Please join us for our next Audubon Community Meeting on Monday, February 2, 2026 at 6:30pm at the Audubon Park Recreation Center, 1320 29th Avenue NE. Discussion and responses to recent events will be included. Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne, MPD Crime Prevention Specialist Teila Zoller, MN Adult & Teen Challenge  and ANA Board President Mary Stadler, and ANA Board Member Cara Donavan are our guest speakers. Additionally mutual aid organizations will be available to provide information and opportunities to volunteer. Refreshments will be served. Childcare will be available.  For Zoom registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/0T0BWIaqQTKOqcVj7eVZfw

Dear Neighbor,

The federal occupation of Minnesota continues, and our communities are still showing up and protecting our neighbors. I want to thank everyone who is out there, blowing their whistles, protecting our schools, donating groceries, shopping at immigrant-owned businesses, and supporting mutual aid funds. Despite Homan purporting a "drawdown" of federal agents, we continue to see brutalization, profiling, and abductions in the Ward and across the city. Our demand continues to be that ICE, and all federal agents, leave our state immediately.

While the City Council passed a resolution calling on Governor Walz to enact a statewide eviction moratorium, joined by several other cities in the metro area, no action has been taken. Rent will be due soon and something must be done. In response, Council Members Wonsley, Osman, Stevenson, Chavez, Chowdhury, and I will be introducing a rental assistance funding proposal this week. For thousands of residents, simply leaving the house to go to work means facing harassment, violence, or abduction by ICE. Workplaces have closed or reduced hours, and some workers have lost access to childcare. Many families have also had their relatives abducted, causing them to lose major sources of income. No family should have to choose between keeping a roof over their head and risking a family member being kidnapped by ICE on their way to work. For all these reasons, many families have lost income and need assistance paying their rent. The City is considering a proposal to allocate $1 million for rental assistance, which would make it the first entity to contribute anything. The City cannot meet this need alone - state & county government must also join us in allocating funding to cover all missed rent.

Another proposal authored by Council Members Chavez, Chowdhury, Osman, Chughtai, Wonsley, Stevenson, and myself would allocate an additional $500,000 for immigration legal services. This proposal will also be considered in response to the critical need of neighbors during this occupation. The City must direct dollars during this moment of emergency to protect our most vulnerable neighbors and act on our values. I am thankful for my colleagues who are joining me in bringing this forward.

Both of these proposals will first be considered during the Committee of the Whole meeting on Tuesday, February 3rd at 9:30am in Room 380 at City Hall. A final vote on them will be held on Thursday, February 5th at 9:30am during the regular City Council meeting. 

This week, I urge you to join your neighbors, donate groceries, and patrol your block. We are in this together and our community will win. I hope to see you out there.

Stay safe and stay vigilant,

Elliott