Aisha’s Accomplishments & Priorities

Workers are the backbone of what makes Minneapolis. We all deserve a stable, living-wage job, free of intimidation, free of wage theft, and with the right to organize in our workplaces.

Accomplishments: 

• Sat at the bargaining table as a Councilmember to help workers at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts get a fair contract and make sure visitors from around the state continue investing in our community

• Lead author of the Labor Standards Boards Board Policy to give workers, employers, and community stakeholders a seat at the table to directly inform public policy

• Successfully passed historic wage increases for rideshare drivers

• Lead author of a budget amendment in 2023 to allocate $2 million for increased wages for the lowest-wage workers in our City

• Fought for recruitment and retention incentives for 911 employees, leading to fully staffing our 911 call takers for the first time in years

• Every year I advocated for co-enforcement funding in our City budget to protect and enforce our workplace regulations, successfully fully funding it on an ongoing basis beginning this year

• Voted in support of resolutions to support striking and negotiating workers including educators from the Minneapolis Federation of Teachers Local 59 during their strike in 2022, for the Minnesota Nurses Association in their fight for a fair contract in 2022, for our park workers with LiUNA in 2024 during their negotiations, and for Delta Airline workers in their ongoing fight to form a union

The Work Ahead:

• Ensuring that workers, employers, and stakeholders have opportunities to inform public policy through our advisory boards

• Work to create a fair and consistent labor management policy that allows every City employee to be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace

• Protecting co-enforcement funding and ensuring there are ongoing resources dedicated to protecting workers and informing them of their rights

• Revising our Earned Sick and Safe Time Ordinance to be in alignment with the State and provide meaningful support for employers in complying with regulations and education for workers to inform them of their rights

• Working in partnership with performers throughout the City to ensure that the artists that make our City unique are able to continue living and performing in Minneapolis

• Passing a Fair Scheduling Ordinance to ensure employees can know their schedule and count on their hours, and improve the long term retention of employees at our local businesses

Housing is a human right. Everyone should have a stable, affordable, and dignified place to call home.

Accomplishments:

• Worked to pass the Mandatory Disclosure Ordinance that mandated property owners disclose critical information to tenants so renters understand what tier of license their landlord has, how to get a hold of them, and how to contact the City with concerns

• Doubled the renter representation on the Rent Stabilization Work Group — which prohibited slumlords from participating while recommending a strong rent stabilization policy to hold corporate landlords to the same standards small local landlords hold themselves to

• Authored the City’s Rent Stabilization Policy following the completion of the Rent Stabilization Workgroup.

• Invested in fire suppression systems in public housing high rises to make sure being on a fixed income isn’t a death sentence

• Worked to increase funding for affordable housing preservation allowing Regulatory Services to support preservation projects and stabilize housing for more low-income residents

• Supported and passed Senior Housing code abatement allowing senior homeowners to access small loans or grants for code abatement and repair

• Successfully expanded the Stable Homes Stable Schools program allowing MPHA to serve up to 500 families every year

The Work Ahead:

• Pass a strong rent stabilization policy that incentivizes compliance and works for the housing conditions of Minneapolis and the renters who call it home

• Pass ongoing investment in public housing through a dedicated levy to address the maintenance backlog in existing public housing  and build more public housing to the maximum allowed under federal law

• Author a strong Tenant Opportunity to Purchase and Community Opportunity to Purchase Act to ensure we preserve our existing affordable housing, increase pathways to homeownership, and ensure a stable and affordable housing market for all.

• Continue to fund and expand programs to remove toxins and lead from residential properties

• Increase funding to Regulatory Services to add more inspectors capable of holding accountable problem properties that neglect tenants

Every resident deserves affordable, reliable, and accessible transit. We need to create infrastructure and roads that work for everyone, whether they drive, take public transportation, walk, bike, or roll.

Accomplishments:

• Passed a Hennepin Avenue redesign plan. At first passed a historic alignment that was vetoed by the Mayor that included 24/7 bus lanes. I fought for our vision and we got the best possible solution passed

• Championed historic funding for neighborhood traffic calming projects because Ward 10 is home to some of our most dangerous streets for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders

• Passed a Legislative Directive to study the cost and implementation of a municipal sidewalk snow and ice clearing program 

• Fully funded pilot programs to address gaps in sidewalk snow and ice clearing

• Passed a resolution giving Municipal Consent for the BlueLine Extension 

• Expanded Bus Rapid Transit in Uptown through the B Line and E Line

• Voted in support of the Twin Cities Boulevard Proposal for the Rethinking I-94 project that prioritized public transportation access and green spaces in our communities

• Fully funded a Senior transportation program so our Senior residents can access all that our city has to offer

The Work Ahead:

• Fully implement the City’s Transportation Action Plan, Complete Streets Policy, and Vision Zero Policy

• Create additional policies that ensure dedicated bus lanes are for bus traffic only.

