Elections in Minneapolis are officially nonpartisan, but the Minneapolis City Charter allows mayoral and city council candidates to choose a party label to appear below their name on the official ballot. Ballotpedia includes candidates' party or principle to best reflect what voters will see on their ballot.[1]
Frey earned an undergraduate degree from the College of William and Mary and a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law.[2]
Frey's professional experience includes work as an employment and civil rights attorney for Faegre & Benson LLP and Halunen & Associates. He has also served as a community organizer and as the organizer of the inaugural Big Gay Race.[2][3]
Ballotpedia identified the November 4, 2025, general election as a battleground election. The summary below is from our coverage of this election, found here.
Incumbent Jacob Frey (D), Omar Fateh (D), and 13 other candidates are running in the nonpartisan general election for mayor of Minneapolis, Minnesota, on November 4, 2025.
Elections in Minneapolis are officially nonpartisan, but the Minneapolis City Charter allows mayoral and city council candidates to choose a party label to appear below their name on the official ballot.[4]
Frey was first elected in 2017, defeating incumbent Betsy Hodges (D) in the fifth round of ranked-choice voting. Frey, a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), says he is a pragmatic progressive.[5] He says, "I’m running because with everything going on in the world, experience matters. ... I have stood up for what’s best for our city even when it was not politically expedient to do so. It’s time for us to love our city more than our ideology. Together, we can make Minneapolis a national model for progressive governance that is laser-focused not on politics, but on delivering for residents."[6]
Fateh is also a DFL member, and says he is a democratic socialist. He was elected to the Minnesota Senate, representing District 62, in 2020. Fateh says, "We deserve leadership that makes it so people want to continue to live here, raise families here, and start businesses here. ... We need a Mayor who understands that a city that lifts up working people is a city that lifts up everyone. Because when the city invests in us, we have more time to invest in the people we love."[7]
While the city's mayor has been a DFL member since 1978, the election has highlighted divisions within the larger party, primarily between Fateh's democratic socialists and democrats who support Frey.[8] For example, the Minneapolis DFL endorsed Fateh at a convention on July 19, 2025, but the Minnesota DFL revoked the endorsement on August 21, 2025, after Frey's supporters alleged issues with the electronic voting system. To learn more click here.[5]
Party divisions predate Fateh's revoked endorsement. Following the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020, the Democratic city council disagreed with Frey on police reform, specifically on defunding the police.[9][10] According to the MinnPost, "A coalition of Minneapolis candidates fueled by left-wing energy and skepticism of the status quo at City Hall secured a majority on the City Council [during the 2023] municipal elections, winning seven of 13 seats."[11] As of September 9, 2025, five of the seven progressive councilmembers endorsed Fateh, as well as one councilmember, Jamal Osman (D), who was not aligned with either the seven progressive councilmembers or councilmembers who typically support Frey. Three councilmembers who typically support Frey endorsed him.[12][13]
Minneapolis uses ranked-choice voting to elect city officials. Voters can rank up to three mayoral candidates on their ballots. Click here to learn more about how ranked-choice voting works in this election.
Minneapolis has a strong mayor-council system. The city council serves as the city's primary legislative body and the mayor is considered the city's chief executive.[14][15]
We provide results for polls that are included in polling aggregation from RealClearPolitics, when available. We will regularly check for polling aggregation for this race and add polls here once available. To notify us of polls available for this race, please email us.
Satellite spending describes political spending not controlled by candidates or their campaigns; that is, any political expenditures made by groups or individuals that are not directly affiliated with a candidate. This includes spending by political party committees, super PACs, trade associations, and 501(c)(4)nonprofit groups.[16][17][18]
If available, this section includes links to online resources tracking satellite spending in this election. To notify us of a resource to add, email us.
Endorsements
Frey received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements, click here.
The ranked-choice voting election was won by Jacob Frey in round 2 . The results of Round are displayed below. To see the results of other rounds, use the dropdown menu above to select a round and the table will update.
Undeclared Write-insUndeclared write-in candidates may advance past the first round in some ranked-choice elections. If the official source reports write-in votes by candidate name, Ballotpedia displays them alongside the ballot-qualified candidates. However, if write-in votes are reported without a name, they will instead be included in the total write-in votes figure in Round 1. Please consult the official elections source for more details about unnamed write-in candidate vote totals past Round 1.
0.1
143
0
Incumbents are bolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source
Total votes: 143,974
= candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
This section lists noteworthy endorsements issued in this election, including those made by high-profile individuals and organizations, cross-party endorsements, and endorsements made by newspaper editorial boards. It also includes a bulleted list of links to official lists of endorsements for any candidates who published that information on their campaign websites. Please note that this list is not exhaustive. If you are aware of endorsements that should be included, please click here.
Click the links below to see endorsement lists published on candidate campaign websites, if available.
Minneapolis, Minnesota, held a general election for mayor, all 13 seats on the city council, both elected members of the board of estimate and taxation, and all nine members of the park and recreation board on November 7, 2017. The filing deadline for candidates who wished to run in this election was August 15, 2017.
Incumbents ran for re-election to all but two of the city council seats. Ward 3 Councilman Jacob Frey filed to run for mayor instead, and Ward 8 Councilwoman Elizabeth Glidden opted not to run for re-election.[20]
Minneapolis Mayor, 2017, Round 5
Candidate
Vote %
Votes
Transfer
Betsy Hodges (i) - Eliminated
0%
0
−26,875
Raymond Dehn
42.8%
34,971
7,613
Al Flowers
0%
0
0
Jacob Frey - Winner
57.2%
46,716
7,348
Tom Hoch
0%
0
0
Gregg Iverson
0%
0
0
Nekima Levy-Pounds
0%
0
0
Aswar Rahman
0%
0
0
Charlie Gers
0%
0
0
L.A. Nik
0%
0
0
Troy Benjegerdes
0%
0
0
Ron Lischeid
0%
0
0
David Rosenfeld
0%
0
0
Ian Simpson
0%
0
0
Captain Jack Sparrow
0%
0
0
David John Wilson
0%
0
0
Christopher Robin Zimmerman (Write-in)
0%
0
0
Theron Preston Washington (Write-in)
0%
0
0
Undeclared Write-ins
0%
0
0
Exhausted
22,835
11,914
Total Votes
104,522
0
Note: Negative numbers in the transfer total are due to exhaustion by overvotes.
Minneapolis Mayor, 2017, Round 4
Candidate
Vote %
Votes
Transfer
Betsy Hodges (i)
28.7%
26,875
3,364
Raymond Dehn
29.2%
27,358
3,330
Al Flowers
0%
0
0
Jacob Frey - Most votes
42.1%
39,368
9,888
Tom Hoch - Eliminated
0%
0
−22,754
Gregg Iverson
0%
0
0
Nekima Levy-Pounds
0%
0
0
Aswar Rahman
0%
0
0
Charlie Gers
0%
0
0
L.A. Nik
0%
0
0
Troy Benjegerdes
0%
0
0
Ron Lischeid
0%
0
0
David Rosenfeld
0%
0
0
Ian Simpson
0%
0
0
Captain Jack Sparrow
0%
0
0
David John Wilson
0%
0
0
Christopher Robin Zimmerman (Write-in)
0%
0
0
Theron Preston Washington (Write-in)
0%
0
0
Undeclared Write-ins
0%
0
0
Exhausted
10,921
6,172
Total Votes
104,522
0
Note: Negative numbers in the transfer total are due to exhaustion by overvotes.
