‘Neighborhood News’ Archives
East Phillips Urban Farm & Housing vs City of Minneapolis
By EAST PHILLIPS NEIGHBORHOOD INSTITUTE Neighbors Made a Plan:Neighbors of East Phillips made a plan to buy and use 7.5 acres of land with a building between Longfellow Ave. and the Midtown Greenway and 27th St. and 28th St. when it became for sale in 2014. Led by Little Earth of United Tribes, Somali Chemical Awareness, the Urban Farm Project, the Women”™s Environmental Institute, and the East Phillips Improvement Coalition (EPIC), they planned an Indoor Urban Farm for green jobs, second-chance job opportunities and job training, a community commercial kitchen, an all nations World café, Market run by local youth, bike repair facility, and 28 affordable 2 bedroom housing units with start-up funding by DEED grant from the state of Minnesota. Neighbors Plan Meets City Green Zone Goals & HIA Recommendations :The Plan”™s goals exemplify the Mpls. City Council”™s Green Zone resolution; “Be it further resolved that Green Zone efforts [...]
Common Sense for the Common Good
Commentary on EPNI Urban Farm By HARVEY WINJE Before Covid-19, many cities across the U.S.”“including Mpls.”“were responding to climate change and racial discrimination by changing guidelines, revenue recipients, zoning, and goals. Housing, food, and jobs near public transportation””walking paths, bike trails, bus, and light rai””were common goals for the common good that was common sense. During Covid-19, increased awareness of inequities of healthcare, housing, food, and jobs demands more common sense for the common good of everyone. Nonetheless, the Mpls. City Council and Staff are continuing to flaunt their power against our neighbors”™ Urban Farm, Affordable Housing, and Jobs Center Initiative in the highly diverse and low-income East Phillips area near public transportation. The City is going up against laws, and against their own environmental Green Zone Guidelines as they continue to seize control of the seven acres of land and a [...]
