October 8, 2026 Budget Committee

The Minneapolis City Budget Committee met on October 8, 2026, to review the mayor-recommended 2027 budgets for Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) and the Civil Rights Department. CPED proposed a $123.3 million budget, down from $124.8 million, with $10.6 million in recommended investments, including $8.3 million for the Affordable Housing Trust Fund, $1.6 million for Minneapolis Homes, $325,000 for vacant and boarded properties in CPED’s redevelopment inventory, and $240,000 for Coliseum holding costs. The presentation identified approximately $39 million in CPED contractual services and described competitive notices of funding availability and RFP processes, council-approved program guidelines and contract allocations, and community-based service providers. Named providers and vendors included Avivo, PPL, Tree Trust, Network for Better Futures, and Mid-Minnesota Legal Aid. CPED also proposed $865,000 in operating reductions. The mayor supports a proposed amendment providing $1 million in each of 2027 and 2028 for emergency housing vouchers, using anticipated unspent emergency rental-assistance funds; no approval of that amendment was recorded at this meeting.

The Civil Rights Department proposed a $7.6 million budget, a $547,000 decrease from 2026. The proposal eliminates its entire $427,000 co-enforcement contract and reduces three positions, including a currently vacant deputy director role; the director said the contract reduction would substantially reduce outreach, education, and navigator services. The department also proposed $25,000 to continue membership in the Central Certification Program, which supports small-business certification used in city contracting programs. Members discussed contract oversight, enforcement impacts, and the department’s reported recovery of $44,000 through co-enforcement partners and $290,000 through staff work in 2026. No motions or votes on budget items were reported; the committee received the presentations and directed the clerk to file them.