We need your voice to bring funding to Lake Street. You can help by calling or emailing your Minneapolis City Council Member and Mayor Frey and asking them to invest in the future of Lake Street. We need essential funding for redevelopment and community safety to bring customers back to our neighborhoods.  

The Minneapolis City Council is in the process of passing a new budget for 2024-2025. You can read the Mayor’s 2024 recommendations here. Members of the City's Budget Committee have proposed 48 amendments to this budget. 

These amendments boost funding for community safety initiatives on corridors like Lake Street, increase support for innovative direct services delivery efforts like the LEAD program, and enhance efforts to support BIPOC entrepreneurs who wish to purchase and develop local properties. 

This week City Council members will discuss and vote on the proposed amendments to the budget at the following two meetings:

• Thursday, November 30, 2023, 10 am, Budget Committee, Amendment Adoption (Watch Here)

• Friday, December 1, 2023, 10 am, Budget Committee, Amendment Adoption (Watch Here)

A final public hearing on the budget will take place on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, at 6:05 pm. This will be the last opportunity to speak directly to City Council members regarding the proposed budget before it is adopted. This meeting is open for in-person public comment or can be watched here. Written comments can be submitted online or emailed to councilcomment@minneapolismn.gov at any time.

The Lake Street Council is urging businesses and residents to contact city leaders and ask them to support investments in corridor rebuilding and livability initiatives. We believe the Minneapolis City Council should include funding in the budget for the following items:

• Public Safety for Lake Street, including a new Lake Street Safety Coordinator, safety center, and ambassadors. Funding for public safety along Lake Street would allow us to help the Lake Street business community participate in public safety prevention and response. We need funding to improve coordination between siloed security providers including violence interrupters, private security agencies, and social service agencies. 

• Extension of CPED’s Developer Training Assistance Program (DTAP). This highly regarded program supports BIPOC  and local entrepreneurs in building assets through training in real estate ownership and development.

• We support robust investment in the Ownership and Opportunity Fund (formerly CPDF or Commercial Property Development Fund). This is a very important gap financing program that has helped properties destroyed by civil unrest stay in the hands of local entrepreneurs and redevelopers.

• Full funding for the LEAD program, which brings case managers to the street.

• Sidewalk snow and ice removal in areas along the Pedestrian Priority Network, which includes Lake Street. 

• Funding CPED at the 2024 proposed or increased levels. Programs like the Business District Support, Facade Improvement, and Cultural District programs are modest investments that help attract customers to our local businesses, activate our corridors, celebrate the distinct cultures represented in our cultural districts, and help ensure that everyone feels welcome and safe in our business districts.

We need your voice. You can help by calling or emailing your Minneapolis City Council Representatives and Mayor Frey to invest in the future of Lake Street. We need essential funding for redevelopment and community safety to bring customers back to our neighborhoods.  

Written comments can be submitted online or emailed to councilcomment@minneapolismn.gov at any time. 

Template email to send to your Council Member

While personalizing the letter to fit your voice is most impactful, remember to first lead with the primary ask - to invest in Lake Street

Dear [INSERT CITY COUNCIL MEMBER HERE]:

As a [local small business owner/resident], I ask that you support investments in Lake Street’s corridor rebuilding and livability initiatives. We need 

I encourage you to invest in:

• Public safety for Lake Street including a new Lake Street Safety Coordinator, safety center, and ambassadors.

• Extension of CPED’s Developer Training Assistance Program (DTAP). 

• Full funding for the LEAD program

• Robust investment in the Ownership and Opportunity Fund

• Sidewalk snow and ice removal for Lake Street and other corridors

• Funding CPED at the 2024 proposed or current or increased levels.

Small businesses bring incredible economic and cultural value to our city – and the City of Minneapolis has an essential role to play in supporting this vibrant corridor and helping it thrive. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

[NAME]

[PLACE OF RESIDENCE / BUSINESS NAME]