• Ensure all City resurfacing projects prioritize the Transportation Action Plan and improve compliance with our stated transportation goals

• Improve enforcement of bike, bus, and pedestrian infrastructure while maintaining our commitment to addressing the steep racial inequities and disparities present in traffic enforcement

Building safe and healthy communities requires a humane, compassionate, and public health-centered response to homelessness.

Accomplishments:

• Authored a budget amendment funding a public health approach to encampments to treat our unsheltered neighbors with the dignity they deserve and ensuring that our communities are safe and healthy with funding for 

• Personal storage solutions

• Handwashing stations

• Portable bathrooms

• ongoing support for Hennepin County Continuum of Care providers and warming shelters

• Helped lead the council to provide emergency funding for Avivo Village to keep its doors open and ensure the critical services and shelter they provide to our community can continue

• Was one of the lead authors to provide emergency housing vouchers for 50 individuals and 50 families who are currently unsheltered, allowing them to immediately access housing

• Secured funding for a low-barrier employment pilot program to establish Public Works jobs for those experiencing homelessness or housing instability

• Played a critical role in passing funding for the Minnesota Indian Women’s Resource Center (MIWRC) to allow unsheltered residents a safe place to be during extreme weather conditions in Minneapolis

• Worked with County, State, and Federal partners to open a 40-bed women’s shelter and bring 130 new units of emergency and transitional housing to the Ward
  

The Work Ahead:

• Work with Hennepin County and the State of Minnesota to create more welcoming and accessible shelter beds so residents who want to stay in a shelter can

• Continue the work as co-author of the Safe Outdoor Spaces Ordinance to provide another point of access on the continuum of care to get people into long-term, stable housing

• Pass legislation that codifies the process by which unsheltered communities are disrupted to ensure we are minimizing the trauma vulnerable people are experiencing and providing consistency in our practices across the City

Ward 10 is home to several of the city’s most profitable commercial and economic corridors. Uptown is one of the most vibrant and important corridors in our city — I’m committed to continuing the work of investing in its growth and supporting local entrepreneurship. 

Accomplishments:

• Increased funding for the Ownership and Opportunity Fund to help promote local commercial property ownership in Minneapolis

• Increased funding for b-tap and c-tap programs (technical assistance funding) in our community to make sure small businesses have the support they need to stay here. This included designating specific technical assistance funding for Uptown Small Businesses

• Created small business high road Employer intervention – providing our local employers access assistance in implementing existing labor standards effectively without harming their business

• Authored a budget amendment to create a $900,000 small business support for construction hardship program – providing fully forgivable loans for our small businesses in need

• Invested in the development of the Rise Up Center in Uptown, encouraging workforce development with a new center deeply rooted in community

• Increased funding for Developer Technical Assistance – providing developers with the knowledge and tools to navigate real estate development, evaluate and manage risks, and work on projects rooted in Minneapolis

• Ensured community feedback has been present at every step of developing the old K-Mart site

The Work Ahead:

• Ensure the community remains engaged as the first parcels of land are developed at the K-Mart Site 

• Continue to invest in Traffic Calming projects throughout the ward

• Sustain funding and create additional programs to support local small businesses who make Ward 10 a primary Cultural and Arts destination in the City

Everyone deserves to feel safe and at home in Minneapolis. I am committed to ensuring all residents are served by a comprehensive, and diverse public safety system.

Accomplishments:

• Helped secure the addition of 5 civilian investigators to MPD to address the backlog of unsolved cases

• Lead on increasing the investment in Behavioral Crisis Response, and ensured the contract will now be housed with the Minneapolis Fire Department – allowing our emergency responders to work together more closely to serve the people of Minneapolis

• Helped lead the Council in passing and securing a historic level of investment into neighborhood traffic calming, making our streets safer and more accessible throughout the City

• Successfully passed a budget amendment to add an additional 5th precinct crime prevention specialist – allowing more Ward 10 residents to access this low barrier resource and address safety concerns in our neighborhoods

• Allocated $100,000 specifically for crime prevention and public safety strategy in the Whittier neighborhood

• Assisted in the work to update the Ordinance that guides our Community Commission on Police Oversight

• Directed resources for needle clean-up in the City’s greenzones

The Work Ahead:

• Continue the policy work I began this year to increase access to life saving harm reduction tools such as Naloxone and Fentanyl Test Strips

• Work with City Staff to make sure community resources within the Department of Neighborhood Safety are deployed with community feedback and collaboration

• Work with leaders at every level of government to work together to meaningfully and urgently implement restorative solutions to address the rise in violence perpetrated by young people

• Invest in programs that ensure the appropriate responders come when we call 911

• Continue to invest in strategies that reflect what the data shows — investments in addressing the root causes of crime such as poverty, lack of access to public mental health services, and the shrinking number of truly public gathering places are the best ways to reduce crime

We need leaders who act with the urgency our climate crisis demands. I believe in working to repair decades of environmental racism, and ensure everyone in our community has access to clean air and water.

