Minneapolis City Council votes to extend eviction notice period
The Minneapolis City Council on Thursday voted to temporarily extend the eviction notice period for renters in an effort to help support residents impacted by Operation Metro Surge.
Under the ordinance, which was approved 7-5, landlords would need to wait 60 days — not the typical 30 — before bringing an eviction notice to a renter. If approved by Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, the 60-day requirement would stay in effect until Aug. 31.
Supporters of the ordinance said Operation Metro Surge left residents out of work and relying on mutual aid networks to pay rent.
"Preventing eviction is always more cost-effective than trying to re-house someone who has been evicted," said Council Member Robin Wonsley, who represents Ward 2.
Wonsley, alongside members Elliott Payne, Jamal Osman, Aisha Chughtai, Soren Stevenson, Jason Chavez and Aurin Chowdhury voted in favor of the resolution. Council member Jamison Whiting abstained from voting.
The city estimates Operation Metro Surge led to an additional $15.7 million in monthly need for rental support. Last month, council members approved $1 million in rental assistance for Hennepin County to help families impacted by the surge.
"Mayor Frey believes the most effective solution is a targeted one, which is why we're working to get the $1M we recently approved out quickly to help our neighbors. Eviction moratoriums or notice extensions are a blunt measure — and the mayor will be weighing information from experts over the next several days to decide whether it actually helps or hinders our city," a Frey spokesperson said Friday.
North Minneapolis business helping residents impacted by ICE surge
Outside Minneapolis City Hall, community members are working to connect families with financial help.
Daniel Hernandez, owner of Colonial Market, organized an event on Friday to help residents access rent relief funds.
"The main need right now is rent and food," said Hernandez. "Most of the attention has been on south Minneapolis, but a lot of people don't know that north Minneapolis has a large Latino community that's been suffering."
Colonial Market worked with members of the Minneapolis City Council and Nuestra Fuera MN at the event to connect those in north Minneapolis with resources like rent relief and food vouchers.
"We need to, as a community, need to come together to bring solutions," said Hernandez.
He added that the extended eviction notice period could give families, particularly in the Latino community, more time to recover financially.
"Sometimes all you need is just a little relief to have another day in your life," said Hernandez.
Nuestra Lucha MN has created a rent relief fund.
