase II, currently underway, includes a new playground, four-court sand volleyball, a half basketball court, new trails, sidewalks, site furniture, shade structures, plantings, and themed play areas. In its commitment to the 2007-2020 Comprehensive Plan goal to focus on northside parks, the MPRB has continued to seek funding for Theodore Wirth Park improvements. In 2009, funding in the amount of $2.19 million was awarded for the continued development of Theodore Wirth Park. This funding was made possible through bond funding from the Metropolitan Council as well as through the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment passed by Minnesota voters in 2008. The MPRB will continue to seek additional funding for Wirth beach improvements from the Parks and Trails Fund, as well as bond funding from the Metropolitan Council this year and in 2012. For further information about Wirth Park planning, check out the park project page at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=1150. _________________________________________________________________ Bottineau TransitwaySegment D1 (BNSF Railroad Corridor), MINNEAPOLS, Minnesota (May 5, 2010) – Area residents, businesses, and institutions are encouraged to attend three meetings to obtain information and provide input related to the investigation of Segment D1 (BNSF Railroad Corridor) and Segment D2 (West Broadway/Penn Avenue) Light Rail Transit (LRT) alignment concepts through the communities of Golden Valley, Robbinsdale, and Minneapolis. The intent of the first Transit Oriented Development Meeting is to provide information on the relationships between economic development potential in relation to transitways. The intent of the two open house meetings is to provide information and obtain public input on the investigation of the Segment D1 and Segment D2 alignments. People may also sign up for future Bottineau Transitway study updates at these meetings. Transit Oriented Development Presentation, Tuesday May 18, 2010, 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM, UROC Facility, 2100 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis. Open House I: Segment D1/D2 Investigation, Wednesday May 26, 2010, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM*, Robbinsdale City Hall, 4100 Lakeview Avenue North, Robbinsdale. (One block northeast of County Road 81 and 41st Avenue N. intersection). Open House II: Segment D1/D2 Investigation, Thursday June 3, 2010, 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM*, UROC Facility, 2001 Plymouth Avenue North, Minneapolis. * The open meetings will be hosted by staff from Hennepin County and the SRF Consulting Team to provide information and gather public input. Exhibits will be on display for public review beginning at 6:00 PM and a slide presentation is planned for 6:30 PM at each open house. The Segment D1 and D2 investigation addresses many of the questions raised regarding the need for more information relative to these two alignment options. The public input provided through these meetings will provide valuable information for consideration as part of future Bottineau Transitway development activities. The attached maps provide an indication of the location of the Segment D1 and D2 alignment concepts included in the investigation. For more information on the project, please visit www.bottransit.org or email comments to Bottineau@co.hennepin.mn.us. The open house materials and public input summary will be posted on the website as this information is available. _____________________________________________________________ “Bearden Place” Housing Design Competition Winners AnnouncedDesign competition supports rebuilding in North Minneapolis’ Willard Homewood neighborhood April 29, 2010 (MINNEAPOLIS)—The City of Minneapolis and the Builders Outreach Foundation (BOF), the charitable arm of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities (BATC), announce the winners of the housing design competition, “Bearden Place: A Housing Competition in the Artists’ Core,” part of the strategy and commitment to rebuilding communities affected by foreclosure. The competition called for the design of four to seven, live/work units for the site, located at the northwest corner of Plymouth and Sheridan avenues North. The design of MSD/WhatWorx Collaboration (Ira A. Keer, Sandra Gay, Tim Heitman, Gary Lampman, Robert Fischer, Donovan Hart, and Spencer Finseth) was selected as the first-place winner in the housing design competition that attracted 47 submissions from across the United States. The jury also recognized second-place winner Trace Jacques of ESG Architects and third-place winner 4RM+ULA (Nathan Johnson, James Garrett, Derek Williamson, Joseph Hang, and Kwadwo Boadi). The judges also acknowledged three honorable mentions: Shelter Architecture (John Dwyer, Jackie Millea, Kurt Gough, and Colin Oglesby); Cuningham Group (John Cuningham, Shawn Olson, Joel Brygger, and Melissa Lockhart); UrbanWorks Architecture (Jeff Schoeneck, David Miller, and Christopher Wingate). “Romare Bearden, famed African American artist for whom the development is named, left a legacy of individual expression that reflects community by imbedding diverse times, images and themes with distinctive character and a physical presence using collage as his primary medium,” said Roxanne Givens, juror and community member, entrepreneur and philanthropist. “Bearden Place reflects Romare Bearden’s artistic sensibility and MSD/WhatWorx Collaboration captured his essence without fault,” she added. “There were many projects with exceptional ideas that merited discussion by the jury, but the winning schemes covered the greatest number of issues most completely,” said Tom Fisher, juror and Dean of the College of Design, University of Minnesota. “We looked for projects that were buildable within the budget, appropriate to the user group and location, and capable of advancing new ideas about affordable housing,” he added.
