To request this information in another language or format, please contact [email protected]. Si aad u codsato foomkan oo qaab ama luqad kale ah, fadlan la xiriir [email protected].

Come share your neighborhood priorities:

Attend a 2024 EPNI Committee Kick-off in January!

“What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.”    — Vern McLellan 

EPNI January Calendar

Tuesday, January 9th - Neighborhood Vitality Committee KICK-OFF Meeting
7:00-8:30pm • At Elliot Park Rec Center, 1000 E. 14th Ave.

ALL are welcome to join the newly organized EPNI Neighborhood Vitality Committee at its public KICK-OFF meeting on January 9th, to share your input on its 2024 project priorities impacting community safety, livability and connection in the neighborhood, and hear from partners, Our Just Transition Fund & Downtown Improvement District, to learn how to get involved in upcoming neighborhood projects. Connect with your neighbors in service to Elliot Park!

Questions or want to learn more? Contact [email protected] or call/text (612) 234-2280. See you there!

Thursday, January 18th - Land Use & Transportation Committee Meeting
6:00-7:30pm • At Elliot Park Rec Center, 1000 E. 14th Ave. 

All are welcome to join the Land Use & Transportation Committee as it resumes meeting at it's 2024 KICK-OFF meeting on January 18th. Come and share input as the LUT Committee starts to shape its 2024 priorities around neighborhood developments, housing and tenant needs and issues, and transportation/ infrastructure issues, like pedestrian safety, and hear from the HERC Zero Burn Coalition and Mosaic to weigh in on advocacy efforts and projects impacting Elliot Park neighborhood:

Questions or want to learn more? Contact [email protected] or call/text (612) 234-2280. See you there!

Monday, January 22nd - Monthly Board of Directors Meeting
6:00-7:30pm • At North Central University, 1400 Elliot Ave, or participate via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84658175303                                                                        (Please note the date change: meeting moved from regular 3rd Monday date, in observance of MLK Day.)  Your voice matters, and your insights are invaluable. Join us to stay informed, share your ideas, and help shape the future of our community. Together, we can make our neighborhood an even better place to live. ALL are welcome -- see you there!

Do you have a suggestion or question for Elliot Park Neighborhood Inc.? Email [email protected] or text / call (612) 234-2280 and we will get back to you soon!

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January Community Calendar

Monday, January 15th - 26th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration           
10:00am-2:00pm • Powderhorn Park Recreation Center, 3400 15th Ave S.

Gather in community with us and celebrate with compelling live performances, amplification of clear examples of equity forward work, engaging gift boxes for kids, a free lunch for attendees, and more! This FREE and fun event for all ages is committed to uplifting voices for change, creating space for community connections, and modeling the power of intergenerational and multi-cultural joy. More information at ppna.org/mlkcelebration. 

SAVE THE DATE: Saturday, February 17th - Community Connections Conference             9:00am-4:00pm • Minneapolis Convention Center, 1st Floor-Hall E, 1301 2nd Ave S.

The Community Connections Conference is an annual FREE event that connects residents of Minneapolis, community groups, neighborhoods and local government. 

Community Connections Conference goals -- We host this conference so that:

- Residents, community groups, neighborhood organizations, City of Minneapolis departments and decision-makers can connect.

- All communities feel welcome to get involved in local decision-making.

- Residents learn about programs and policies that affect them.

Get more info about the Community Connections Conference HERE!

Sign up for Conference email updates HERE!

EPNI Updates

A Practical Way to Give: Neighbor Care Kits

As our current housing crisis continues, fueled by the confluence of factors over the past year, such as the end of both pandemic era relief programs and the eviction moratorium, along with continued inflation, an increasing number of our Elliot Park neighbors are experiencing housing and/or food insecurity challenges, and may be living unsheltered.

As the weather turns colder and greater numbers of neighbors are facing the harsh elements outdoors in Minnesota winters, EPNI is assembling basic care kits are equipped to help provide for some high needs general and seasonal items. (See Agate Housing & Services: Give Items, Supplies or Kits)

Your donation to this project can help meet a direct, tangible need for unsheltered neighbors in a practical way. Having these Care Kits on hand helps EPNI engage neighbors with immediate needs by providing something of value to help forge an initial connection, and to provide some basic resource referral through the inclusion and support with the "Street Outreach" travel-size local resource guide. Sharing the Care Kits opens up the possibility of fostering longer-term engagement with our unsheltered neighbors, to improve our understanding around broader needs and interests, in inform future advocacy and action. 

We invite Elliot Park residents and businesses who are able to give to participate in this simple, impactful project, in two ways:

1. Cash Donation: You can donate HERE to EPNI's GiveMN page to the Care Kit project to help defray the costs of Kit supplies. Please be sure to check the box to "Add a Dedication" to note "Care Kit Project" as the purpose of your cash donation; OR -
2. In-Kind Donation: If you would prefer, you can make an in-kind donation of any of the following Care Kit items. To coordinate your donation, please email [email protected] or call/text us at 612-234-2280.

