The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board has voted to halt evictions at rental and commercial properties it owns in north and northeast Minneapolis, saying tenants have been too scared to show up for work since a federal immigration enforcement surge began. The pause takes effect immediately, pending Mayor Jacob Frey’s signature, and will stay in place until the board determines that Operation Metro Surge has ended. The moratorium covers a mix of commercial, industrial, and residential holdings and is expected to directly affect fewer than 10 residential tenants. Commissioners were split on the decision, reflecting growing pressure on local officials to curb eviction filings tied to the enforcement campaign.
According to the Star Tribune, the resolution adopted Wednesday was introduced by first‑term Commissioner Amber Frederick and passed with Frederick, Dan Engelhart, Tom Olsen, Kedar Deshpande, Kay Carvajal Moran and Jason Garcia voting in favor, while Cathy Abene, Meg Forney, and Charles Rucker voted no. The paper reports that the Park Board owns properties historically acquired with an eye toward eventual conversion to parkland, and that the holdings covered by the moratorium include rental homes on the 2200 block of Marshall Street N.E.
Why the Park Board acted
City officials and tenant advocates describe the board’s move as a temporary patch while Minneapolis deals with fallout from Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration enforcement surge the City of Minneapolis estimates has generated at least $203.1 million in economic and community impacts. Advocates have been urging governments to put evictions on hold while residents shelter in place and have warned that an eviction wave could follow without emergency aid, as reported by MPR News.
Board debate and dissent
Debate on the board reflected deep mistrust of the federal response. Commissioner Dan Engelhart told colleagues the federal government are “extreme liars” about what they are doing, a remark that captured the tone in the room. Commissioner Amber Frederick said she wanted to give tenants a kind of “insurance” against rent stress during the operation, according to reporting by Star Tribune.
Legal questions and next steps
The moratorium applies only to properties owned by the Park Board; any broader, statewide pause on evictions would require action by the governor or the Legislature. Axios Twin Cities reports that the governor’s office has said he “does not currently have the legal authority to enact an eviction moratorium” without declaring a peacetime emergency, a route lawmakers are still debating and that carries legal complications. Park Board leaders say they will monitor federal enforcement activity and lift the suspension once officials determine that Operation Metro Surge is over.
What leaders are doing
Elsewhere in city government, the Minneapolis City Council this month approved a one‑time $1 million allocation to Hennepin County’s rental‑assistance program to help families at immediate risk of eviction, according to CBS News. County and state leaders are discussing larger relief packages, while nonprofit mutual‑aid efforts continue channeling donations into the neighborhoods feeling the brunt of the crackdown…