First place winner MSD/WhatWorx Collaboration will receive $10,000 in prize money and will have the first opportunity to negotiate a contract for project development services. Winning the competition does not necessarily mean the team will be awarded the commission and contract for development.
Second place winner Trace Jacques will receive a $5,000 prize.
Third place winner 4RM+ULA will receive a $2,500 prize. The development site is in the Willard Homewood neighborhood, rich in architectural tradition, but heavily impacted by foreclosure. In the past two years, significant resident commitment has focused efforts on revitalizing this neighborhood with a marketing campaign targeted to bringing artists into the community. The City of Minneapolis designed the competition and called upon its design community to assist in continued rebuilding of neighborhoods. The sponsors called for innovative and creative ideas that address issues and challenges of designing high quality, affordable/entry-level home ownership; spatial flexibility and live/work space; sustainable building practices and materials; design for a range of lifestyle choices and family configurations. Market rate units could not exceed $175,000, and the development must meet MN GreenStar Bronze Certification for new construction. “Collaborating with the Minneapolis arts and design communities is a great opportunity for the Northside,” said Council Member Don Samuels (Ward 5). “The partnership with the Builders Outreach Foundation, architects, and designers is yet another example of how the City is working with others to recover from the impacts of foreclosure in our communities,” he added. “As a national leader in foreclosure recovery strategies Minneapolis continues rebuilding our housing market by introducing high quality sustainable housing designs,” said Tom Streitz, Housing Policy and Development Director, City of Minneapolis. “The partnership and innovation embodied in the design competition will set a high bar to insure that our housing stock is energy efficient, well designed and meets the needs of our current and future residents.” “The Builders Outreach Foundation is pleased to be involved in such a worthwhile endeavor,” said Steve Williams, Vice-Chair of BOF. “The Bearden Place project helps BOF achieve its goal of providing additional affordable housing units within the Twin Cities metro region. We at BOF view this opportunity as a win-win situation for us and the City of Minneapolis, as BOF and the City work together to build sustainable, energy efficient, and affordable housing. We look forward to a lasting relationship with the City of Minneapolis and are very excited to be a part of the Bearden Place team,” he added. A public exhibition of the submissions will be scheduled this summer. Jurors included Brian Bushay, chair of the Housing and Commercial taskforce of the Northside Neighborhood Residents Council; Tom Fisher, Dean, College of Design, University of Minnesota; Roxanne Givens, lifelong community leader, award winning entrepreneur, philanthropist, and third generation Minneapolitan; Garth Rockcastle, Dean, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, University of Maryland and co-founder, Meyer, Scherer and Rockcastle, LTD; Tom Streitz, Housing Policy and Development Director, City of Minneapolis; Steve Williams, vice-chair, Builders Outreach Foundation of the Builders Association of the Twin Cities. The Naming of Bearden Place About the Artists’ Core For information About the Builders Outreach Foundation (BOF) ______________________________________________________________ City Continues