NYC showed it can be done. Chicago proved it. Ypsilanti proved it. In Minneapolis, done it already with Snow Patrol. We are the solution to our problems. Let's expand the solution.

 
To the Honorable Members of the Minneapolis City Council and the Climate & Infrastructure Committee:

We, the undersigned Minneapolis residents, neighborhood organizations, and community allies, urge the City Council to adopt and fund The S.N.O.W. Act — Sustaining Neighborhoods with Opportunities and Wages beginning in the 2027 budget.

Minneapolis has already proven that a resident‑led, neighborhood‑directed model of public maintenance works. The Neighborhood Snow Patrol — championed by Council Members Robin Wonsley and Aisha Chughtai — has cleared over 17 miles of sidewalk across eight neighborhoods, employed residents at $30/hour, and served seniors and vulnerable neighbors for two seasons. The pilot coordinator called it "particularly cost‑effective." It is trusted, operational, and ready to grow.

The S.N.O.W. Act builds on that foundation with seven programs, phased prudently so nothing expands without verified results:

Phase 1 — Immediate Impact (Spring/Summer 2027):

• Pothole Patrol: Residents paid $25–30/hour to apply cold‑mix patches, cutting response times and preventing costly structural damage. Modeled on Mayor Mamdani's 100,000‑pothole blitz in NYC.
• Neighborhood Cleanup Corps: Paid block stewards at $25/hour plus event reimbursements up to $800. United Phillips already runs a 28,000‑lb Clean Sweep — this makes that work paid and year‑round.

Phase 2 — Back‑to‑School Safety (Fall 2027):

• Safe Passage Pilot: 18 paid crossing paras at $25/hour on three high‑need corridors — Lake Street, West Broadway, and Cedar‑Riverside. Modeled on Chicago's Safe Passage program, which produced a documented 32% decline in crime on routes.

Phase 3 — Deep System Repair (Spring 2028):

• Auto Repair Co‑Op: Contracted local shops with ASE‑certified internship programs providing free brake and tyre services to income‑qualifying residents. Modeled on Ypsilanti's Pull Over Prevention program, which achieved 62% fewer police stops.
• Home Repair Micro‑Grants: Up to $1,500 per household for weatherization, plumbing, electrical, and ADA modifications, administered through Rebuilding Together Minneapolis. Priority for seniors, veterans, and people with disabilities.

Phase 4 — Beautification & Incubation (Fall 2028):

• Paint & Sign Restoration: Micro‑grants for community‑led mural and signage projects, plus professional contracts with youth intern requirements.
• Power‑Washer Business Incubator: Two city‑owned commercial units with a rent‑to‑own pathway toward independent business ownership. Bulk work contracted to local businesses with paid internship requirements.

Every program includes:

• Full worker protections — W‑2 classification, workers' compensation, unemployment insurance, and earned sick and safe time
• Fair wages at $25+/hour across all programs
• Full language access in Somali, Spanish, Hmong, Oromo, Amharic, and English
• A Civic Service Record pathway that turns neighborhood work into a documented credential for city employment
• Independent gate reviews before any program expands — nothing scales until it proves itself
• A public dashboard tracking every dollar and every outcome

This is not privatization. It is community investment. Every dollar stays in Minneapolis. Every job builds a résumé and a stronger neighborhood. The Act's spirit draws from Reconstruction, when America called upon everyday working‑class Americans to build a better standard of living for all — and from the proven models in cities across the country that have already shown this approach works.

Total new investment: ~$1.535 million across four gated phases — approximately 0.016% of the projected general fund. Phase 1 begins at just $350,000 above the existing $600,000 Snow Patrol base.

We call on the Minneapolis City Council to:

• Hold a study session on the S.N.O.W. Act with the Climate & Infrastructure Committee.
• Allocate Phase 1 funding ($350,000 for Pothole Patrol and Cleanup Corps) in the 2027 budget, in addition to the existing $600,000 Snow Patrol appropriation.
• Create the Council Program Liaison position to ensure independent program governance.
• Direct the City Attorney to extend existing Snow Patrol liability coverage to the Pothole Patrol and Cleanup Corps.
• Host a Community Partner Convening with the Minneapolis‑based organizations proposed to execute this work — EMERGE, Hired, United Phillips, SSCO, Takoda Institute, Newgate School, and others — and obtain signed letters of intent.
• Ensure full multilingual implementation and union engagement (AFSCME Local 9) from day one.

We believe our neighbors are capable, trustworthy partners in maintaining this city. The Snow Patrol proved it. Chicago proved it. Ypsilanti proved it. 

Baltimore proved it. The only question is how quickly we are willing to trust that truth at the scale our neighbors deserve.

Sustaining neighborhoods. With opportunities. And wages.

Sign below to support the S.N.O.W. Act.