Summary

The Council approves $672,856 in ongoing and $680,000 in one-time Opioid Settlement Special Revenue (01610) for the Health Department to hire 2.5 FTEs, purchase a Mobile Medical Unit (MMU), and support ongoing expansion of the existing First Step initiative. Additionally, the Council earmarks $150,000 ongoing of the approved amount to be spent on underserved communities.

Description

In August 2021, the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office joined a $26 billion settlement agreement with pharmaceutical distributors and opioid manufacturers. States, counties, and cities will receive settlement dollars. Funds are intended to aid jurisdictions in fighting the opioid epidemic.

The opioid settlement funds coming to the City of Minneapolis are guided by a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) which provides a list of eligible expenses and strategies for which the funds can be used. According to the Minnesota Opioids State-Subdivision MOA, the Minneapolis Health Department shall serve as the lead agency and Chief Strategist to identify, collaborate, and respond to local issues as Local Governments decide how to leverage and disburse Opioid Settlement Funds.

In their role as Chief Strategist, public health department will:

• Convene multi-sector meetings
• Lead efforts that build upon local efforts like Community Health Assessments and Community Health Improvement Plans
• Foster community focused and collaborative evidence-informed approaches that prevent and address addiction across the areas of public health, human services, and public safety
• Consult with municipalities located within their county in the development of any Community Health Assessment
• Collaborate with law enforcement agencies in the county where appropriate
• The Guiding Principles to ensure proper spending of opioid funds are:
  • Principle 1 - Spend the money to save lives.
  • Principle 2 - Use evidence to guide spending.
  • Principle 3 - Invest in youth prevention.
  • Principle 4 - Focus on racial equity.
  • Principle 5 - Develop a fair and transparent process for deciding where to spend the funding.

As of June 27, 2023, the City of Minneapolis has received $2,190,599.35 in settlement payments. A total of $5,249,252.66 is expected to be received by the end of 2024.

In the 2023 Budget, $645,000 in ongoing funding was allocated for evidence-based treatment for Opioid addiction, of which at least $150,000 should be spent on underserved communities. The Request for Proposals for this work is currently being developed. Subsequent to the 2023 Budget approvals, the Health Department received approvals to hire one Senior Public Health Specialist for opioid response implementation and to hire a consultant to assist with the development of a long-term strategy for use of opioid settlement funds. The Request for Proposals for the consultant has been issued.

In 2024, funding will be used to hire one (1) Registered Professional Nurse (R.N.) and 1.5 Public Health Nurses (PHNs) ($272,856), and purchase and equip a Medical Mobile Unit (MMU) ($680,000). This will in turn expand substance use treatment access via wrap- around services, specifically for people with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The MMU will work in collaboration with the Regulatory Services Homelessness Response Team (HRT), the Minneapolis Police Department, and Neighborhood Safety’s Behavioral Crisis Response teams. Referrals from those City enterprise partnerships will be prioritized.

This funding will also support the ongoing expansion of the First Step collaboration ($400k), a local adaptation of the Medication First model, which leverages existing systems of care, incorporates evidence-based treatments, and facilitates partnerships between psychosocial and medical providers to offer more effective services to persons with OUD. The current program is a partnership with MHealth-Fairview and expansion would allow for additional hospital partnerships and program expansion.

Additionally, $1,500,000 in one-time funding will support capital investments in long-term treatment facilities. This capital investment program will be led by the Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) department, in collaboration with the Health Department. The details for this proposal can be found here.

The Settlement fund new budget proposal uses are aligned with abatement strategies identified in Exhibit A of the MOA below.