Homebuyer-Assistance Program, Offering New Round of $5,000 Loans at 0% Interest50 forgivable loans available through Minneapolis Advantage March 22, 2010 (MINNEAPOLIS, MN) – Applications are now available for the latest round of home-mortgage loans through Minneapolis Advantage. Minneapolis Advantage is a City-funded program that will provide 50 $5,000 loans at 0% interest, forgivable after five years, to help qualified low- and middle-income buyers purchase homes in eligible neighborhoods in Minneapolis. Launched in 2008, the program has already helped 241 homebuyers purchase homes in the city. Mayor R.T. Rybak said, “Minneapolis Advantage is a terrific tool that helps turn around previously foreclosed homes and put them in the hands of qualified, responsible homeowners. And when we do that, we start turning around neighborhoods — home by home, block by block. There’s no better time than today, with homes at very affordable prices, to take advantage of this opportunity.” “My community has been heavily impacted by foreclosures and this program has helped greatly,” said Council President Barbara Johnson (Ward 4). “The tide of foreclosures is turning, and this program, together with our other city efforts and with the help of the Minnesota Home Ownership Center, we are winning the foreclosure battle. I’m excited for the future of our communities,” she added. The program, now in its third year, helps rebuild neighborhoods impacted by foreclosures and promotes sustainable home ownership and stabilized communities. Every potential homeowner must complete a counseling workshop sponsored by the Minnesota Home Ownership Center (651-659-9336 or http://www.hocmn.org) that prepares buyers for the important choices related to home ownership. This year’s program offers $5,000 loans instead of $10,000 in assistance offered in 2008 and 2009. “The size of the loan was initially set at $10,000 to provide an incentive for homebuyers to purchase in foreclosure-stressed neighborhoods,” said Tom Streitz, Director of Housing Policy and Development, City of Minneapolis. “Since housing is slowly moving in the direction of stabilization and recovery, there is less need to provide as much of an incentive to encourage homebuyers to participate. Instead we are returning to an environment where we can simply help good, qualified homebuyers meet their need for the money to close on their new home,” he added. 2010 Minneapolis Advantage program details
Eligible neighborhoods Jordan, Folwell, McKinley, Webber-Camden, Hawthorne, Sumner-Glenwood, Shingle Creek, Near North, Willard-Hay, Harrison, Cleveland, Beltrami, Holland, Lind-Bohanon, Bottineau, Central, East Phillips, Phillips West, Midtown Phillips, Bryant, Powderhorn Park, Ventura Village, and Corcoran. Unless the buyers are purchasing with cash, homebuyers must apply for a Minneapolis Advantage loan through their first mortgage lender. Loans will be given on a first come, first served basis. For more information about the loan program, lenders and homebuyers, call greater Metropolitan Housing Corporation at 612-378-7985. Information can also be found online at www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/minneapolisadvantage_home.asp. 2009 Minneapolis Advantage program performance The Minneapolis Advantage program has effectively encouraged people to buy homes in communities stressed by foreclosure. In 2008, 50 loans closed under the demonstration phase. In 2009, $2 million was available. Due to the success of the pilot, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines awarded $1.5 million to Minneapolis coupled with the City’s assistance of $500,000.