Minneapolis Mayor, 2017, Round 3
Candidate
Vote %
Votes
Transfer
Betsy Hodges (i)
23.6%
23,511
4,044
Raymond Dehn
24.1%
24,028
5,454
Al Flowers
0%
0
0
Jacob Frey - Most votes
29.5%
29,480
2,730
Tom Hoch
22.8%
22,754
1,842
Gregg Iverson
0%
0
0
Nekima Levy-Pounds - Eliminated
0%
0
−16,189
Aswar Rahman
0%
0
0
Charlie Gers
0%
0
0
L.A. Nik
0%
0
0
Troy Benjegerdes
0%
0
0
Ron Lischeid
0%
0
0
David Rosenfeld
0%
0
0
Ian Simpson
0%
0
0
Captain Jack Sparrow
0%
0
0
David John Wilson
0%
0
0
Christopher Robin Zimmerman (Write-in)
0%
0
0
Theron Preston Washington (Write-in)
0%
0
0
Undeclared Write-ins
0%
0
0
Exhausted
4,749
2,119
Total Votes
104,522
0
Note: Negative numbers in the transfer total are due to exhaustion by overvotes.
Minneapolis Mayor, 2017, Round 2
Candidate
Vote %
Votes
Transfer
Betsy Hodges (i)
19.1%
19,467
552
Raymond Dehn
18.2%
18,574
473
Al Flowers - Eliminated
0%
0
−711
Jacob Frey - Most votes
26.3%
26,750
634
Tom Hoch
20.5%
20,912
787
Gregg Iverson - Eliminated
0%
0
−335
Nekima Levy-Pounds
15.9%
16,189
473
Aswar Rahman - Eliminated
0%
0
−756
Charlie Gers - Eliminated
0%
0
−1,233
L.A. Nik - Eliminated
0%
0
−612
Troy Benjegerdes - Eliminated
0%
0
−184
Ron Lischeid - Eliminated
0%
0
−325
David Rosenfeld - Eliminated
0%
0
−477
Ian Simpson - Eliminated
0%
0
−119
Captain Jack Sparrow - Eliminated
0%
0
−438
David John Wilson - Eliminated
0%
0
−220
Christopher Robin Zimmerman (Write-in) - Eliminated
0%
0
−1
Theron Preston Washington (Write-in) - Eliminated
0%
0
0
Undeclared Write-ins - Eliminated
0%
0
−138
Exhausted
2,630
2,630
Total Votes
104,522
0
Note: Negative numbers in the transfer total are due to exhaustion by overvotes.
Legend: Eliminated in current round Most votes Lost
This is the first round of voting. To view subsequent rounds, click the [show] button next to that round.
Minneapolis Mayor, 2017, Round 1
Candidate
Vote %
Votes
Transfer
Betsy Hodges (i)
18.1%
18,915
Raymond Dehn
17.3%
18,101
Al Flowers
0.7%
711
Jacob Frey - Most votes
25%
26,116
Tom Hoch
19.3%
20,125
Gregg Iverson
0.3%
335
Nekima Levy-Pounds
15%
15,716
Aswar Rahman
0.7%
756
Charlie Gers
1.2%
1,233
L.A. Nik
0.6%
612
Troy Benjegerdes
0.2%
184
Ron Lischeid
0.3%
325
David Rosenfeld
0.5%
477
Ian Simpson
0.1%
119
Captain Jack Sparrow
0.4%
438
David John Wilson
0.2%
220
Christopher Robin Zimmerman (Write-in)
0%
1
Theron Preston Washington (Write-in)
0%
0
Undeclared Write-ins
0.1%
138
Exhausted
0
0
Total Votes
104,522
0
Note: Negative numbers in the transfer total are due to exhaustion by overvotes.
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Jacob Frey's campaign website stated the following.
“
PRIORITIES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AFFORDABLE HOUSING
I campaigned on the premise that housing is a right and the promise of working toward ensuring that every Minneapolis resident has access to safe, stable, and affordable housing throughout the city.
When our administration took office, Minneapolis had lost 10,000 units of affordable housing over the prior 10 years and had no clear action plan for redressing the intentional segregation and racial injustices promoted by more than a century of our city’s housing policies.
My administration’s affordable housing agenda has focused on 4 pillars:
Production of new affordable housing units
Presentation of existing affordable housing units
Protection of renters’ rights
Creating more pathways and opportunities for affordable homeownership
Some of our administration’s top achievements include:
Investing record amounts of city funding--over $100 million across four budgets--in affordable housing, in addition to prioritizing state and federal dollars for housing.
Increasing the Affordable Housing Trust Fund by more than $40 million over the past three and half years to provide gap financing for the production and preservation of affordable rental housing for households earning less than 50% of area median income, with priority financing for affordable rental units for households earning less than 30% of area median income.
Allocating $3.5 million to provide emergency funding for Minneapolis renters amid the economic downturn resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Launching the city’s 4d Program which has already helped to preserve thousands of affordable rental units across Minneapolis by assisting apartment building owners to obtain property tax reductions in exchange for maintaining 20% or more of their units as affordable.
Our 4d program is the first in the state to create energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives, making it a model that is now being adopted in other cities across the country. These incentives both lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce utility costs to renters.
Investing $3.3 million of pilot funding to develop the city’s flagship Stable Homes, Stable Schools initiative, a collaborative effort by the City of Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA), Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS), and Hennepin County Health and Human Services to connect families of MPS students at risk of or experiencing homelessness with funding and permanent resources and supports necessary to maintain stable housing.
Stable Homes, Stable Schools has prevented homelessness or stabilized housing for more than 2,500 MPS students from close to 900 families as of November 2020. Because of its overwhelming success, the 2021 budget allocates $2.2 million of ongoing funding to make the initiative a permanent city program.
Creating the More Representation Minneapolis initiative which provides funding to LegalAid and the Volunteer Lawyers Network to provide direct, pro-bono representation for Minneapolis renters facing eviction or seeking to enforce their legal rights against landlords.
Creating the More Representation Minneapolis initiative which provides funding to LegalAid and the Volunteer Lawyers Network to provide direct, pro-bono representation for Minneapolis renters facing eviction or seeking to enforce their legal rights against landlords.
Allocating over $4 million in city funding for the Minneapolis Homes program that facilitates and provides financial assistance for redevelopment of the more than 450 city-owned vacant building properties into affordable units and provides new opportunities and pathways for homeownership and generational wealth-building in BIPOC communities.
Investing $2.3 million to fund energy efficiency improvements for the city’s biggest public housing renovation project in history, the deeply affordable Elliot Twins Apartments, that will reduce energy costs by 35% (savings that MPHA can reinvest back into creating and preserving more affordable housing).
ECONOMIC INCLUSION
I believe that economic growth is only a measure of success when it creates opportunities and prosperity that reach Minneapolis residents in every corner of the city, especially those that face the greatest barriers. My administration’s commitment to economic inclusion has centered Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and immigrants as partners and decision-makers for charting their communities’ economic future.
Minneapolis faces a pivotal opportunity as we re-emerge from the challenges beset upon cities across the country by the coronavirus and a legacy of systemic racism. Our administration will continue to stay focused on policies that expand opportunity to everyone in the city, but especially to those who have been historically disenfranchised.
Some of our administration’s top achievements include:
Incorporating clear and firm goals, strategies, and evaluation metrics in the 2040 Comprehensive Plan for measurably advancing racially equitable economic growth and opportunities through City policies and investments.
Our work on the 2040 Comprehensive Plan earned commendation from the Center for Economic Inclusion.
Creating the Commercial Property Development Fund that invests over $7 million to provide small businesses and developers with patient debt capital to support the acquisition or completion of commercial real estate in portions of Minneapolis that have experienced historic disinvestment and are vulnerable to displacement.
