Whittier Alliance

In 2023, WA hired a new full time staff member to dedicate to tenant rights efforts. WA assisted 6 tenants this year in some form of tenant-landlord mediation to prevent evictions, complete repairs, and/or prep for court hearings. WA staff were able to spread awareness door-to-door within 2 major apartment ownerships, which in turn helped create one new tenant association along with facilitating several tenant support meetings. WA also passed along complaint forms and encouraged/made it accessible for tenants to submit and work with the Attorney General on investigation of rental owner/management, Investment Property Group. Prioritizing tenant rights and advocating for communal justice continue to drive the initiative WA takes into 2024. In 2022 Whittier Alliance along with 5 community partners, including neighborhood organizations and community based organizations, were chosen to partner with the city of Minneapolis for engagement on the Former Kmart site/New Nicollet Development. 2023 was focused on Phase 2 of the project, where the community participated in informing and creating the concept designs for public and street spaces. This year we saw an incredible turn out at city-led open houses, breaking attendance records for meetings of its kind. As the project moves into Phase 3 where developers and architects are brought in to figure out how to construct the site, we hope to continue centering the voices of the community in each step of the process. Beginning last June, the Community Engagement Committee began hosting a monthly dinner catered by local restaurants. In the months that have followed, the dinner has become increasingly popular, with many new and regular attendees from around the neighborhood each time. The dinner has been the scene for resource tabling and/or speakers from different organizations, including Hennepin County, the City of Minneapolis, and American Muslims for Palestine. In Fall of 2023, we were joined by local artist Anita White, who made sketches of some of our attendees, which she later developed into art panels to go around the Kmart site.