Divided on eviction extension

We can do both things. We can stop an eviction crisis and we can fund affordable housing in this city.”

Soren Stevenson

Their professional expertise tells us that pausing evictions is not the answer to this crisis. It’s rental assistance.”

Linea Palmisano

Audio

Divided on eviction extension_Cam Gordon.mp3

Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed an ordinance this week that would have given renters an extra 30 days of notice before being evicted through August 2026.

There has been an increase in renters across Minnesota struggling to pay bills after Operation Metro Surge sent families into hiding and primary income earners were detained by federal agents.
Renters are currently receiving a 30-day notice before eviction.

The ordinance, co-authored by Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley, Ward 6 Council Member Jamal Osman, Ward 8 Council Member Soren Stevenson, Ward 9 Council Members Jason Chavez, Ward 10 Council Member Aisha Chughtai and Ward 12 Council Member Aurin Chowdhury, was approved by the City Council on March 5 by a 7-5 majority with Ward 11 Council Member Jamison Whiting abstaining.

The Council may override the mayor’s veto with nine votes at its meeting on March 26.

A hearing held on March 3 revealed a difference of opinion about how effective the proposal would be between those who fund, own, and operate rental housing and others in the community.

Ward 2 Council Member Robin Wonsley (and lead author of the ordinance) said that housing advocate organizations have seen “massive increases in residents seeking rental assistance.”

Wonsley noted that the state legislature is considering a bill that could make $75 million in rental assistance available this summer.

“This gives us an opportunity at the local level, while our State leaders and other partners in the community are doing everything they can to keep our neighbors in their homes,” Wonsley said.
The Minnesota Senate approved $40 million in emergency rental assistance on March 11, but the bill is unlikely to pass the Minnesota House.

A recent Center of Urban Regional Affairs report, “Rent debt across Minnesota during Operation Metro Surge” by Nick Graetz and Yusra Murad, estimates that 30-50% of renters could currently be behind in rent.

Also in the report, the 211 Spanish-language line has seen a 15-fold increase in calls for rental assistance. HOME Line, a legal assistance service for renters, reported a 72% increase in requests for financial assistance in January 2026 compared to January 2025.

“The threat is that we have a massive eviction crisis,” said Ward 8 Council Member, and co-author, Soren Stevenson. “The community has stood up over and over again and they have raised millions of dollars.”

The landlords weigh in
Of the over 80 individuals and organizations who provided written comments on the proposal, 11 were opposed to the ordinance. All but one were either a landlord, rental property funder, developer, owner, manager or their representative.

At the March 3 public hearing, nine people out of 70 were against the proposal. All were rental property owners or operators.

Those against the extension included the Minnesota Multi Housing Association, LISC Twin Cities, Lupe Development, Wall Companies, AEON, RS Eden, the Twin Cities Housing Development Corporation, CommonBond Communities, Catholic Charities, Agate Housing, and Brian Flakne of Marcy Park Apartment.

“The bottom line is that landlords in Minneapolis have suffered due to ICE and the resolution is not a full solution,” said Andre Duke, who owns rental property in Ward 5 and 7. “The answer is giving help to the tenants to pay rent and to the landlords who are struggling.”

Landlords are also concerned about shouldering the economic burden for economic conditions they did not cause, as the Minneapolis Affordable Housing Collaborative testified.

“A ‘stay’ of eviction proceedings with the hope that ‘rent help’ funds might be found is unreasonable,” said Tim Sullivan and Allison Dohnalek, representing the Minneapolis Affordable Housing Collaborative.

“Our experience shows that early intervention and not delayed action is what prevents displacement,” Karla Henderson of Project for Pride in Living said.

“We are concerned that extending the notice period may increase the rate of evictions for our most vulnerable households,” said Chris LaTondresse from Beacon Interfaith Housing Collaborative.
Two landlords were not against it.

“As a small mom-and-pop landlord myself I can confidently say that pausing evictions does not mean ignoring landlords needs. It means creating a window for resolution instead of misplacement,” said Ward 10 resident, Alexa Bobyak. “The cost of eviction, emergency shelter, school disruption and health care strain is far greater that the zero-dollar cost for prevention that this ordinance would allow.”