Hire 1 Registered Professional Nurse and 1.5 Public Health Nurses:

• Part One: Treatment
  • Strategy A: Treat Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) (1,2,5)
  • Strategy B: Support people in treatment and recovery (13,15)
  • Strategy C: Connections to Care (1,7,11)
  • Strategy E: Address the Needs of the Perinatal Population, Caregivers, and Families, Including Babies with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (1,2,6,8)
• Part Two: Prevention
  • Strategy H: Prevent Overdose Deaths and Other Harms (1,2,3,10,11,13)
• Part Three: Other Strategies
  • Strategy J: Leadership, Planning and Coordination (3,5)

Purchase and equip a Medical Mobile Unit:

• Part One: Treatment
  • Strategy A: Treat Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) (1,2,5)
  • Strategy B: Support people in treatment and recovery (1,2,4,13,15)
  • Strategy C: Connections to Care (1,7,11)
  • Strategy E: Address the Needs of the Perinatal Population, Caregivers, and Families, Including Babies with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (1,2,6,8)
• Part Two: Prevention
  • Strategy H: Prevent Overdose Deaths and Other Harms (1,2,3,10,11,13)
• Part Three: Other Strategies
  • Strategy J: Leadership, Planning and Coordination (3,5)

Expansion of the First Step collaboration:

• Part One: Treatment
  • Strategy A: Treat Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) (5)
  • Strategy B: Support people in treatment and recovery (2,3,6,9,13,15)
  • Strategy C: Connections to Care (1,5,6,7,9,10,11)
• Part Two: Prevention
  • Strategy H: Prevent Overdose Deaths and Other Harms (5,12)
• Part Three: Other Strategies
  • Strategy J: Leadership, Planning and Coordination (3,5)
  • Strategy K: Training (1,2)

The remaining settlement funds received in 2024 will be used to further the outcomes identified in the long-term strategy being developed. Progress on the development of the long-term strategy and any specific recommendations for programming of that remaining funding will be brought before City Council and the Mayor for approval.

Equity

Will reduce racial disparities and is supported by rigorous, data-driven evidence.

All Minneapolis residents will be impacted by this proposal, but especially those communities most impacted by opioids. In 2021, Minneapolis Native American and Black residents were 29 and 2.4 times more likely than white residents to die from an opioid overdose, respectively.

By expanding access to treatment and focusing prevention efforts, we expect that we will continue to address racial/ethnic disparities present in the opioid epidemic. By investing directly in connecting those communities most impacted with services, we hope that existing disparities will decrease.

Evidence

Strong. All of the proposed work is based on best practices and evidence-based strategies.

Performance

Goal: Reduce impact of opioid use disorder for Minneapolis residents.

Objectives:

• Expand OUD treatment access
• Develop long term strategy for use of settlement funds
• Prevent misuse of opioids, especially among youth
• Enhance quality of opioid use data available to City staff for planning purposes

Metrics:

• Decrease in the number of overdose-related deaths
• Decrease in the number of overdose-related emergency department admissions
• Increase in the number of treatment facilities
• Increase in the number of people enrolled and receiving Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) and other forms of treatment
• Increase in number of facilities and people receiving culturally sensitive services
• Contracting reports demonstrate that funds directed toward underserved communities in South Minneapolis are spent

Summary

The Council approves $350,000 in one-time General Fund for the Health Department to provide community health and wellbeing services in the Elliot Park area.

Description

Funds will be used to work with an external contractor to provide a multitude of services for people experiencing homelessness, unstable housing, food insecurity, and deep poverty. Services provided will help people meet basic needs in a safe and welcoming environment, and will include healthy, hot meals, hygiene supplies and showers, laundry, mail, voicemail, healthcare access, employment services, veterans’ benefits, and mental health supports. This new budget proposal is intended to ensure community members also have connections to other benefits, including access to on-site partner organizations, such as Hennepin County, Veterans Services, Housing Stabilization Service Providers, and other nonprofit organizations specializing in housing, health, wellness, transit and transportation access, employment and education.

Services will help with the prevention and management of homelessness, mental illness, substance abuse, and chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, and other chronic illnesses.

Equity

Will reduce racial disparities (anecdotal/no data).

Funded activities will reach diverse communities most impacted by health disparities and racial disparities. The Elliot Park Neighborhood consists of 41% people of color; 45% of households are cost-burdened; 51% of renter households are cost-burdened; 48% of households make $35,000 or less in household income; and 27% of households are below poverty level.

Summary

The Council approves $761,970 in ongoing and $250,000 in one-time General Fund for the Health Department, through the Climate Legacy Initiative, to hire one Green Credentials Coordinator, as well as to support workforce recruitment, labor and trades coordination, community education offerings, introduction courses, certified training, internship opportunities, and job placement.