Designating six cultural districts (W. Broadway Avenue, Central Avenue, Cedar-Riverside, Franklin Avenue, E. Lake Street, and 38th Street) selected in consultation with community groups that will receive funding for lighting improvements, street cleaning, building facade improvements, and other commercial revitalization projects, especially in racially segregated areas with concentrated poverty.
Allocating a $2.5 million initial investment to establish a city fund that provides no-interest loans for business owners in racially segregated areas with concentrated poverty to purchase the commercial properties they currently lease, helping to ensure that they are able to be the beneficiaries of, rather than displaced by, increases to property values.
Launching the Minneapolis Forward Community Now Coalition, a united effort between the City and community partners to chart the path for rebuilding a stronger, equitable, inclusive, and resilient Minneapolis in the aftermath of COVID-19 and the civil unrest resulting from the police killing of George Floyd.
Coalition leaders include representatives from the Lake Street Council, West Broadway Business and Area Coalition, Latino Economic Development Center, African American Leadership Forum, Black Women’s Wealth Alliance, Hmong American Partnership, Minnesota Trans Health Coalition, Native American Community Development Institute, and other groups
Allocating $1.2 million in city funding to the Rebuild Resilient initiative that will provide up to $40,000 to over 200 BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses that are rebuilding after suffering damage during last year’s civil unrest to pay for installation of solar panels and energy efficiency improvements.
Installations funded through Rebuild Resilient will be installed trainees from the Minnesota Career Center and Summit Academy OIC in North Minneapolis, providing hands-on job training for a rapidly growing industry
By partnering with Xcel Energy, CenterPoint Energy, and others, Rebuild Resilient will generate $15 million in matching investments for energy efficiency improvements in impacted BIPOC communities.
Establishing the Minneapolis African American Commission on Economic Inclusion comprised of Black community and business leaders to provide guidance and direction to the Mayor’s office and city leadership on economic inclusion, opportunity creation, and implementation of specific solutions for redressing economic harm to Black communities.
PUBLIC & COMMUNITY SAFETY
Our administration has consistently supported a both-and approach to community-led public safety solutions beyond traditional policing, as well as working alongside Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) leadership to build a better and more accountable department.
From dramatically increasing body camera compliance to overhauling the use of force policy, our administration has issued extensive reforms to the department that enhance transparency and accountability and prioritize community relations. Since taking office, we have diligently pursued deep structural change within the department, maintaining a focus on the persistent work of changing department culture.
Some of our administration’s top achievements include:
Implementing a first-in-the-nation ban on so-called warrior-style training for officers both on and off duty.
Implementing updates to the city’s body camera policy, including disciplinary measures for noncompliance, that have improved compliance from less than 55% at the time I took office to over 90%.
More recently, we further strengthened the policy by prohibiting MPD officers involved in critical incidents from reviewing body camera footage prior to completing their initial police reports and prohibiting officers from deactivating their body cameras to privately converse while they are responding to a call
Issuing new MPD policy to incorporate a victim-centered and trauma-informed approach to sexual assault responses and investigations that prioritizes the victim’s safety, privacy, well-being, and rights.
Banning the use of no-knock warrants in the city of Minneapolis.
Overhauling the MPD’s use of force policy to restrict use of force as much as can be allowed by state law, as well as expanding the definition of use of force to include (though not limited to) the improper unholstering of weapon and contact, direct or indirect, that causes pain, injury, or the restriction of movement.
Changing MPD’s force reporting policy to require that officers report in detail how and why force was used, as well as any attempts they made at de-escalation before applying force.
Allocating $2.5 million of ongoing funding to the Office of Violence Prevention to create the MinneapUS Strategic Outreach initiative, where trusted community members work together on neighborhood teams to serve as outreach workers. These team members identify potentially violent situations and use non-physical conflict resolution, mediation, and interruption techniques to de-escalate conflict. Additionally, outreach workers help community members connect to services that can assist with housing, medical and mental health support, and employment, creating a pathway to peaceful and more prosperous communities.
Expanding use of the Mental Health Co-responder Unit that deploys mental health professionals to respond to police calls involving individuals who are or may be experiencing a mental health crisis to ensure they are treated with compassion and dignity and provided help to receive necessary care and services.
CLIMATE, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
Our administration recognizes that climate change is an intersectional issue. It affects every portion of our population, though, more importantly, it often impacts our BIPOC communities the most. Minneapolis’ most underserved communities bear the legacy of decisions made without their input and consequently are now among the most impacted by pollution. Our administration recognizes that justice must also mean climate justice, and our plans have targeted key investments into those communities, as well as the city broadly.
Some of our administration’s top achievements include:
Launching our city’s 4d program (see above under “Affordable Housing”), the first in the state to create energy efficiency and renewable energy incentives, making it a model that is now being adopted in other cities across the country. These incentives both lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce utility costs to renters.
Investing $2.3 million to fund energy efficiency improvements for the city’s biggest public housing renovation project in history (see above under “Affordable Housing”)
Allocating $1.2 million in city funding to the Rebuild Resilient initiative that will provide up to $40,000 to over 200 BIPOC- and immigrant-owned small businesses that are rebuilding after suffering damage during last year’s civil unrest to pay for installation of solar panels and energy efficiency improvements.
Installations funded through Rebuild Resilient will be installed trainees from the Minnesota Career Center and Summit Academy OIC in North Minneapolis, providing hands-on job training for a rapidly growing industry
By partnering with Xcel Energy, CenterPoint Energy, and others, Rebuild Resilient will generate $15 million in matching investments for energy efficiency improvements in impacted BIPOC communities.
Establishing goals for transitioning Minneapolis to 100% renewable electricity for municipal operations and buildings by 2022 and citywide by 2030.
Serving on the Steering Committee of Climate Mayors, a network of U.S. mayors leading on local climate action and advocating for federal policies and investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Increasing the city’s ongoing funding for sustainability and climate work to over $3 million per year.
Allocating over $1 million to expand and improve our city’s energy programs based on recommendations from the resident-led Energy Vision Advisory Committee.
Piloting and subsequently funding a permanent, full-time Energy and Climate Regulatory Policy Coordinator position focused on implementing policies to advance the city’s Climate Action Plan goals and, being the first city in the state to have a representative advocating for city climate goals before the Public Utilities Commission.
Initiating the creation of the Climate Action and Racial Equity Fund by partnering with the McKnight and Minneapolis Foundations to provide grants to local, community-led organizations, groups, and projects that meaningfully and simultaneously advance the goals of the Minneapolis Climate Action Plan and the Minneapolis Strategic Racial Equity Plan.
Initiating the creation of the Climate Action and Racial Equity Fund by partnering with the McKnight and Minneapolis Foundations to provide grants to local, community-led organizations, groups, and projects that meaningfully and simultaneously advance the goals of the Minneapolis Climate Action Plan and the Minneapolis Strategic Racial Equity Plan.
The Lake Street Council and the West Bank Business Association for a plan to make businesses less dependent on automobile traffic, thereby decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. This money will help support businesses as they adapt to changes in transit patterns and ensure that decisions about carbon-free transportation options are guided by those who have the most knowledge of the local conditions.
Dream of Wild Health to support programming around Indigenous plants and seeds. This funding supports the organization of the Upper Midwest Indigenous Seed Network, a database that catalogs information about Indigenous seeds from across the region, empowering local planters with information about plants made to exhibit the greatest resiliency in our region.
Black Visions Collective to increase the number of Black leaders in our region who are fighting for climate equity. Black Visions Collective aims to expand to the base of people fighting for equitable climate policies, among those who are most affected.
Community Members for Environmental Justice to support a project that will bring neighbors together around emergency preparedness planning in North Minneapolis.
MN Renewables Now to support an effort to offer rooftop solar systems on properties around the Northside of Minneapolis.
