February 2nd E-newsletter from Ward 3 Council Member Michael Rainville

February 2 e-newsletter from Ward 3 Council Member Michael Rainville

Message from Council Member Rainville

Neighbor,

As many of you know, I’m a lifelong resident and active member of our community. I grew up in Ward 3 and have lived in St. Anthony West my whole life. I am excited to work for all of you as your Minneapolis City Council Member. Over the next two years, I expect to have conversations with many of you about the current direction and future of our beloved city. While we have serious challenges ranging from public safety to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I am confident our community will emerge stronger and our city will be able to rise to the occasion.

For the upcoming term I will be serving on the following council committees:

• Public Health and Safety
• Business, Inspections, Housing and Zoning
• Intergovernmental Relations

I ran on providing excellent constituent service and I remain committed to doing so during my time as your city council member. I want to introduce my two aides, Ryan SanCartier and Henry Jarvinen.

Ryan is in his fifth year at City Hall and is my Senior Policy Aide. Before joining my office, Ryan worked for Council Members Warsame, Osman and Reich. He lives in Northeast and enjoys running by the river and the diverse options for food and drink our community has to offer.

Henry comes from the campaign world. Before joining my office as my Policy Associate he worked on Senator Amy Klobuchar’s 2018 senate campaign, 2020 presidential campaign, and was campaign manager for Council Member Jamal Osman in 2021. He has lived in Minneapolis his whole life.

Friends of the Falls will negotiate the City’s acquisition of federal land near St. Anthony Falls

The City Council has approved having Friends of the Falls serve as the City’s agent in negotiations with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers over the acquisition of federal land surrounding the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock & Dam. The agreement also has the organization paying all costs associated with the transfer of land into municipal ownership, which is anticipated to happen later this year.

“This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate the spectacular environmental birthplace of Minneapolis and to also work with our Native American community,” said Council Member Michael Rainville, whose ward includes St. Anthony Falls. “We need to recognize the importance of this land to the people who’ve been here long before the city was ever founded.”

Minneapolis response to carjackings

• There has been a sharp rise in carjacking crimes across the region. Carjacking crimes are robberies with the loss of a vehicle using a threat of violence, use of force, or use of a weapon as the victim is entering or leaving the vehicle.
• The Minneapolis Police Department is apprehending suspects, investigating cases, and collaborating with the Hennepin County Attorney’s office and the courts to hold offenders accountable. The County has dedicated two prosecutors to specialize in the prosecution of these cases: one for juvenile cases and one for adult cases. The County has also designated an advocate to assist victims of carjackings.
• Review safety tips from the MPD.

$200 Visa gift card registration now open for 5- 11-year-olds getting vaccinated

• The State’s registration form is now open for parents to claim their $200 Visa gift card for vaccinating their 5- to 11-year-old children. Minnesota families whose 5- to 11-year-olds receive both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in January and February are eligible to receive a $200 gift card.
• Registration for the $200 Visa gift card closes at 11:59 p.m. Feb. 28. Parents and guardians can register their 5- to 11-year-old after completing their two-dose series.
• Children’s vaccine incentive information is available in English, Español (Spanish), Hmoob (Hmong), Soomaali (Somali).
• $100,000 Minnesota college scholarship drawings
  • Later this spring, there will be drawings for five $100,000 Minnesota college scholarship drawings for all kids in Minnesota 5-11 years old who are fully vaccinated. All kids in Minnesota ages 5-11 years old who completed their first and second doses at any point up to the registration deadline will be eligible to enter for a chance to win a $100,000 college scholarship. Details on the drawings will be announced in the coming months.
• How to find a COVID-19 vaccine for children
  • Visit mn.gov/vaxforkids to find clinic locations near you.
  • Check with your pediatrician, family medicine clinic or local pharmacy about appointments.

• Watch for vaccination clinics being offered at schools or other community locations around Minnesota.

Order your free at-home COVID-19 test kits from the federal government

• You can now request free at-home COVID-19 test kits from the federal government at COVIDtests.gov.
  • Each home in the U.S. is eligible to order four free at-⁠home COVID-⁠19 tests. The tests are free. Orders will usually ship in seven to 12 days.
  • The tests are rapid antigen at-home tests, not PCR tests. They can be taken anywhere. They will give results within 30 minutes; no lab drop-off is required.

• Testing is one of the critical tools to protect residents and workers, reduce pressure on hospitals, and help keep schools and businesses open.

• Read the frequently asked questions (FAQs).

City to invest in 797 affordable housing units throughout Minneapolis

• The City Council has approved $15.7 million in direct investment and $1.1 million in 10-year federal tax credits to create or preserve 797 units of decent, safe, affordable rental housing in 10 projects throughout the city. Almost 300 units will be for people with incomes at or less than 30% of area median income with 152 of those units to help people get out of homelessness.
• These City investments are part of the City’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund and Federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit programs and will make use of more than $278.8 million in additional private and public resources.
• The Affordable Housing Trust Fund creates new and preserves existing affordable housing for low income renters (with incomes at or below 50% area median income, or $52,450 per year for a family of four). Almost 75% of such renters pay more than 30% of their income for housing because of the affordable housing shortage in the city. Black people, Indigenous people and people of color are disproportionately affected by housing instability.
• You can watch the news conference on the City’s YouTube channel.

This week, City Council members and the Mayor launched the #EatLocalMPLS campaign to support our local small businesses restaurants as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic. So go out and grab a meal from your favorite place!