• Bottled water (not larger than 20 oz.)
• Beef jerky / meet sticks (individually wrapped; avoid pork)
• Protein/granola bars  
• Trail mix
• Fruit/veggie pouches
• Unisex wool / thermal / moisture-wicking socks
• Hand/Footwarmer packets
• Hand sanitizer (small bottles)
• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste (small or travel size)
• Washcloth (best: fast-drying/wicking)
• Travel soap
• Menstrual products (individually wrapped)

City & Community Updates

2024 City of Minneapolis Budget RECAP:

Approved Dec. 5, 2023; includes two budget amendments specific to Elliot Park

Here's what you should know about the approved 2024 City of Minneapolis Budget:

The Minneapolis City Council met on December 5th to finalize and approve the 2024 City of Minneapolis Adopted Budget. According to the City, "[t]he 2024 budget includes significant investments in the City’s affordable housing production, public housing, strategic inclusive economic recovery work, . . . alternatives for public safety strategies and police reform . . . and climate action work across Minneapolis and allocates historic funding for the health of the city’s parks and public water systems."

Amongst the nearly fifty budget amendments added by City Council to the final 2024 Budget, the following two new allocations, specific to Elliot Park, passed to be included:

Budget Amendment #17 "Elliot Park Community Safety Initiatives" authored by Ward 6 Council Member Osman, added $200,000 for the stated purpose "to combat crime, public intoxication, and violence in the Elliot Park neighborhood." 

Budget Amendment #26: "Elliot Park Community Health" co-authored by Ward 6 Council Member Osman, shifted $350,000 of funding from CPED and Strategic Homelessness Response Funding into a new line item with the stated purpose "to support community health and wellbeing in high need areas such as the Elliot Park Neighborhood." 

You can contact the Ward 6 office to let Councilmember Osman know your thoughts and questions on these Elliot Park program funds and the overall approved 2024 City Budget online or by calling 612-673-2206. 

EPNI will also continue to engage with the Ward 6 office about Elliot Park community safety and health priorities and needs, as identified by our community. 

Want a free ride & a cleaner bus stop?  Adopt-a-Stop!

WHAT: Individuals and groups can "adopt" a Metro Transit bus stop to help keep it clean and cared for, and alert Metro Transit staff to special maintenance needs and reporting vandalism or suspicious activity.  WHY: Help everyone have a safer ride experience and and get 10 free rides each month! HOW: Learn more and apply online for Metro Transit Adopt-A-Stop program HERE. Want to partner through EPNI to Adopt-a-Stop? Come talk about it at the January 18th Land Use & Transportation committee meeting, or contact us at [email protected] or text/call 612-234-2280.

Agate's Shelf of Hope Seeking Food Shelf Generalist Volunteers

By becoming a Food Shelf Generalist, you are joining hands with a team of people who believe that all human beings deserve food and their basic needs met. You work directly with the people you are helping, face-to-face, building a caring and connective community. Every week, we serve over 100 families and individuals from Elliot Park and the surrounding communities.

After a tragic fire and a year of repairs, the Shelf of Hope food shelf has returned with a wide-open room that is set up like a grocery store. It's open at 10:00AM on Wednesdays for all to come inside and pick out what they want!  We're looking for people to help serve their community on Mondays (prep, 8:30a-1:00pm) and Wednesdays (open hours, 8:30am-2:00pm) at the Shelf of Hope, 714 Park Ave.

Volunteers must pass a background check, and be interviewed, and receive staff approval before starting. More details HERE. If you are interested, contact the Volunteer Manager: Noah Chan | 612 327 6389 | [email protected]. 

Microgrants Available to Support People Living with Disabilities

If you are a person living with a certified disability, and you have an idea for a housing or employment-related goal, you can apply for a MN DHS & The Principal Foundation $500 microgrant to help you achieve your goal! Because the popular program is limited to 25 mini grants per month, it's best to apply at the beginning of the month.  Applications will be accepted from individuals or from their staff, family, friends or supporters. Learn more about the kinds of goals mini-grants can help with, and program limits, and apply HERE, at the Arc Minnesota Microgrant Partnership page.    

Rethinking I-94: Community Voices campaign launched! 

The MN-DOT Rethinking I-94 project was presented at the October 19, 2023 Land Use & Transportation committee meeting. You can review the 10/19/23 I-94 Presentation notes HERE.

Rethinking I-94 Community Voices recognizes that those most affected by I-94, and any future changes to I-94, should have a say in shaping its future. How do you live, work, play or commute on or around the I-94 corridor between downtown Minneapolis and downtown St. Paul? Join us in Rethinking I-94 Community Voices -- You can learn more and submit your story here.

Did you know . . .The HERC's Gotta Go! How to Get Involved:

Come to the Jan. 18th EPNI Land Use & Transportation meeting to learn more! 

A large mechanical claw, suspended from a ceiling-mounted gantry crane, grips a pile of trash inside the Hennepin Energy Recovery Center in Minneapolis on Sept. 14. Ben Hovland | MPR News

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Did you know that about 45% of the roughly 800,000 tons of garbage generated in all of Hennepin County every year is burned just two miles northwest of the Elliot Park neighborhood, in the Minneapolis trash incinerator next to Target Field in downtown Minneapolis, called the Hennepin County Energy Recovery Center (HERC)? (1, 3).