Native Sun, a native-led organization that encourages energy efficiency, renewable energy, and an equitable energy transition that includes awareness, workforce investments, and demonstration. This initiative funds a Fellowship to move the work forward.
Pillsbury United Communities for urban agriculture investments that support efforts to cultivate under-utilized urban plots in an effort to grow healthy, local foods. Going on its fifth season, the program’s regenerative practices focus on rehabilitating land in Minneapolis’s Green Zone neighborhoods, decreasing the impact of climate change on BIPOC communities.
Project Sweetie Pie for its Northside Safety N.E.T. (Neighborhoods Empowering Teens) program. This collaboration will train youth of color, ages 16-24, in North Minneapolis, and those involved will learn about the relationship between environmental justice, urban agriculture, community service, and more.
Sabathani Community Center to support an energy conservation and solar planning project. This project marks the start of a partnership with the Center for Energy and the Environment, and it will allow Sabathani to begin planning for a revisioning and redesign of its outdated and energy-inefficient systems.
Grantees are selected by a committee of community members from Minneapolis’ North and Southside Green Zones and the Minneapolis Racial Equity Community Advisory Committee and representatives from the City and partner foundations
Launching the city’s mobility hub pilot program to increase residents’ access to convenient low- or no-carbon transportation options, including transit and shared bicycles and scooters, especially at the first and last miles. The pilot program is one of ten community-based projects awarded funding this year through the National Association of City Transportation Officials’ (NACTO) Streets for Pandemic Response and Recovery programs to support the work of five partner community organizations to identify and model ways in which mobility hubs can be used as neighborhood-level infrastructure to address the changing needs of low-income communities impacted most disproportionately by COVID-19 and civil unrest.
Increasing funding for the Green Cost Share program which provides matching funds for energy efficiency, solar, and pollution reduction improvements to industrial, commercial, and multi- and single-family properties, with priority given to buildings in Green Zones. The program leverages utility incentives to significantly buy down the cost of these improvements.
Updating the city’s Green Fleet policy and investing in the ongoing electrification of the city’s vehicle fleet in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Adopting our city’s nation-leading 2040 Comprehensive Plan that will significantly increase the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings; accelerate investment and use of renewable energy in buildings and transportation; establish more sustainable land-use and transportation patterns that discourage single-occupancy vehicle use and promote pedestrian, bicycle, transit, and other no- or low-carbon mobility options; and more.
Completing the city’s 10 Year Transportation Action Plan that sets forth over 350 strategies and actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve street use and safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, and advance transportation equity. The plan sets a goal of having 60% of trips made by walking, biking, or transit by 2030.
Investing in the continued development of the city’s All Ages and Abilities Network of bikeways, expanding the implementation of bus-only lanes, and updating the City’s Complete Streets policy to include green infrastructure and micromobility.
Frey's campaign website highlighted the following issues. Click "show" on the boxes below for more information about his positions.[22]
Green Growth & Urban Agriculture
"Minneapolis needs a mayor that won't settle for making Minneapolis anything less than the greenest city in America. By 2035, Minneapolis should be using 100% clean energy. As Mayor, I would:
Put Minneapolis's municipal buildings on track to achieve 100% clean energy use. I want to be a Mayor who leads on climate change, and who starts by making sure our city government does its part.
Support community solar projects, especially low-income projects. This achieves the twin goals of allowing solar to spread to areas where it is now underutilized while also opening up clean energy options to Minneapolitans who might otherwise not be able to afford it.
Increase density in Minneapolis. Increasing density is one of the most politically controversial issues in city politics, but it is absolutely necessary to stop the suburban sprawl that fuels climate change. We just need a mayor willing to shoulder the political burden of pushing for density despite status quo opposition. Upzoning and offering political support for projects that increase density despite backlash will be cornerstones of my pro-density agenda as Mayor.
Incentivize energy-efficient building design in new developments that go up in Minneapolis. Supporting clean energy is a must, but we also need to lay a foundation for a Minneapolis where we also consume less energy overall.
Expand the repurposing of vacant lots for urban agriculture. More locally sourced food will be key to combatting climate change, and the city should do more to offer opportunities to communities that want to pursue urban agriculture. Community-based garden plots can help combat food deserts in areas of the city that most need it."
Multi-Modal Transportation
"The way Minneapolitans get around is changing. As the city grows, our people become less car-centric. This transition is being facilitated by car-sharing programs, walkable development, and -- in the not-too-distant future -- driverless cars. As mayor, I pledge to work with the council to support a transportation plan that recognizes these changes.
Prioritize pedestrian access and safety in designing our streets. Despite some progress, the city still often makes planning decisions with an automobile-centric mentality. With federal money for pedestrian improvements likely to dry up under a Trump administration, I will make sure the city steps up on pedestrian improvements such as stop signs and curb extensions at dangerous intersections.
Extend support for trail and bikeway access in Minneapolis. Minneapolis can work with other municipalities to extend marquee trails like the Greenway to St. Paul. Additionally, protected bike lanes should widen to add planter protection rather than simply using plastic bollards. We can improve bikeway safety while greening our city at the same time. Supporting multi-modal transportation is key to making Minneapolis a city that works for everyone.
Expand bus rapid transit and light rail. By working with partners at the State, Met Council, and Hennepin County, I'm confident we can build a political coalition to support a more robust public transit system, including light rail and bus rapid transit. With Republicans controlling the state legislature, it is more important than ever that we have a proactive mayor who will champion Minneapolitans' right to affordable public transit."
Arts & Education
"Minneapolis can do more to capitalize on the creativity and intelligence for which this city has long been known. As mayor, I'll implement city policy to showcase our strengths and expand on our reputation.
Use housing policy to protect artists from gentrification. I would push for industrial zoning designations and supplementing them with an overlay of live/work artist housing. When industrial zoning designations are swapped out with residential ones, gentrification displaces the artists that made Minneapolis such an attractive city in the first place.
Liberalize restrictions that stymie art in public places. Restrictions that prevent artists from selling their work in public spaces or make the process cumbersome and inaccessible don't just make it hard for artists to sustain their livelihoods, but also deny Minneapolitans the chance to enjoy their creations. As Mayor, I will support reforming licensing ordinances that impede artistic creativity and cultural expression.
Expand on the city's existing public arts programs such as artistic utility boxes and paint the pavement. Lists of spaces available for these kinds of public art should be compiled and publicized for artists' benefit. Expanding and making this program more accessible allows artists to apply their skill and beautifies our neighborhoods.
Resume regular meetings with the School Board. It used to be that the Mayor would meet with the School Board on a near-monthly basis. I would resume these meetings because our city governments cannot be operating in silos, especially when our children are involved. Because we have an independent school board, the Mayor has to collaborate to have a positive impact on our public schools, and as your Mayor I promise to do just that. I worked hard as the co-chair of the Yes for Minneapolis Kids campaign, our successful project to get the referendum funding Minneapolis public schools passed this past November. And, while schools have closed throughout the city over the last 15 years, in the 3rd Ward, working with invested parents and School Board Directors, we managed to open one. Webster Elementary is now up and running and winning awards! I cannot think of a single issue that impacts our city's success or failure more than our children's education, and so we need a Mayor that won't settle until every child has access to a superb education.
Vocational training. Having vocational training in our schools should not be the exception to the rule--it should be the rule, and the city has a role to play. I believe our schools should offer vocational training in welding, painting, glazing, and even coding. You can teach a 5-year-old to code and, by the time they have graduated, they have a direct pipeline to a living-wage job, whether or not they go on to college. The city should be connecting industry and business with recent grads, and creating the direct pipeline between critical skills and the employers that need employees with those skills. "
An Eight-and-a-Half Block Plan to Combat Downtown Crime
"The Eight-And-A-Half Block Plan focuses on those discrete, actionable dimensions of downtown crime and on increasing the difficulty of committing a crime, reducing the opportunity to commit a crime, and eliminating known catalysts of crime.
