Dear City of Minneapolis, Finance & Property Services,

Defend Glendale & Public Housing Coalition (DGPHC), is a Consulting Party for the Section 106 Review of Glendale Townhomes. I am writing to submit my comments regarding the ongoing consultation process.

DGPHC is deeply troubled by the lack of community engagement, the hostility towards DGPHC leadership exhibited by Pigeon Consulting and MPHA, and the lack of transparency and honesty in this process. During the first meeting on April 9th, 2025, both Tamara Halvorsen and MPHA staff insisted that this process was a preemptive measure in anticipation of a funding application and that MPHA had not applied for any funding related to the redevelopment of Glendale Townhomes. This was recorded for posterity. Only a day later, MPHA announced publicly that they were pursuing a 7 million bond with the state for a project at Glendale Townhomes. When pressed on this at the last meeting, Tamara lashed out, asking DGPHC leader Ladan Yusuf if she was being called a liar.

This lack of respect and consideration shown to stakeholders who were invited to participate in the process, live in the community, and are sponsors of the current SHIPO application was not only appalling, but completely in line with the conduct MPHA exhibits with all residents as the number one evictor in Hennepin County.

Additionally, this most recent meeting revealed that MPHA had reduced the number of project options available to residents and stakeholders, removing the option to keep Glendale as is. This decision was made on the basis of past resident engagement, but when the facts are reviewed on MPHA’s own website, it becomes obvious that this decision was made based on an average input of 13 Glendale residents; there are 184 households in Glendale and over 600 to 800 people-how can this be viewed as a thorough, genuine attempt at community consensus? The decision to remove the option on the basis of so few resident voices is laughable, frankly. There needs to be an independent audit, because if this is MPHA’s efforts to gain community feedback, they have failed tremendously.

It is important to note that Ladan Yusuf and other DGPHC leaders are currently facing the threat of eviction by MPHA property management. This is a result of selective policy enforcement that has been, as confirmed by MPHA staff, related to the upcoming project at Glendale Townhomes.

MPHA CEO Abdi Warsame confirmed to a Glendale resident that although redevelopment plans are as of yet unconfirmed, MPHA is making an effort to evict as many families out of their homes as possible. How can a consulting party exercise its freedom of speech fully when fearing retaliation by another consulting party, its landlord? How can this be a fair process when it is being led by a landlord that is seeking to displace as many residents as possible?

Just as Samira Ali mentioned in her comments, any attempts at evicting families would also have an adverse effect on the historic character of the townhomes. Preservation should not be limited to brick and mortar; it must include the preservation of the lives and dignity of the people currently living at Glendale Townhomes, especially low-income communities of color. A process that disregards the concerns of those most affected cannot, in good faith, be considered a consultation.

A part of the failure of these conversations is that they don’t allow for any discussion on the process of conversion itself, from Section 9 public housing to a Section 8 subsidy.

This would have significant effects on the community writ large and on the property itself. Glendale Townhomes is the oldest public housing community still in existence in Minneapolis. Should the RAD/Section 8 blend tool be used as described in these sessions, Glendale will no longer be public housing. This is an irreversible process that the consultations have skipped over entirely, and when prompted with questions, have been shut down.

This process, as it has been conducted thus far, has been unprofessional, unwelcoming, oppressive, and dishonest. If this is the best MPHA, Pigeon Consulting, and the City of Minneapolis can offer, a serious redress is required.

Please take these comments seriously. The City of Minneapolis, as the Responsible Entity authorized by HUD for the Section 106 Review of Glendale Townhomes, must do better.

The history, rights, and agency of working-class people are at stake.

Best,

Defend Glendale & Public Housing Coalition