Local aid groups see surge of requests for rent help
Nuestra Lucha MN Executive Director Viviana Salazar assisted families with requests for rent relief at Colonial Market and Restaurant on March 6. Photo by David Pierini
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By David Pierini, Editor
Schools and businesses are seeing a trickle of immigrant families attempting a return to normal life now that Operation Metro Surge is drawing down.
People stopped going to work, held back their kids from attending school, and relied on food drives for their groceries out of fear of being targeted, detained, and deported.
On March 6, about 200 people left the safety of isolation for an event at Colonial Market and Restaurant on Lowrey Avenue. There, they could sign up for rent assistance and receive a $25 voucher to shop at the store, where grocery aisles have been deserted since immigration enforcement operations began in December.
Colonial Market teamed up with the Northside-based nonprofit Nuestra Lucha MN, which raised $81,000 to help families pay rent.
Nuestra Lucha’s call for donations for back rent is one of several campaigns, large and small, formed to assist Northside families.
Northside mutual aid organizers met in March to discuss the growing need in North Minneapolis. They said the waning of national attention feels reflective of a sharp decline in donations.
Collectively, they were supporting at least 400 Northside families, with most of their funds going towards rent. They noted that the bulk of donations came in the weeks that Alex Pretti and Renee Good were killed.
Following the Colonial Market sign-up event, Nuestra Lucha MN Executive Director Viviana Salazar said 116 people signed up for rent assistance, more than the current amount raised can cover.
“Most families are selling their cars and personal items to help pay the bills,” Salazar said. “People started making a line before the event started; I was only expecting half to show up. It was nice to see the parking lot full again.”
Salazar received a note of thanks from a family her organization helped with rent. The note was to all who supported the fundraising campaign. It read in part: “I thank you from the bottom of my heart. May God repay you for the support you have given to all of us migrants who have received your beautiful help. God willing, if you ever need any remodeling or apartment cleaning, we will gladly help you.”
Daniel Hernandez, the owner of Colonial Market, would like to believe people will start shopping soon, but anticipates it may be another couple of months before a steadier stream of customers returns to this store.
“We’re trying to push for this,” Hernandez said of the event in his store. “Even though the operation ended, the aftermath is worse than you know. A lot of them lost their jobs, and so even if they can get out now, they don’t have any money.”
With additional reporting from Azhae’la Hanson.
Frey rejects eviction moratorium for renters
By Melody Hoffmann, Reporter
Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed an ordinance on March 11 that would have required 60 days' notice before an eviction.
The ordinance was meant to give renters a temporary extension of notice (through August) as many people catch up on bills and rent after Operation Metro Surge forced people into hiding, and primary income earners were detained and deported.
The standard notice of an eviction is 14 days in Minnesota, but in Minneapolis, landlords must give renters a 30-day notice.
The City Council passed the ordinance 7-5 with Northside Council Members Pearll Warren and LaTrisha Vetaw voting against a moratorium.
Warren, who previously worked with people to find stable housing, encouraged people to work with their landlords to pay overdue rent.
“There isn’t an easy fix for any of this,” Warren said after hearing public testimony about the ordinance on March 3. “But this 60-day extension is not going to help people.”
Warren said people who can’t afford their current rent should look for places they can afford before large debts appear on their records, which can prevent them from moving into other housing.
Even though Vetaw also voted against the ordinance, she acknowledged the inequitable resources on the Northside.
“I realized that we were missing out on a lot of resources because people just assumed that our large immigration population lived in South Minneapolis,” Vetaw said on March 3. “We have a huge immigration population in North Minneapolis.”
Vetaw said while the focus on mutual aid has been on rent, there are other concerns people have.
“Some people seem to think that you get a delay in mortgage payments and your house won’t go into foreclosure,” Vetaw said.
Vetaw said she agreed with affordable housing providers, such as Agate Housing + Services, which argued that an extended eviction notice would only put renters further into debt.
“I think we’re in unconventional times. I just don’t know why we would separate ourselves from our housing partners who do such a great job making sure that the city has deeply affordable housing,” Vetaw said.
Both Vetaw and Warren have been criticized by community members for not being visible on the Northside during Operation Metro Surge.
Ward 5 resident Flo Adams said Warren had been “silent on ICE in our neighborhood.”
Vetaw thanked Northsiders for testifying on March 3, “even when we don’t agree.”
“Northsiders continue to show up for each other,” Vetaw said. “And we show up for each other in a big way.”
With his veto, Frey proposed an additional $1 million in rental assistance and the Wilson Foundation pledged an additional $1 million in private funding for emergency rental assistance if the City Council approves the proposed $1 million investment.
The City Council meets again as a Committee of the Whole on March 24.