Narrow officers’ beats. It is well-known and studied that crime reduction strategies work best when concentrated on very small geographic areas--typically 2 blocks or less. We should narrow the geographic size of officers’ beats downtown and maintain consistent assignments and scheduling so that the same officer is patrolling the same area at the same time on the same days every single week. This will help both to strengthen relationships with officers and the businesses and residents they serve and to increase the depth of officers’ knowledge and ability to anticipate when, where, and how crime is most likely to occur. As further described below, this will require increasing the number of officers on the force.
Empower tailored solutions. Narrowing officers’ beats is not, in and of itself, sufficient if those officers are bound by top-down protocols that interfere with their ability to work with businesses, residents, and community members to tailor their public safety and law enforcement approach to the unique circumstances and attributes of the area in question. We must enact police policy and practice that grants officers the discretion to work with residents and business to identify when, where, and what type of law enforcement activity is best suited to address the specific problem crimes and problem areas at hand.
Increase the number of officers on the force. Narrowing officers’ beats means that we need more officers. Just as the number of teachers affects class size and the level of student-teacher interactions, the number of officers affects the size of beats and the level of officer-community interactions. Let me be clear that the goal of increasing the number of officers downtown is not to increase arrests by X percent but to decrease crime by 100 percent. The days of lurking and spitting laws are rightfully over in Minneapolis and they should never come back. As such, the focus of my plan is getting crime down, and doing so by reducing opportunities for crime to take place and enabling meaningful, results-oriented community policy. Currently, the Mayor’s budget allocates for adding one additional officer to the force. This is nowhere near what is needed to get our force up to the number of officers it needs. In fact, two weeks ago in her 2018 budget address, the Mayor stated that she has “no hesitation” extending the timeline to reach our city’s goal of having 901 sworn officers by an additional year. She may be unconcerned with the need for more officers, but those impacted by the dramatic increase in downtown crime are not.
Focus downtown CRT officers more on street crimes and gang activities. Community Response Team (CRT) officers are used by MPD to deal with specific high-crime areas with predictable patterns so that the precinct can maintain flexibility and capacity to respond to other service requests and needs. Currently, the city uses CRT officers primarily to deal with complaints about drug dealing and illegal liquor sales, which are mostly non-violent nuisance crimes. Given the predictability of gang related activities and their immediate nexus to much of the violent crime downtown, CRT officers should be refocused on following and watching gang members and their movements and activities, especially following bar close.
Reduce truancy and divert truant youth into community programs. An increase in crime goes hand-in-hand with an increase in truancy. Truancy and curfew laws were among the best short- and long-term crime prevention strategies the city of Minneapolis used after experiencing a rise in crime in 2006. First and second time offenders were directed into community-located diversion programs that helped these young people find constructive outlets for their energy. Overtime, enforcement of truancy and curfew laws to direct young people into these programs has waned. We should make the necessary investments and reforms to revive them.
Convert vacant lots into green space, parklets, or multi-use public spaces. Vacant lots are frequently used to hide and transfer illegal guns and often become hot-spots for loitering. Converting them into spaces with great foot traffic and public use reduces the opportunity for such activities.
Improve night time illumination in high-crime areas. The city should partner with housing developments and businesses to improve lighting on both municipal and private properties.
Improve MPD protocols for evidence collection, especially for crimes involving guns. Ensuring the integrity of evidence collection enables convictions for serious gun crimes to stick and helps remove illegal guns from the streets.
Improve identification and tracking of illegally owned guns. Violent crimes are very often committed using illegally obtained guns, the majority of which come from a small number of sources. Identifying those sources can both help shut down the flow of illegal guns and track down illegal guns already in circulation.
Develop a public-private network of security cameras. MPD should work with local businesses to develop and implement a memorandum of understanding and related policy to link together public and private security cameras into a network that can be accessed by law enforcement during emergencies. While we can presently access public cameras in a timely fashion, we need contact and location of camera placement for privately held businesses so we can all work together.
Create municipal summer employment for at-risk youth. The city should collaborate with the Parks Board, Hennepin County, and other units of government to provide these targeted opportunities.
Train and deploy street outreach workers to de-escalate conflicts and fights before they turn violent. While much of this is already being done, the program can be bolstered and laser-focused in warmer months.
Stagger bar closing times to reduce rush of crowds emptying onto the streets. We can’t claim to be a 24-hour city if we are rolling up the sidewalks at an arbitrarily selected hour, and we can’t pretend to have a vibrant nightlife if we are herding people away from downtown as soon as the clock strikes 2 am. We must stop using the “stampede and clear out” method presently being used, where bars empty onto the streets at 2 am, people are then pushed out of downtown, and leaving a city void of activity and eyes on the street. Like clockwork, it is almost always in these hours following the clearance when shootings occur.
Learn to value the night. Our night life can be more than a bunch of people getting drunk and going home. We can further enhance cultural aspects from design to fashion to music, and that innovation and creativity can further bolster our economy during the day. For purposes of crime, positive activity and street life hinders crime from taking place, and dissipates dead space that is ripe for bad activity. Other cities like Amsterdam and New York have instituted a “Night Mayor” - an unelected individual tasked with offering real time solutions and recommendations to the unique set of circumstances at night. This individual can help prevent crime, eliminate red tape, protect cultural icons notwithstanding increased rent, and provide real-time feedback to a council that may understand downtown during daylight hours but lack familiarity with nighttime issues.
Incorporate additional valet zones, cab stands, and ride-share pickup areas outside of bars and nightclubs to aid egress from crowds at bar close.
Steer urban improvements toward high-crime areas of downtown, not away. Density, walkability, adequate street lighting, and even landscaping are all elements of urban design that have been empirically shown to reduce crime both by reducing the opportunity to engage in criminal activity and by increasing the enjoyment and pride that residents take in inhabiting the space and reducing their willingness to vandalize it.
Restore funding for Crime Prevention Specialists. Several years ago, Minneapolis drastically cut funding for Crime Prevention Specialists that work with neighborhoods to develop local strategies for preventing violent crime, sex trafficking, and robberies. While there have been several opportunities to restore funding for crime prevention specialists in the Mayor's budget, it has not happened. A reactionary approach to crime is more costly than prevention both in terms of financial burdens on the city and, more importantly, irreparable harm to victims, communities, businesses, and, also, perpetrators. Restoring funding for crime prevention specialists must be a top priority.
For my broader public safety and police reform policy, please click here."
City Services & Constituent Care
"City Services & Constituent Care
Guarantee all constituents a response from the Mayor's office within 24 hours. If you live, work, or play in Minneapolis, you are important to us, and you deserve timely correspondence and a clear answer. Here's my pledge: when I am mayor, if you call/email our office with a question, you will get a response within 24 hours. This is a high bar, but I want you to hold us to it!
Make a point of personally speaking to constituents who call the Mayor's office. As a Council Member, I answer the phone myself when I'm in the office, and that will not change as mayor. I want to hear from constituents, and I will not hide from difficult issues. Rather, I'll step up my game and communicate even more. If you call in with a question when I'm in office, don't be surprised if you get a call back from the Mayor directly.
Commit my administration to high quality and efficient city services. The most important thing a city can do to make life easier for its residents is to guarantee them high quality and efficient city services. Every day, Minneapolis residents depend on their city government to ensure our sidewalks are walkable regardless of weather conditions, streets are plowed after snow storms, potholes are filled, and garbage is collected in a timely manner. While this is a management issue, it is also an equity issue for me: potholes and roads are fixed significantly slower in North Minneapolis than other wealthier neighborhoods of Minneapolis. As your mayor, I will make sure that Minneapolis does not allow the basic city services that we depend on to fall by the wayside."
