Ward 7 video

Autonomous vehicles - October 22, 2026

Council Member Elizabeth Shaffer hosted a community conversation about self-driving cars.
A Waymo representative showed one of the company’s driverless vehicles and answered questions.

Topics included:

• The Council’s recent action on requiring human monitors in self-driving cars, and more rules expected from the City and State.
• How Waymo cars use cameras, radar, and lidar (laser sensors) to see in the dark, in rain, and around corners.
• Waymo’s safety record, including its claim of over 95% fewer crashes than human drivers.
• Accessibility features such as automatic doors, braille labels, and app tools for riders with low vision.
• How the cars handle snow and ice, and Waymo’s promise to stay off the road when drivers are warned not to travel.
• Emergency door releases and how Waymo works with police and first responders after a crash.
• Questions about trips to and from transit, parking in bike lanes, ride prices, kids and pets riding, and rider data privacy.
• Concerns about jobs for rideshare and taxi drivers, and new jobs at Waymo’s charging and service depots.
• A new City report on how other cities handle autonomous vehicles, with a Council presentation planned for early November.

2027 City budget - September 24, 2026

Council Member Elizabeth Shaffer hosted a community conversation about the City budget at Lake of the Isles Lutheran Church.

Budget Director Shawn Greene explained how the budget is built and what the Mayor has proposed for 2027.

Topics included:

• How the City sets its budget, from the Mayor's proposal to the Council's final vote in December.
• The Mayor's proposed 11.3% property tax levy increase.
• Rising costs such as health care and police and fire overtime.
• Proposed cuts of about 100 City jobs and new spending on firefighters and community safety.
• Why homeowners are paying a bigger share of property taxes as downtown values drop.
• Flat state aid and limits on new ways for the City to raise money.
• Questions about merging services with Hennepin County, protecting the City's AAA bond rating, and funding for workers' rights.
• Upcoming public hearings on October 7, October 19, and December 15.

Downtown data centers - July 2, 2026

Council Members Elizabeth Shaffer and Michael Rainville hosted a panel on data center policy.

Panelists included leaders from downtown development, Xcel Energy, environmental advocacy, and building trades.

Topics included:

• Turning empty downtown offices into smaller data centers.
• How data centers affect the power grid and energy use.
• Environmental concerns and the need for clear public information.
• Union labor standards for data center projects.
• Whether data centers could help shore up the downtown tax base.

City Hall and City Council - May 15, 2026

Minneapolis City Clerk Casey Carl gives a tour of City Hall and explains how City government works.

The video covers:

• Who owns and manages City Hall.
• The building’s Romanesque design and hidden symbols.
• How legislation moves through committees, staff reports, public notice, and the City’s online LIMS system.

Uptown safety - May 7, 2026

MPD officers and community partners gave an update on public safety in Uptown.

Key points included:

• Narcotics and trespassing calls have dropped over the past year.
• MPD staffing is still about 20% below pre-2020 levels.
• Officers discussed recent break-ins and rooftop parties at nearby condos.
• Crime prevention staff explained tools such as trespass citations and some location limits for repeat offenders.
• Uptown United shared an update on volunteer weekend safety walks.
• The City plans to launch Community Safety Ambassadors in Uptown in November.

Renters' rights & tenant protections - March 28, 2026

Ward 7 hosted a community conversation about renters’ rights and tenant protections.

The discussion covered:

• How to file a 311 complaint.
• What City inspectors can and cannot enforce.
• How housing liaisons connect renters with legal aid and nonprofit help.
• How tenants at the LPM and Brentwood buildings organized and dealt with unresponsive landlords.
• Legal tools such as rent escrow and fee-shifting laws, plus free resources like HomeLine and Legal Aid.
• A new rental-assistance package with nearly $3 million in City funds, matched by a foundation.

Minneapolis Schools and Operation Metro Surge - February 22, 2026

At the first Ward 7 community conversation, school leaders described how Operation Metro Surge affected students and families.

Representatives came from Kenwood, Emerson, Anwatin, and Wellstone.

They discussed:

• Families being detained near schools or on their way to work.
• Students being too afraid to attend school in person.
• At least one family choosing to leave the country.
• Teachers and parents running mutual-aid efforts while also doing their regular jobs.
• Support for rent, groceries, transportation, legal help, and family connections.
• Some schools spending tens of thousands of dollars on rent help in February alone.
• The biggest ongoing needs: rent help, groceries, safe rides to school, and long-term volunteers.

Loring Park community safety panel - October 6, 2026

Council Member Elizabeth Shaffer convened a community safety panel at the Music Box Theater, hosted by Miracle City Church.

Panelists included Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, MPD Assistant Chief Mark Klukow, and local business, property management, faith, and neighborhood safety leaders. City inspections staff also participated.

The discussion covered:

• Drug activity and safety concerns around Grant & LaSalle and nearby streets.
• Police patrols, arrests, and challenges addressing recurring criminal activity.
• Support for Shoreline Plaza residents following the shooting, including building repairs and security concerns.
• Mental health, addiction treatment, and recovery resources.
• Building safety, property management responsibilities, and reporting problems through 911 and 311.
• Ways neighbors can help through safety walks, litter cleanup, monthly safety meetings, and stronger community connections.

Steven's Square & Whittier safety forum - August 23, 2026

Plymouth Congregational Church hosted a safety forum for Whittier, Stevens Square, and Loring Park.

The event included neighborhood leaders, businesses, police, violence-prevention staff, and City officials from Wards 6, 7, and 10.

Topics included:

• Drug activity and other neighborhood safety concerns.
• Recent police enforcement efforts.
• City violence-prevention programs.
• Plans to fill empty storefronts and invest in housing and parks.
• Recovery from the federal Operation Metro Surge.
• Questions about liquor licenses and coordination between police and community safety groups.

Gun violence response - July 21, 2026

Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt hosted this safety meeting after two shootings: one outside an Uptown nightclub and one at 19th & Nicollet.

Panelists included MPD leaders, the Mayor’s office, and Council Members Elizabeth Shaffer and Jamal Osman.

The discussion covered:

• Police patrols and arrests.
• Staffing shortages at MPD and the Sheriff’s Office.
• Safety technology such as cameras and ShotSpotter.
• How gun cases are handled after an arrest.
• Calls from residents for faster and better coordinated action.
• Why residents should keep reporting problems through 911 and 311.

Uptown safety - April 21, 2026

Council Member Elizabeth Shaffer joined Mayor Frey, the police chief, and Uptown United to discuss public safety in Uptown.

Shaffer highlighted:

• A new team that combines public health and law enforcement.
• Recent progress from MPD’s directed patrols.
• Community Safety Ambassadors planned for November.