In addition, $90,000 remain, or roughly nine loans, under the 2009 program guidelines for purchasing in the Willard-Hay, Near North, Harrison, or Hawthorne neighborhoods . ___________________________________________________________ Free Tax Preparation 2010
Free Tax Preparation by IRS certified tax preparers and free e-filing is available for:
Please encourage clients to call 2-1-1 or take the "Free Tax Prep - Get Your Tax Credits" flyer, if available. More information: In Hennepin County, there are 25+ free tax preparation locations, including some bilingual sites. For a list, click on this link: http://www.taxes.state.mn.us/taxes/cgi-bin/zip_db.pl Other resources:
Things people must bring to the tax preparation site:
Other items to bring that may increase tax returns:
Northside Locations: "MINNEAPOLIS URBAN LEAGUE "NORTH REGIONAL LIBRARY OAK PARK NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER ____________________________________________________________ Winter Parking Restrictions will improve emergency vehicle accessIn order to provide reliable access for emergency vehicles, the City is implementing Winter Parking Restrictions. The restrictions are needed because of the high levels of snow accumulation this winter, resulting in the narrowing of streets. Winter Parking Restrictions will take effect at 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 11. This means parking will be banned on the even side of non-Snow-Emergency-routes until April 1, unless conditions allow the City to lift the ban earlier. People parking in Minneapolis must follow these parking restrictions or they could be ticketed and towed (very costly) : Wednesday, Feb. 10 – Day 3 of our Snow Emergency
Thursday, Feb. 11 – Winter Parking Restrictions begin
______________________________________________________________ Mayor Rybak and Coleman Announce $41 Million Now Available for Homebuyers Purchasing in Minneapolis and Saint Paul through CityLiving ProgramLatest round of funding offers first-time homebuyers help with mortgages and downpayment assistance February 9, 2010 (MINNEAPOLIS)— Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman today announced that $41 million in new funding is available for first-time homebuyers to purchase homes in both cities. The Minneapolis–Saint Paul CityLiving program offers below-market interest rates on mortgages as well as downpayment- and closing-cost assistance. The CityLiving program was not available to homebuyers in 2009 due to the effect of the challenging economic climate on the bond market. In addition to the $41 million available through the loan program, each city has $500,000 available for assistance with downpayments and closing costs. Mayors Rybak and Coleman made the announcement at a newly built home on Minneapolis’ Northside. The home was built through the Minneapolis Home Ownership Works program and can only be purchased by a first-time homebuyer. They were joined by Minneapolis Council Member Don Samuels (Ward 5); Jerry Boardman, Freddie Mac; and Emily Green, Sandy Green Realty. “More people owning homes in Minneapolis and Saint Paul means more prosperity, more civic engagement and more vitality in our Minnesota’s core cities — and that’s good for everyone,” said Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. “For nearly 30 years, Minneapolis and Saint Paul have worked together through the CityLiving program to help 30,000 first-time homebuyers enjoy the benefits of city life.” Mayor Rybak added, “I’m so happy that after a tough year last year, this program is up and running again thanks to the partnership with the Obama administration, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae.” “Investments in our urban centers, from jobs to housing, will lead our region and nation through this economic recovery,” Mayor Chris Coleman said. “With this assistance, first-time homebuyers can realize the American dream to own a home, and our historic neighborhoods will gain a homeowner who can make our communities strong. Good opportunities exist throughout Saint Paul and Minneapolis. CityLiving will help people seize those opportunities.” “A healthy community hinges on a good balance of homeowners and renters,” said Minneapolis City Council Member Don Samuels (Ward 5). “The CityLiving program will help to grow home ownership opportunities and bring us closer to that healthy level.” Details of the loan and assistance program
Visit www.livemsp.org where you can: learn about all of the Minneapolis and Saint Paul neighborhoods, read resident testimonials, find other homebuyer incentives, and peruse real estate listings by neighborhood. The CityLiving program also offers homebuyer education workshops at a low cost through the Home Ownership Center (651-659-9336). The workshops provide first-time homebuyers comprehensive information to prepare them for home ownership. How the CityLiving program is funded A list of the participating lenders and program information can be found at www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/cped/city_living.asp and at www.stpaul.gov/cityliving. ___________________________________________________________ City of Minneapolis Receives National Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development for Ripley GardensRedevelopment represents historic preservation, affordable housing, and sustainable construction December 16 (MINNEAPOLIS) — The Home Depot® Foundation, today, recognized the City of Minneapolis and their nonprofit partner Aeon with the Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development