In October 2023, the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to commence plans to close the HERC incinerator, sometime between 2028 and 2040. The county board expects to receive initial closure plans in February 2024. (2). 

Open questions, fueled by divergent perspectives, remain about the timeline for closure, alternative plans for what to do with all the trash generated in Hennepin County, as well as what will happen to the HERC facility following closure. Climate and environmental justice activists, such as Minnesota Environmental Justice Table remain at the forefront of advocating for an expedited closure timeline, as soon as 2025. (1, 2, 3, 4).

Examining these questions also underscores one of the critical underlying issues to also expedite reduction of waste generated, to actualize both state and county Zero Waste goals, as well as adhere to a state law requirement to achieve at least 75% recycling in the Metro area by 2030. (1).

Learn more from these sources, cited for this summary:

1. See MPR's article, for a helpful overview of the complexities of these issues:  "Hennepin County Wrestles Future of Minneapolis Waste Incinerator"
2. See also WasteDive's article, "Hennepin County, Minnesota, votes to begin closure of WTE plant" 
3. See also Hennepin County's HERC web page and fact sheet
4. See also Minnesota Environmental Justice Table to learn more about their environmental justice campaign and efforts to gather residents and organizations to join their petition to expedite the HERC's shutdown.

And come to EPNI's Land Use & Transportation Committee's 2024 Kick-off at 6pm on Thurs. Jan. 18th, at the Elliot Park Rec. Center to hear from HERC Zero Burn Coalition. Learn about advocacy efforts for a 2025 shutdown date for the Hennepin County Trash Incinerator, next steps and possible restitution for environmental justice impacted communities.

"Downtown Next:"

Read the Minneapolis Foundation Action Strategy & Report for the Future of Downtown

". . . Our goal with this report is to spur discussion and action, mobilizing the diverse coalition that our community needs in order to transform downtown Minneapolis into a place that works for everyone." Read the full report HERE. 

How to Get Your COVID-19, Flu & RSV Vaccines This Year 

Immunizations are available this fall and winter in the United States that can help protect against three major respiratory diseases: COVID-19, flu and RSV. Immunization against these viruses remains the best protection for reducing the risk of serious illness, hospitalizations, long-term health impacts and death.

Recommendations for these immunizations vary based on age, pregnancy status or medical conditions.

To find flu and COVID-19 vaccines, visit vaccines.gov. To learn more, including how to find recommended immunizations, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

EPNI Renter's Corner

311: Did You Know . . .?

Did You Know . . . 2 of 5 Homes Test High for Radon! 

January is #RadonActionMonth  

Radon is an invisible, odorless gas that’s the second leading cause of lung cancer, and it:

• Comes from the soil and rock throughout Minnesota.
• Enters your home through cracks and holes in the basement floor.

Learn more about the City’s radon and grant funding for mitigation systems: https://minneapolismn.gov/radon

City of Minneapolis Renter Resources -- Get Ready for Winter!

With winter approaching, here's a reminder about heat rules and winter preparedness for renters.

Heat rules for Minneapolis

• Minneapolis renters must have access to heat Oct. 1-April 30.
• The heating equipment must be capable of keeping your space at 68 F.
• If the heat stops working in your rental unit, tell the property owner or manager right away. If the heat can’t be fixed immediately, the property owner must provide two temporary heat sources to each rental unit.
• If the property owner or manager doesn’t respond, you can report it to the City to get help from an inspector.
  • Call 311 or 612-673-3000 to report an issue. 311 is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekends. Outside of 311 hours, call 911 to report low heat or no heat.
  • The 311 agent or 911 dispatcher will take your contact information, and an inspector will contact you to set up an inspection as soon as possible. From Sept. 15 to May 15, there is always an inspector on duty to help renters who report heat issues.

Winter preparedness

While property maintenance is the responsibility of the property owner, there are steps that renters can take to prepare their homes for cold weather. Here are some ways you can keep your home safe and warm this winter:

• Check smoke detector and carbon monoxide detector batteries monthly, and change the batteries every six months. Smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are required in every rental unit in Minneapolis.
• If you use space heaters, make sure you’re using them safely. The National Fire Protection Association has tip sheets in multiple languages for heating safety.
• Consider using an inexpensive window insulation kit to keep your apartment warmer and save money on utility bills.
• Review your lease to see if you’re responsible for snow removal or other seasonal maintenance.
• If you have questions about your rights as a renter, call HOME Line at 612-728-5767 or Legal Aid at 612-334-5970.

Report rental issues to 311

Contact 311 to report rental housing issues or speak to a housing liaison. You can also track complaints online on the 311 property complaint dashboard.

Share your Renter Experience with HOME Line to Help Build Renter Power

Click HERE to share your story about what issues you've faced as a tenant with Home Line to inform their advocacy for making significant changes to Tenant/Landlord Law during the 2024 Minnesota Legislative Session to create a better balance of power between tenants and landlords. You can share your info if you want to get involved, or choose to share your story anonymously. 

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