Voting Rights & Access
"If elected, I'll focus on expanding access to the ballot by:
Increase voter turnout by bringing early voting access to non-presidential elections. While the satellite precincts for early voting that I pushed for in the 2016 presidential election were a huge success, I want to do more to support early voting as Mayor. One of the most important responsibilities the Mayor has is to write the city's budget. I want to use the budgets that will be written by my administration to provide for early voting options in midterm elections and even municipal elections, particularly in communities of color that have been denied the ballot by an inaccessible voting process time and again.
Double-down on protecting and expanding ballot access for renters. Minneapolis's pioneering law requiring landlords to provide tenants with voter registration forms and information is one of the laws I am most proud of having passed, a success that is spreading across the country as cities like Seattle follow our lead. As Mayor, I want to double down on this success with vigilant enforcement and penalties for landlords that refuse to comply. I will conduct a review of whether or not the city's approach to ensuring that landlords are complying with this ordinance is effective and, if it is lacking, lead the fight to make sure renters' rights are realized.
Fight for automatic voter registration at the state level. Our country is nearly alone in requiring a two-step process for voting: opt-in registration followed by voting. While states across the country have begun moving toward an automatic voter registration model, Minnesota's state legislators haven't answered the call. Minneapolitans need a visible and present Mayor who will use the office to champion justice not just in City Hall, but at the State Legislature.
Making voting more accessible for the Somali community. I am proud of the aforementioned work that I did to expand early voting in Minneapolis. But we have to do more than commend ourselves on the progress that we've made. This past election, too many voters in our Somali community faced unduly long lines because not enough translators were available at polling places in communities like Cedar-Riverside. And when thousands of Somalis turned out to caucus, organizing for an inclusive politics in the face of Trump presidency that has targeted so many members of their community, our party was not prepared enough to accommodate many of them. As mayor, I would fight to make sure that we invest the resources needed to ensure that people of all backgrounds are empowered on Election Days, and all days in between."
Transparency & Council Relations
"I believe that leadership starts with communication, and if we want to bring together residents from diverse neighborhoods across the city, we need a mayor who is out front, visible, and bringing people together to discuss the big ideas necessary to move Minneapolis forward. As a mayor, I'd focus on these areas:
Host town halls in every ward in Minneapolis. Council Members included! Part of being a visible and accessible Mayor means showing up in all parts of the city and getting to know all communities in the city. As Mayor, I will hold at least one town hall for every Ward in the City every year and invite the council members for the respective wards to join me.
Hold open-ended monthly press conferences. I will personally hold open-ended press sessions at least once every month and answer questions. Each open-ended press session will be no less than 30 minutes, assuming there are questions to answer. Crafted statements dodge the meat of an issue, mask lack of understanding about a particular policy, and rob the public of necessary facts. We won't hide from press. They are doing their job by asking questions, and I will do mine by answering them.
Fulfill data practice requests in a timely manner. Being committed to transparency in city government means promoting transparency with actions, not just public statements of support for the idea of open government. My office will prioritize fulfilling and complying with all requests by press and other individuals for emails and information sent by my staff using city resources. The mayor has to be accountable for how they use city resources and how decisions and policies are formulated, and I will hold myself to that standard even when divulging such information might be bad politics for my administration. This is part of my pledge to make the Mayor's office a place where people always come before the politics.
Build a coalition for progress on the City Council. I think that my ability to work with Council Members of all ideological stripes is what has enabled me to be a productive Council Member that has won progressive victories on affordable housing, climate change, decriminalizing marijuana, and voting access. What Minneapolis needs now is a Mayor that can do the same, a leader who will put him/her/their self on the line on behalf of an agenda that lifts all communities in Minneapolis, not just a few."
Affordable Housing & Homelessness
"My vision and plan include:
Preserving and Creating Affordable Housing Units
Dramatically increase funding for affordable housing. I am proud that, as a Minneapolis City Council Member, I successfully led the push to increase the Affordable Housing Trust Fund to a record level of more than $10 million, but this is not nearly enough. With state and federal cuts to low-income tax credits and Community Development Block Grant funding, Minneapolis will need to step up and pull together a coalition of willing metro municipalities. I advocate for Minneapolis setting aside a percentage of the tax revenue received from increases in certain properties valued at $300,000 or more for a special fund exclusively for affordable housing. By capturing this value, working with surrounding jurisdictions to do the same, and subsequently putting our money where it is most needed, we can attack this affordable housing crisis head-on.
Create more deeply affordable housing in areas with greater economic opportunities. While it is great that Minneapolis created affordable housing for people at 50-60% area median income, the city needs to start creating more housing that is deeply affordable, closer to 30% of area median income or even lower. The city should also emphasize locating this housing in areas that have greater economic opportunities. The importance of deeply affordable housing is also critical in providing an additional rung on the ladder to allow people experiencing homelessness to secure stable housing, as addressed in-depth in our section on homelessness below.
Increase the timeframe during which housing must be kept affordable. When Minneapolis subsidizes the development of affordable housing, it also requires that housing to remain affordable for 15 to 20 years. After that period lapses, however, the housing can be flipped to market-rate, putting us on a revolving treadmill of trying to build more affordable housing to keep up with that which we are losing. I support making critical investments to extend that period of time to 30 years or longer so that our affordable housing does not expire at such an alarming rate.
Build more affordable housing in wealthy and predominantly white neighborhoods. Minneapolis has a long tradition of concentrating affordable housing in areas where the least economic opportunities exist, resulting in the segregation of lower-income residents who are predominantly of color, while limiting the affordable options in whiter, more affluent neighborhoods. Sadly, while the rhetoric may have changed, the policy and practice has not. As the Council Member for the 3rd Ward, I fought, and continue to fight, for affordable housing in wealthy neighborhoods, including affordable housing exclusively for those with a felony record trying to rebuild their lives. I am proud that my ward has seen more city-supported affordable housing projects than any other majority-white ward, and I want to expand this approach citywide as mayor.
Fund the purchase of at-risk affordable housing to keep it affordable. Building more affordable housing is a must, but so is protecting the stock of naturally-occurring affordable housing that we already have, especially in order to minimize the displacement of lower-income tenants from their homes and neighborhoods. The city should help responsible organizations that own affordable housing units to purchase additional units from the naturally occurring stock as they become available for sale.
Increase funding in the budget for public housing. Building more affordable and market-rate housing of all kinds is necessary to solving the affordable housing crisis, but public housing is a critical tool for providing extremely affordable housing that can remain affordable for the long term.
Increase the stock of affordable owner-occupied multi-family housing. Homeownership plays a critical role in building inter-generational wealth. I support increasing investments in community land trusts to create and maintain affordable owner-occupied housing. Furthermore, to decrease the demand pressure on existing owner-occupied multi-family units that drives up these units’ prices, we must add to the supply. I am proud to have led a legislative effort to change the state law to allow for more owner-occupied units to be built.
Support green affordable housing. Efforts to improve the environmental sustainability of housing should not be treated as amenities that are only affordable in high-end developments. The city should invest in subsidizing the up-front costs of renewable energy and energy efficiency installments in affordable housing units, as well as the use of greener and safer building materials. This is essential as a matter of environmental justice, and makes good long-term economic sense as the cost of fossil fuel-based energy continues to increase.
Fighting for Pro-Density Policies and Growth
Exclusionary zoning and density policies created the housing shortage that is the backbone of our current affordable housing crisis and the racial and socioeconomic segregation plaguing Minneapolis. To make Minneapolis a city where all neighborhoods are open to all residents, we need to allow more height, higher-quality builds, and more units so that we aren't depressing the natural housing supply and driving up the cost of housing for residents who can't afford it.