Accomplishments: 

• Served on the Clean Energy Partnership for the last two years, increasing community engagement in the partnership and working with staff to secure the most environmentally friendly franchise agreements in the City’s history. That means finally getting corporations like Xcel and CentrePoint Energy to begin doing their fair share to build a healthier and greener Minneapolis.

• Passed a resolution with accompanying investments to make strides for Minneapolis to become a zero-waste city by diverting waste away from incinerators and landfills that pose a public health risk to our communities and threaten our environment

• Funded the Climate Legacy Initiative, Zero Waste planning so we can meet our Climate goals

• Passed the creation of a new Carbon Fee to ensure the City’s highest polluters were the ones footing the bill for our Climate Programming

The Work Ahead:

• Increase Franchise Fees up to $100 million per year to ensure the City’s climate work is fully funded

• Work to reduce commercial and industrial carbon emissions through every means possible

I believe our democracy is only set up for success when our local governments do their due diligence to create transparency and accountability, while putting residents first.

Accomplishments:

• Served as the Vice Chair of the Budget Committee for two years, and Chair of the Budget Committee for two years

• Lead the Budget Committee through a restructuring that changed Council budget priorities and negotiations with the Mayor from backroom meetings, to a public process

• Created new guidelines for all City departments in presenting their Budgets to ensure the public has access to information about how and why tax dollars are spent

• Increased oversight of contracts and community partners within the Department of Neighborhood Safety to ensure our unarmed safety services are improving outcomes

The Work Ahead:

• Continue the work that began this year to implement Legislative Process Reform so the public has more clarity and information at every level of policy development

• Finalize the work started this term to update City Financial Policies to be in line with national best practices and set the City up for long-term success in spending oversight

• Increase investments made into our Audit Department so the City has a strong, and independent professional staff executing oversight functions

I believe equity for LGBTQIA2S + Community means ensuring historic harms are addressed, people have what they need to thrive, and have access to safe, supportive, and just spaces.

Accomplishments:

• Dedicated permanent resources for the City to hire a staff member to support work related to sexual orientation, gender expression, and gender identity

• Funded the creation of a publicly accessible registry of LGBTQIA2S+ friendly and specialized care providers so community members can more easily access the care they need

• Allocated resources for businesses to implement gender neutral bathrooms at no cost to business owners

• Ensured municipal funds were specifically allocated for LGBTQIA+ mental health programs

• Lead moving the Trans Equity Summit into the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department to make sure our City experts in partnering with, and being led by, communities are housing the powerful work done through the Trans Equity Summit

The Work Ahead:

• Ensure LGBTQIA2S+ people have access to community specific programming in housing, shelter, and recovery services

• Continue to remove gendered language from City policy, applications, and forms

• Repeal laws that criminalize loitering that are disproportionately used to criminalize Black and Indigenous Trans people and sex workers

I believe Minneapolis should be a City that works to undo the systemic harms done to our marginalized communities, and uplift those who have been left behind.

Accomplishments:

• Was the lead author of the Minneapolis Call to Prayer Ordinances

• Ensure the passage of an updated Civil Rights Ordinance that bans discrimination based on height and weight and increases the rights of individuals who are justice impacted

• Funded Little Earth community outreach and safety programs

• Funded and supported programming for Midtown Phillips violence prevention and safety services

• Established culturally specific resources for Indigenous and East African Community Opioid Response

• Supported and passed making Minneapolis a Latino Cultural destination

• Provided funding for a successful annual Latino Business week

• Funded an Indigenous Wealth Building Center Development project with the Mni Sota Fund

• Increased funding for the Ownership and Opportunity Fund to help promote local commercial property ownership in Minneapolis

• Allocated resources for a citywide study for Electric Wheelchair, Scooter, Mobility Aid, and Phone Charging stations to identify the feasibility of implementation in Minneapolis to make Minneapolis more accessible

• Increased funding to provide Immigration Legal Services

• Secured funding for Drivers License Access and Education programs so immigrants in Minneapolis can acquire their license

The Work Ahead:

• Continue to increase resources for legal services for our robust and diverse immigrant community in Minneapolis

• Work in partnership with Federal, County, and State partners to protect and maintain the City’s Separation Ordinance 

• Continue to work in collaboration with the City Attorney’s Office to protect residents from decisions made by the Trump administration