Survey shows support for Minnehaha 3000 democracy center proposal

After months of community engagement, a survey conducted on behalf of the City of Minneapolis has revealed clear support to redevelop the property located at 3000 Minnehaha Ave., the site of the former 3rd Police Precinct, into a new democracy center and community space.

The City is proposing to relocate its Elections & Voter Services (EVS), which is currently leasing industrial space in northeast Minneapolis, into the building at 3000 Minnehaha Ave. The building would become the new home to the City's Early Vote Center, where it would be more centrally located, connected to transportation, and in an area with historically lower voter turnout. EVS activities in the facility would also include the coordination of mail balloting, hospital voting, voter outreach and engagement, and pop-up voting events. The democracy center proposal also includes an 8,000 square-foot space for community use.

Throughout the summer, the City project team conducted multiple forms of engagement with community members to receive input, including in-person meetings and stakeholder conversations, an open house and a representative survey. The results of the demographically representative survey found the following:

• 63% of respondents citywide support the democracy center proposal
  • Of those living within the 3^rdPrecinct, 70% support the proposal
• 17% of respondents citywide oppose the proposal
  • Of those living within the 3^rdPrecinct, 16% oppose the proposal
• 50% of citywide respondents believe the proposed development would contribute to racial healing
  • 64% of Black respondents believe the development would help with racial healing "to a large or some extent."

The survey also found interest from residents in several uses for the community space, including social services for those in the community and a business center, among other potential uses. More than 8,000 square feet of the building would be purposed for community use, roughly two thirds of the ground floor of the existing building.

The City project team will present the full results of the community engagement data at an open house on October 2nd from 5:30pm- 7:30pm at 1530 E. Franklin Ave. Open house materials will be posted on the project website and additional comments will be accepted by email through October 11. After the open house, the report will be presented to the City Council at its October 15th Committee of the Whole committee meeting. The City's proposed timeline could have the site open as early as 2026.

To learn more, visit the City's project websiteand sign up for Minnehaha 3000 updates.

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