Looking Back
2018 saw a lot of momentum-building for PPNA’s advocacy work. We deepened our work in renters’ rights with the Minneapolis Renters Coalition (MRC) and surrounding safety efforts with the South Minneapolis Public Safety Coalition (SMPSC). We also remained active in community issues that came up throughout the year, like the development on the corner of Chicago and Lake. Here are some highlights from the past year.
Photo Credit: Brenda Marcos for Powderhorn365
Love East Lake
Thanks to a generous grant from the City of Minneapolis (specifically, the Community Collaborative Safety Grant), PPNA launched the Love East Lake initiative in collaboration with our SMPSC partners. With the goal of celebrating and driving positive engagement on Lake Street, a series of events took place from August to November of 2018. Some favorites included a Health Truck Rally, Wishing Wall, Street Buskers, and various neighborhood cleanups. We were able to reach thousands of people and remind them of the wonderful vibrancy Lake Street brings to our community. Feel free to pop into PPNA to pick up some free “Love East Lake” swag!
Renters' Bill of Rights
MRC's overall efforts, along with dozens of other groups and organizations that champion renter protections, has helped influence Minneapolis Council President Lisa Bender and Council Member Jeremiah Ellison' s call to help make renters’ rights a priority. From this work came the beginnings of a renters’ Bill of Rights. While it is still a document in process and has not yet been adopted by the Council, an official framework was introduced in August of 2018 and the work has not stopped.
Looking Ahead
Advocating for More Resources
In the new year, PPNA will continue to advocate for more material resources in Powderhorn when it comes to safety. Whether it’s better lighting and street cleanup or investment dollars in keeping our community safe and vibrant, we know that we need more solutions.
Photo Credit: Kimani Beard for Powderhorn365
More Renter Protection
When we think about our work in protecting renters in 2019, we are particularly focused on those renters that are often marginalized under the current protections. We will continue to push for the Renters’ Bill of Rights and more city ordinances and policies that protect all renters in our community. In addition, the Minneapolis Renters Coalition is excited to launch an emergency fund to assist cost-burdened renters in our communities. PPNA will be overseeing administration of this fund, and we plan to launch within the first quarter of 2019. We are proud to not only be advocating for continued, future change but to also provide accessible, tangible assistance to those in our community who are cost-burdened.
We Need Your Voice!
To keep this momentum going, we need your help! As we advocate for all kinds of positive change throughout the next year, there will be many opportunities to join in on community meetings, share testimony, donate, write letters, or volunteer. If you'd like to get involved, email Cori Lin, our Community Partnerships Coordinator, at cori@ppna.org.