Letters - Oct 2025

TIME FOR NEW WARD 9 CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
Before I begin, I want to acknowledge a worry: that our words may sound cold or uncaring. That is not our heart. This perspective comes from 23 neighbors who love our community. We hesitated to speak up, but the situation feels too important to stay silent.
We are writing out of concern about the 60-person Aldi encampment and Councilmember Jason Chavez’s recent vote opposing its removal. We have deep empathy for unhoused individuals – many of us have loved ones who have faced homelessness or addiction – and we agree that Minneapolis must provide real help. At the same time, the encampment has created serious safety and health hazards and Jason Chavez’s attempt to block its removal shows unresponsiveness to this part of the problem.
The encampment lacks water service, leading to human excrement in business doorways and alleys such as ours. Drug paraphernalia is left on sidewalks, and overdoses have occurred in our yards. Individuals struggling with addiction stagger in streets; propane tanks pose fire risks; some families have faced harassment. Neighborhood children, some of whom attend the nearby school, are exposed to these unsanitary, unsafe conditions.
Despite these problems, Mr. Chavez voted against city efforts to remove the encampment, leaving our community without relief or a clear plan. Fortunately, other council members approved legal action against the property owner, opening a path toward resolution.
Homelessness is a humanitarian crisis that requires compassionate, responsible solutions – solutions that respect the dignity of unhoused individuals while protecting neighborhood families. Ward 9 deserves leadership that pursues safe, hygienic shelter, treatment programs, and accountability for property owners, while also safeguarding residents.
We believe it is time for new leadership on city council who will bring forward compassionate and practical solutions for both our community and those experiencing homelessness.
Thank you for hearing our perspective. We love our neighborhood, and we hope you understand our shared values of compassion and action.
Roy Cerling
Teresa Cerling
Elizabeth Obrien
Nancy Ford