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Demand Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Include All Families and Students in the City’s Plan for Stable Housing

May 12, 2021 by

Demand Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey Include All Families and Students in the City's Plan for Stable Housing
300 signatures
302 signatures
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Research has shown strong links between children’s academic performance and the stability of their housing. When children have stable housing, they attend school more regularly and experience less stress and emotional problems. This allows them to stay focused and attentive in class and perform better academically.

This is why we were so pleased to see Mayor Jacob Frey and the Minneapolis City Council investing in the Stable Homes Stable Schools program. It’s a smart investment in stable housing for our youngest learners, as a means to decrease poverty and improve children’s academic outcomes.

There’s just one problem, it doesn’t go far enough to address the tremendous need for stable housing among Minneapolis families. Currently Stable Homes Stable Schools is limited to working with families from just 18 elementary schools. In a publicity video announcing the program’s launch, Mayor Frey noted that in the 2018 school year, more than 3,000 children across the Minneapolis Public Schools faced or risked homelessness. In other words, Stable Homes Stable Schools ignores thousands of students who need support.

Currently, there are over 30 charter public schools in Minneapolis, enrolling almost 13,000 students. Compared to district-operated schools in the city, Minneapolis charter schools serve a higher percent of low-income students (68.8% charter, 56.62% MPS); English language learners (29.16% charter, 20.52% MPS); and students of color (76.35% charter, 64.60% MPS). In North Minneapolis, half of the schools that serve elementary aged students are charters. Schools like Sojourner Truth Academy, Harvest Best Academy, KIPP, and Mastery School serve low-income students of color almost exclusively. Thus, the Stable Homes Stable Schools program systematically ignores a large percentage of low-income students and students of color and deprives them of the aid they especially need.

Another group neglected are students who live in Minneapolis but are enrolled in other districts. At the beginning of the 2018-19 school year, according to statistics compiled by the Minnesota Department of Education, more than 83,000 students (or 9% of all Minnesota students) were enrolled in districts outside their own—a phenomenon that is disproportionately prevalent in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Finally, yet another group overlooked by the plan is homeschooled students.

We know that investing in housing helps to reduce opportunity gaps, regardless of whether one attends a traditional district school, a public charter school, or is homeschooled or open enrolled. However, the way Stable Homes Stable Schools currently operates sends the message that the City of Minneapolis is only interested in supporting some students’ educations. If the goal truly is to target our most vulnerable with the allocation of resources, all students in Minneapolis should be eligible to apply for its services.

While some Minneapolis students are being locked out of housing supports, St. Paul is meeting the needs of all its children by ensuring all low-income families are eligible for housing assistance. St. Paul has also built relationships with government agencies outside the city, expanding the available resources.

The $3.85 million Saint Paul Bridge Fund is supported by both the Saint Paul Housing and Redevelopment Authority and an impressive group of private donors: Baird, Bush Foundation, Ecolab Foundation, John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Securian Foundation, Minnesota, United FC, Minnesota Wild, the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation, and Xcel Energy.

We hope you will follow the lead of Mayor Melvin Carter and Governor Tim Walz in reaching out to all residents and unifying us in mutual support at this time when so many are in need. We recommend all funds for housing relief be organized into one fund, to which all Minneapolis low-income families can apply, no matter how their children’s schooling is conducted. This will help more families survive the current crisis with their housing stability, mental health and children’s development intact. It can also help the broader Minneapolis community better understand what a commitment to serving all families looks like and increase the funds available.

Community activists have reached out to you repeatedly without receiving any response. We are calling on you to meet with community members regarding the expansion of the Stable Homes Stable Schools program, and we will continue to press you on this issue because our children are worth the fight.

 