“I fully understand the financial implications for landlords when tenants do not pay rent,” said Roberta Wilson, who owns properties in ward 13 and 10. “The landlords have the resources to figure out something; evicted immigrants do not.”

CURA Director Edward Goetz said, “There is no research which supports the notion that extending the pre-eviction period increases evictions. In fact, the little research that does exist suggests the opposite – that evictions will decline.”

Goetz cited research that looked at Brooklyn Park after it extended its pre-eviction notice requirement from 14 to 30 days and said it’s findings showed that “the ordinance actually seemed to have reduced evictions.”

SOUTHSIDERS make the case
Several Southside residents were among those speaking in favor of the additional 30 days.

“We must give our neighbors the time and means to recover from the ICE incursion,” said Karen Batdorf, a Nokomis East resident. “This is simply the continuation of the people of Minneapolis standing together.”

Nickey Robare, from Ward 9, said, “Homelessness is more expensive than keeping people housed.” She is “deeply disgusted that there are affordable housing nonprofits here speaking against it.”

“My family and our neighbor have been personally supporting three families, with the incredible support of fellow neighbors and mutual aid networks, as they navigate detention, deportation, separation, job loss, economic hardship, food insecurity, fear, and parenting,” said Monica, who lives in Longfellow. “This is a minimal necessity for the children’s school stability as well as for the parents’ ability to work.”

Some saw the pause in evictions as a way to address racism and discrimination.

Mina Barivan, from the South Minneapolis Tenants Union, said that “evictions are violent and dangerous, and right now more discriminatory than ever.”

“I do believe that this is about ethnic cleansings” said Barbara Tarrant from Ward 12.
Health and safety were also concerns.

“Eviction is a public health crisis,” said Erin Thompson from Ward 1. “Without more time, families will be evicted before help arrives.”

Meg Robinson-Schacht, an Ericsson resident and parent of preschoolers, said, “Through the federal invasion of our beloved city, most of our teachers were forced to stay home in hiding for the safety of themselves and their families who rely on them. This, of course, means that they cannot earn wages to pay for their food or homes.”

Listening to the experts
City elected decision-makers were divided on whose guidance they considered most important.

“The choice was clear at City Hall – pressure on landlords, or protect working everyday people from losing their livelihoods,” said Chowdhury, who voted to support the proposal.

Ward 7 Council Member Elizabeth Schaffer opposed the proposed extension.

“When the organizations that house our most vulnerable residents warn us that a proposal will increase housing instability,” Shaffer said, “we have a responsibility to trust the experts.”

Ward 13 Council Member Linea Palmisano was also aligned with the affordable housing landlords, who she called “our trusted affordable housing providers.”

“Their professional expertise,” she said, “tells us that pausing evictions is not the answer to this crisis. It’s rental assistance.”

Stevenson, who cited information from both HOME Line, who offers legal advice to renters, and the Center of Urban Regional Affairs as credible experts, was not persuaded by the affordable housing providers.

He called on the state, Hennepin County and city government to better fund affordable housing.
“We can do both things,” Stevenson said. “We can stop an eviction crisis and we can fund affordable housing in this city.”

Whiting, who abstained from voting, said he could not endorse a policy that affordable housing providers say will continue to “harm the neighbors that we most hope to protect.”
Chughtai asked to reframe who the experts are.

“I have a tough time with colleagues insisting that the only experts we should be listening to in these moments are affordable housing providers,” Chughtai said. “Experts are the people who are leading in this moment who are directly impacted.

“We have heard over and over again from shelter and affordable housing providers that longer timelines produce worse outcomes for residents,” Frey said in his veto letter. “In their words, when rental assistance isn’t available, time is a debt trap that becomes a barrier to securing future housing.”

He also proposed adding another $1 million to support rental assistance.

Given the 7-5 vote from the council, it is likely that the veto will be sustained at their meeting on March 26.