Undo exclusionary zoning designations. I want Minneapolis to move away from zoning designations that keep low-income residents out of certain neighborhoods. Minneapolis is one of the most racially segregated cities in the country, and the city’s zoning code—and our unwillingness to fix it—has done more to limit the spatial mobility and economic opportunity of lower-income residents, who are predominantly of color, than almost any other policy on our books.
Decrease minimum lot sizes. The first large-lot zoning requirements in the country were originally written to exclude lower-income people of color from certain neighborhoods. Unfortunately, they succeeded in Minneapolis. I will fight to reduce minimum lot sizes as a key means of reversing this trend.
Phase-out parking minimums. I support phasing out requirements that new buildings provide parking because they substantially increase the cost of housing. Costs associated with parking are passed on as higher rent to people who need homes and can’t afford paying more to subsidize additional parking for those who can afford multiple cars.
Increase maximum occupancy limits. More people should be allowed to live together than currently are allowed by city law. Restrictive occupancy limits based on outdated conceptions of what a 'family' is supposed to look like often make life challenging for immigrant families, and I support changing these laws.
Amend floor area ratio maximums. I want to amend floor area ratio maximums (FARs) that limit smart housing solutions. In doing so, we can move beyond boring, bulky architecture, while making substantial public realm improvements and adding green space.
End Chronic Homelessness Within 5 Years
Everyone deserves a safe and secure place to call home. While investments have been made to mitigate some of the problems of homelessness, we have not taken sufficiently bold action to give people experiencing homelessness the tools they need to obtain stable, affordable housing. About 70% of our homeless population have at least one job and 30% have multiple, but they still can't afford a home because the cost gap between a homeless shelter and low-income housing is too vast, even with a job.
Ending homelessness is not only the just thing to do, it is also financially expedient. The cost to the city of a person living on the street is around $40,000 a year -- nearly 3 times the cost of giving them housing. Through inclusive Housing First policies, Utah was able to cut chronic homelessness almost to zero. Minneapolis should aspire to do the same for our most vulnerable residents."
Public Safety & Police Reform
"Policing Reforms & Improvements
Implement an enhanced beat cop system. To be more than just a catchphrase, community policing requires a restructuring of when, how, and by whom policing decisions are made. Playing pickup basketball with the neighborhood kids is not sufficient to build trust and partnership between police officers and communities if those officers are bound by top-down protocols that interfere with their ability to tailor their public safety and law enforcement approach to the unique circumstances, issues, and people of a given neighborhood. Assigning an officer to patrol a particular beat is not the same as empowering that officer to organize and represent that beat through developing relationships with its residents, businesses, and visitors. Policing works best when officers are as invested in their beat as those who live and work there. I support assigning officers beats that are narrower and that are consistently at the same time and in the same place. I want residents and local businesses to know, for example, that their police officer on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 4 to 10 PM is Officer Jill, as well as where to find her and maybe even what her number is. I want residents and businesses to develop relationships with the officers that serve them. In addition to assigning officers to specific neighborhoods and blocks, police policy and practice should enable those officers the discretion to work with residents and businesses to identify when, where, and what type of policing activity is best suited to addressing specific problems and problem areas. What works on Hennepin Ave. downtown may be different than what is needed in Loring Park.
Increase the number of officers living in Minneapolis. Currently, only about 8% of MPD's officers live in Minneapolis. Living in Minneapolis enhances officers' relationships with the people and communities they serve and gives them a vested interest in policing and public safety outcomes. I support incentivizing officers to live in the city. One way to do this is by working with area landlords to obtain reasonable rent reductions for tenants who are MPD officers. The landlord benefits because they have an officer on the premises, the officer benefits with a break in rent, and the city benefits because we officers that live in and care about our communities.
Implement standards of accountability and peer intervention. MPD should provide training for and implement policy to require that all officers intervene when observing a fellow officer engaging or about to engage in misconduct, abuse, or other unethical behavior. Officers who retaliate against colleagues who report such behavior should be disciplined and charged.
Implement comprehensive use-of-force reforms. We must implement the use-of-force reforms that the MPD rejected and that Mayor Hodges declined to implement less than a month before Justine Damond was shot, including requiring officers to exhaust reasonable alternatives before the use of deadly force is a permissible option, deterring officers from shooting at moving vehicles, and holding officers accountable for taking actions that unnecessarily place themselves, suspects, or bystanders in deadly force situations. Use-of-force policy violations must be met with strong disciplinary action, including dismissal, when warranted.
Reform de-escalation and implicit bias trainings. Currently, officers complete a one-off seminar at the start of their careers. These trainings should instead take place continuously throughout their time on the force.
Expand crisis intervention training. I will commit to finding funding to achieve the goal of having 100% of MPD officers trained in crisis intervention with additional funding for CIT refresher courses.
Strengthen body camera policies. Body cameras only work if they are turned on. The city should amend its policies to require that body cameras be activated earlier and remain activated longer. We should also institute a rebuttable presumption of misconduct for failure to turn on a body camera when required.
Implement standardized mental health services and support for officers. MPD should provide direct outreach, resources, and support for officers to obtain mental health evaluations, treatment, and care in a discreet and confidential manner.
Provide training to improve police interactions with transgender individuals. Transgender Minneapolitans are arrested at a rate disproportionate to their share of the population, a disparity that is further compounded for trans people of color. When interacting with police, transgender people are frequently subjected to misgendering, profiled as sex workers, or otherwise subject to bias. As Mayor, I will improve and expand the trainings that teach our police how to treat transgender people with respect and how to recognize their own implicit biases towards LGBTQIA individuals.
Make police stations a hub for community activity, not a fortress against it. Rather than fortify police stations against perceived threats from their surrounding communities, future investments in building, updating, or replacing police stations should require the integration of community spaces and amenities such as rooms where residents can hold neighborhood meetings and green space where they can recreate. As a public facility, a police station should invite the type of interaction that the police seek to have with their community.
Crime Control
Convert vacant lots into green space, parklets, or multi-use public spaces. Vacant lots are frequently used to hide and transfer illegal guns and often become hot-spots for loitering. Converting them into spaces with great foot traffic and public use reduces the opportunity for such activities.
Improve night time illumination in high-crime areas. The city should partner with housing developments and businesses to improve lighting on both municipal and private properties.
Improve MPD protocols for evidence collection, especially for crimes involving guns. Ensuring the integrity of evidence collection enables convictions for serious gun crimes to stick and helps remove illegal guns from the streets.
Improve identification and tracking of illegally owned guns. Violent crimes are very often committed using illegally obtained guns, the majority of which come from a small number of sources. Identifying those sources can both help shut down the flow of illegal guns and track down illegal guns already in circulation.
Develop a public-private network of security cameras. MPD should work with local businesses to develop and implement a memorandum of understanding and related policy to link together public and private security cameras into a network that can be accessed by law enforcement during emergencies.
Create municipal summer employment for at-risk youth. The city should collaborate with the Parks Board, Hennepin County, and other units of government to provide these targeted opportunities.
Train and deploy street outreach workers to deescalate conflicts and fights before they turn violent.
Stagger bar closing times to reduce rush of crowds emptying onto the streets.
Incorporate additional valet zones, cab stands, and ride-share pickup areas outside of bars and nightclubs to aid egress from crowds at bar close.