Together in demanding child justice,

Carmita Sactajara

Anam Hasan

Nicolle Dosch

Neasha Dosch

Byron Richard

Erin Thompson

Marea Perry

Chandler Dryke

Anthony Allers

Sonya Emerick

Charles Williams

Sophia Stenwick

Luca Coldwater

Paul E Johnson

Colette MacIver

Thomas Rochon

Jessica Hanson

Chris Thomson

Marie Debhelm

Joel Rsewamo

Elana Sosa

Stephanie Cholensky

Laura Ruelas-Gibbs

Chara Blanch

Jacquline Weishaar

Alicia Arline

Teonna Marshall

Crystal Krajewski

Bridget Borer

Jerrell Perrt

Christian Ledesma

Julia Freeman

Ryan Mulso

Reeve Ridgeway

Julio Martínez

Maren Fleming

Tiffini Flynn Forslund

Dre Smith

Anita Miller

Lauren Murdock

Robynne Limoges

Rhea Smykalski

Lauren Murdock

Claire Undis

Dani Hofstad

Michael Lombardi

Seohee Negreros

Ethan Negreros

Sharon El-Amin

James A Clark Jr

Carlos Cuevas

Jason Vork

Alex Victoria

Mario Negreros

Bilma Cruz

Terry Chavers

Tonyus Chavers

Kathy Watson

janna piper

Michael Herbert

Thomas Rochon

John Astaunda

Richard Johnson

Ann Galloway

Carmen Grace Poppert

Aida Ortega

Rebecca Alper

Jesus Cervantes

Anne Winkler-Morey

Cassandra Llanas

Merida Rodriguez

Adolfo Llanas Ortiz

Manuel Sanchez

Aaron Lemay

Kenia Lemay-ortiz

Ma mireya Ortiz

Elizabeth Salonek

Rachel Goligoski

Jes Schrom

Melody Her

Mary Randa

Raechel Lungstrom

Suzanne Lungstrom

Lisa Pillow

David Okar

Colette MacIver

Emmy Higgs Matzner

Jaz Lorentzen

Kimberly Berglund

Hamza Dudgeon

Andrew Fussy

David Weingartner

Robynne Limoges

Sandy Rhein

Markus Flynn

Tracy Cole

Jumoke Hinton

Sister Laura Northcraft

Jennifer Davis

Nora H

Donna Barrett

Lisa Hollenbach

Gerry Milliken

Noel Barnes

Michael Herbert

Kathy Michaelson

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Cornelia Teed

janna piper

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russ ziegler

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russ ziegler

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franny db

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Tracy Cole

Tracy Cole

Nancy Peterson

Ellen Morrison

Pamela Isham

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Michelle Warneke

Justin Donner

Laura Moen-Ftacek

Jennifer Gitschier

Nekima Levy Armstrong

Sonia Walters

Denis Zastera

Barbara Tarrant

Avi Rosen

John Gebretatose

Morgan Berg

Alisa Boston

Tamara Tinkham

Azia Brown

Jennifer Gilreath

Michelle Gross

Maria Kamenska

Lauren Murdock

Sara Katz

William Hassig

Rocquelle Woods

catherine podojiil

Paul Eisenberg

Kyra Ostendorf

janna piper

Susana Elizarraraz

Elaine Wells

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Lichelle Green

Holly Kragthorpe

Kimberly Weichbrodt

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Tiffany Rapplean

Sheilah Kavaney

Brandon White

Daniel Sellers

Daniel Sellers

ANNE E WALLICK-BAUHOF

Maureen Kelleher

Alyssa Bonnac

JACQUELINE ERICKSON

Theresa Bernard

Chase Hammond

Manuel Ruiz

Kathy Watson

Tiffini Flynn Forslund

Erika Hernandez (she/her)

Bernita Bradley

Hibo Muse

Waris Abdullahi

Joshua Crosson

Andrea Roethke

Monserrat Candelaria

Stephanie Cholensky

Christopher Stewart

Joanne Barrett

Rob Samuelson

Sarah Besseling

Michael Kedor

Phoenix Shadow Of Moon

Amanda Gerber

Zorica Stancevic

Cayla Baumann

Paula Luxenberg

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Jen Antila

Rasheda Jenkins

Stephanie Gil

iris hernandez

IVONNE HERNANDEZ

Kathleen Ganley

Roseanne Lais

Greg King

Kim Hollie

Jasmine Garza

Maria Whitt

Manuel Sanchez

Kathy Cook

Katherine McNulty

Adriana Cerrillo

Sara Freeman

Ronald Brown

Joe Nathan

Lauren Murdock

Jacquelyn Thomas

Kathy Shores

Carolyn Vaughan

Manrouf Chanfi

Tonya Draughn

John Nettleton

Sharon Burge

Brad Duell

V Evan

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Russell Ziegler

russ ziegler

David Greenberg

Bea Momsen

Roslynn Budoff

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dana Bleckinger

Robert Brown

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Peter Townsend

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Ailsa Hermann-Wu

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simuel bell

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Joseph Quintana

Gordon Wright

Paul Eisenberg

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Robert Fladger

Sharif El-Mekki

Leslie Weber

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janna piper

Amy Ertresvaag

Alison Moore

April Smith

Nicolas O'Cleirigh

Alyssa Woods

Shirley Carter

Jessica Hoida

Natalie Weaver

Rachel Nieves

Ikhlas Saleem

Dwane Martin

Brittany Barrett

Maisie Richardson

Delinia Parris

Heather Anderson

Tanesha Peeples

Lisa Clemons

Del Matra Jones

Sara Wagner

Kimberly Milliard

Lokundo Lohese

Bryan Milliard

Bethany Waldron

AJ Bantley

Amatullah Bantley

Jenny Jendro

Amatullah Bantley

Myisha Holley

Rebecca Baures

Aaliyah Hodge

Jennie Skancke

KATHRYN MARROW

Jerrell Perry

Emilie Valenti

anna berowski

Adriana Cerrillo

Zakiya Sankara-Jabar

Khulia Pringle

Zakiya Sankara-Jabar

Nish John

Joshua Stewart

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