for Ripley Gardens, located at 301 Penn Avenue N. This national award recognizes the City’s and Aeon’s thoughtful construction of green affordable housing to create a sustainable community. The site, a former maternity hospital built in the early 1900s in honor of Dr. Martha Ripley, was redeveloped to address the City’s financial, social and environmental community issues through thoughtful design, land use, and building. The development preserved three historic structures and constructed three new buildings, creating 52 rental units with a range of affordability and 8 for-sale townhomes. Ripley Gardens’ green building strategies revitalized a prominent corner that stood vacant and boarded for several years. “Minneapolis is on the cutting edge of both its commitment to affordable housing and its commitment to building a sustainable world,” said Mayor R.T. Rybak. “This National Award of Excellence for Sustainable Community Development recognizes that we are also on the cutting edge when we do both at the same time. Ripley Gardens is a stellar example of how Minneapolis is building a sustainable city.” “Ripley Gardens illustrates that there’s a direct relationship between community/social change and the physical environment around us. Building green affordable homes has a positive impact on our community – both now and for generations to come,” said Alan Arthur, president of Aeon. “Ripley Gardens strengthens the lives of its residents, and is an asset to the broader community.” “Ripley Gardens is a social, economic, and environment oasis,” said Don Samuels, Council Member (Ward 5). “The redevelopment turned a blighted corner into life and is a model for other areas in the city,” Samuels said. Minneapolis and Aeon’s Ripley Gardens development was selected based on a number of criteria, including resource conservation, resident/pedestrian connectivity, environmental sustainability and green infrastructure, as well as how well the needs of the local community were met while maintaining affordability for the residents. A video on the development is posted at http://www.homedepotfoundation.org/sus_ “Many cities across the country are finding successful ways of dealing with financial, social and environmental issues through thoughtful design and land use, resulting in the construction of healthy, safe neighborhoods like Ripley Gardens,” said Kelly Caffarelli, president of The Home Depot® Foundation. “We are excited to recognize the city of Minneapolis and Aeon for their outstanding work and hope that their public-private partnership will serve as an example to others working to find long-term solutions to the issues facing our cities.” The Home Depot® Foundation also recognized the City of Minneapolis’ Comprehensive Plan, “The Minneapolis Plan for Sustainable Growth,” which encourages integration of environmental, social and economic goals into decision-making processes at all levels, including sustainable design practices in the preservation, development, and maintenance of its natural and built environments. The Comprehensive Plan incorporates the city’s 25 sustainability indicators which track the City’s progress to minimize its ecological footprint, use of natural resources conservatively, and continue to build a healthy economy. Key elements of the sustainability plan include: reducing the carbon footprint by 12% by 2012; cleaning up 100 brownfield sites from 2004 to 2014; ending homelessness by 2016; and increasing the percentage of people who enter the city via alternative transportation (bus, light rail, bicycle, walking, carpooling) from 55% in 2003 to 67% in 2013. The Home Depot® Foundation also presented an award to North Charleston, SC and their nonprofit partner The Sustainability Institute. The nonprofit partners received a total of $150,000 to further the sustainability goals of their communities. About Aeon About The Home Depot Foundation The Home Depot Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization that was established in 2002 to further the community building goals of The Home Depot by providing additional resources to assist nonprofit organizations. The Foundation is dedicated to building affordable homes for working families that are healthy to live in and affordable to own. To make homes healthy and affordable, the Foundation encourages developers to incorporate responsible design and use durable and quality materials to ensure that homes are more energy and water efficient, have good indoor air quality, and provide a safe and healthy space to live. Since its formation, The Home Depot Foundation has granted $120 million to nonprofit organizations and supported the development of more than 65,000 affordable, healthy homes. While focused on building affordable homes, The Home Depot Foundation is also committed to improving the overall health of our communities. Taking a long-term, comprehensive approach to building healthy, stable communities where families can thrive, the Foundation invests in the planting and restoration of trees along streets, in parks and in schoolyards; the building and refurbishment of community play spaces; and the revitalization of school facilities. _________________________________________________________________ For more information, please contact: Krista Bergert Amy Pfarr Walker City of Minneapolis Aeon Krista.Bergert@ci.minneapolis.mn.us apfarrwalker@aeonmn.org Paula Drake Catherine H. Woodling The Home Depot The Home Depot Foundation 770-384-3439 (770) 384-2304 paula_drake@homedepot.com catherine_woodling@homedepot.com |