Crime Prevention
Address public safety as an urban planning issue. There is an important overlap between public safety, policing, and virtually all other aspects of urban life and the ability of city residents to thrive—housing, employment, education, health, economic investment, municipal funding and services, community development and strength, and more. The largest contributing factors to crime are lack of affordable housing, livable wages, walkable streets, adequate green space, and other fundamental necessities that are principal responsibilities of municipal government and urban planning to provide. Concurrently, decades of excessive policing targeted disproportionately at low-income communities of color has persistently eroded the livability of these communities, devastated their property values, and driven out their local businesses. Police reform and safety are necessary, but not sufficient to restore these communities. Municipal decision-making about land use, zoning, growth and density, affordable housing, transportation and transit, energy and environmental planning, and economic development must also be reformed such that enhancing public safety by eliminating contributing factors for its need is always a critical objective.
Steer urban improvements toward high-crime areas of downtown, not away. Density, walkability, adequate street lighting, and even landscaping are all elements of urban design that have been empirically shown to reduce crime both by reducing the opportunity to engage in criminal activity and by increasing the enjoyment and pride that residents take in inhabiting the space and reducing their willingness to vandalize it. To read more ideas for addressing crime in downtown Minneapolis, refer to my Eight-and-a-Half Block Plan.
Restore funding for Crime Prevention Specialists. Several years ago, Minneapolis drastically cut funding for Crime Prevention Specialists that work with neighborhoods to develop local strategies for preventing violent crime, sex trafficking, and robberies. While there have been several opportunities to restore funding for crime prevention specialists in the Mayor's budget, it has not happened. A reactionary approach to crime is more costly than prevention both in terms of financial burdens on the city and, more importantly, irreparable harm to victims, communities, businesses, and, also, perpetrators. Restoring funding for crime-prevention specialists must be a top priority.
Restorative Justice
Implement substantial bail reform. Nearly 34% of Americans who are charged with crimes have their time in jail unjustly prolonged simply because they can't afford to pay their bail. This damages livelihoods, families, and perpetuates the cycle of poverty and community displacement that pushes people back into the criminal justice system and denies them the second chance they deserve. City resources should be used to support victims of Hennepin County's out-dated and overly punitive bail system. Minneapolis should offer funding and technical support to organizations like Minnesota Freedom Fund, which pays the bail bond for those who cannot afford to do so. We should also develop a program to connect Minneapolitans subject to bail they can't afford to free or affordable legal counsel.
Restore justice around the decriminalization of marijuana. While marijuana use among white and black populations is roughly the same, black men have been 5 to 10 times more likely to be arrested and convicted for possession. These disparities exacerbate the equity gap by leaving people of color with criminal records that can disqualify them for jobs, loans, housing, and benefits. In 2016, I sponsored an ordinance that decriminalized marijuana possession. As Mayor, I will advocate for providing resources to help residents of color with prior criminal convictions for possession pursue expungements.
Increase funding to support needs of youth returning from incarceration. Minneapolis should be using some of its public safety budget to fund after-school programming and trauma-focused mental health therapy for our adolescent school-based clinics for kids coming out of the juvenile justice system."
Immigrant Rights & Protections
"I'm proud to support our new American communities here in Minneapolis. Ours is a nation built on the dreams and hard work of immigrants from across the world. That proud tradition shouldn't stop because Donald Trump is in office. Here in Minneapolis, we can do more than just resist this administration, we can be a beacon of inclusivity for the rest of the nation.
Defend New Americans from Trump's ICE. The mayor has direct control over the police department. Because of our separation ordinance, I am hopeful that we will be able to thwart Trump in his mission to destroy our New American communities without losing federal funds, but, even if we do lose federal money, I will not give an inch. I am willing to compromise on many things as mayor, but human rights, dignity, and safety will be non-negotiable for my administration.
Support Pipelines to Jobs for Our Immigrant Communities. Council Member Abdi Warsame led a heroic effort to open the Cedar-Riverside Opportunity Center to address long term unemployment in our East African community this spring. It has been a historic success that I was proud to support alongside Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin. As mayor, I would use city resources to support pipelines to jobs like those provided by this opportunity center because our immigrant communities all too often face discrimination when they try to find employment.
Promote Culturally Conscious City Services. We will never be able to make "All Are Welcome Here" a reality in our city if Minneapolis can't even ensure that its own city services are inclusive of all its residents. As mayor, I will fight for city services that are cognizant of language barriers, others' religious beliefs, and other cultural differences that we should be accounting for."
Endorsements
2017
Frey received endorsements from the following in 2017:[23]
Frey was mayor of Minneapolis during the weekend of May 29-31, 2020, when events and activity took place in cities across the U.S. following the death of George Floyd.
Events in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, area began on Tuesday, May 26, the day after George Floyd's death.[24] On May 28, Gov. Tim Walz (D) activated and deployed the Minnesota National Guard to the cities at the request of Mayor Jacob Frey (D).[25] That night, people occupied and set fire to the Third Precinct police department building in Minneapolis.[26] On May 29, Frey and St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter III (D) instituted curfews in the cities.[27]
On May 27, Frey said that the officer involved in Floyd's death, Derek Chauvin, should be arrested, saying, "I've wrestled with ... one fundamental question: Why is the man who killed George Floyd not in jail?"[28] On May 29, Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman (U) announced murder and manslaughter charges and Chauvin was arrested.[29]
To read more about the death of George Floyd and subsequent events, click [show] to the right.
On May 25, 2020, Minneapolis police officers arrested Floyd, a Black man, after receiving a call that he had made a purchase with a counterfeit $20 bill.[30] Floyd died after Derek Chauvin, a White officer, arrived at the scene and pressed his knee onto Floyd's neck as Floyd laid face-down on the street in handcuffs.[31] Both the Hennepin County Medical Examiner and an independent autopsy conducted by Floyd's family ruled Floyd's death as a homicide stemming from the incident.[32] The medical examiner's report, prepared by Dr. Michael Baden and Dr. Allecia Wilson, said that it was "not a legal determination of culpability or intent, and should not be used to usurp the judicial process."[32] On April 20, 2021, Chauvin was found guilty of murder and manslaughter in relation to Floyd's death.[33]
Floyd's death was filmed and shared widely, leading to activity regarding racism, civil rights, and police use of force. The first events took place in Minneapolis-St. Paul on May 26.[34] An event in Chicago organized by Chance the Rapper and Rev. Michael Pfleger took place the same day, making it the first major city outside of Minneapolis to host an event in response to Floyd's death.[35]
On June 2, the Minnesota Department of Human Rights filed charges of race-based discrimination against the Minneapolis Police Department as a result of Floyd's treatment. The charges called for "an investigation into whether the respondent’s training, policies, procedures, practices, including but not limited to use of force protocols, and any corresponding implementation, amounts to unlawful race-based policing, which deprives people of color, particularly Black community members, of their civil rights under
the Minnesota Human Rights Act."[38] Frey responded to the announcement in a statement saying, "For our city to begin healing, we need to deliver justice for George Floyd and his family and enact deep, meaningful policing reforms. For years in Minneapolis, police chiefs and elected officials committed to change have been thwarted by police union protections and laws that severely limit accountability among police departments. I welcome today's announcement because breaking through those persistent barriers, shifting the culture of policing, and addressing systemic racism will require all of us working hand- in-hand."[39]
Several days later, on June 5, Frey signed a temporary restraining order that prohibited the Minneapolis Police Department from using chokeholds and required officers to report incidents in which they witness excessive use of force. In response to calls from citizens to dismantle the institution, Frey said, "I'll work relentlessly with [Minneapolis Police] Chief [Medaria] Arradondo and alongside community toward deep, structural reform and addressing systemic racism in police culture. And we're ready to dig in and enact more community-led, public safety strategies on behalf of our city. But I do not support abolishing the Minneapolis Police Department."[40] To learn more about policy changes in response to the killing of George Floyd, click here.
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