Description

There are too few people trained to do the work necessary to meet the City's climate goals. The City has an opportunity to equitably improve the economic wealth of our community through the expansion of green jobs as thousands of new, high paying jobs are needed to address climate mitigation. Experts in climate change, labor unions, and community groups agree that creating interest, training pathways, and connections to livable wage jobs in green and climate related fields needs to be a top priority for the first phase of climate investments. Green investments provide opportunities to create jobs and increase wages of residents in environmental justice communities; BIPOC communities have nearly twice the unemployment rate relative to the state.

Equity

The unemployment rates of predominately BIPOC communities in North and South Minneapolis are nearly 6% while the state unemployment rate is about 3%. Additionally, there is a significant portion of the population that is under-employed. This plan focuses training opportunities in North and South Minneapolis through a comprehensive approach that prioritizes green concepts to training and certifications with pathways to careers in high paying, livable wage jobs.

Evidence

Investments support recognized and credentialed programs from established community partners and industry certification programs.

Performance

Objective: Offer trainings to over 1,000 people including youth, with at least 25 direct internships.

Metrics:

• Number of students taking credentialed trainings in solar, energy efficiency, green infrastructure, auditing
• Number of students with pathways into labor and trades programs
• Number of youth and community members participating in introductory solar coursework
• Number of green career internship opportunities annually

Summary

The Council approves $4,469,725 in ongoing and $275,000 in one-time General Fund for the Health Department, through the Climate Legacy Initiative (CLI), to hire one Weatherization Low Income Case Manager, and to support weatherization focused in green zones, electrification, mobility incentives, and 0% financing across the City.

Description

The Climate Incentives Program assists residents and businesses in overcoming financial barriers to change outlined in the Climate Legacy Initiative. This program makes up the largest proportion of the Climate Legacy Initiative; the incentives will help leverage state and federal climate related funding for communities. The majority of the funding focuses on weatherization, especially in Green Zones. Emission reductions are essential to achieving the City's climate goals; there are incentives to drive large scale emissions reduction with commercial and industrial partners. The CLI includes incentives for residential and small business charging station infrastructure and mobility options like electric bikes in neighborhoods highly impacted by traffic and pollution. The CLI also offers 0% loans to residents and small business to cover the remaining cost of a project after upfront incentives.

Equity

Climate investments have the potential to be implemented inequitably; the people with the capacity to pay the high capital costs for climate investments will reap the savings benefits. For this reason, all incentive programs will be distributed through an equity lens. The Climate Equity Plan uses Justice40 as an equity benchmark and will commit at least 40% of all funding to environmental justice communities and projects serving low-income populations. To date, the City has invested over 60% of funding to these communities.

Evidence

The City of Minneapolis and its partners have years of experience in deploying incentives to the community through the Green Cost Share Program. The City has a 15 to 1 leveraging of lifetime savings in our community for every dollar invested in direct incentives. The City has supported over 1,000 projects saving over $140,000,000 in energy costs for residents and businesses while reducing 16,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually. To achieve climate goals laid out in the Climate Equity Plan, the City needs to build on these successes. To deploy incentives at the scale of the City's climate goals, the City will need to incorporate new incentive structures and establish new community and energy sector partners too.

Performance

Objective: Weatherize 500-1000 homes, emission reduction projects in 15-20 businesses, $28,000,000 in lifetime savings projects, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from all sectors by at least 4,000 tons.

Metrics:

• Overall projects completed
• Percentage of funding meeting environmental justice standards
• Low income households served
• Lifetime energy savings
• Greenhouse gas reduction in tons

Summary

The Council approves $234,446 in ongoing and $425,000 in one-time General Fund for the Health Department, through the Climate Legacy Initiative, to hire one Large Commercial and Industrial Energy Hub Coordinator to provide policy coordination and outreach support.

Description

The City aims to align operations, policy, and community outreach to ensure it is leveraging efforts of all stakeholders to meet its ambitious climate targets. This budget proposal includes staff to coordinate CLI work across the enterprise, conduct outreach focused on large commercial and industrial sectors, implement marketing campaigns to increase awareness of funding opportunities available to residents and businesses, and build community partner capacity by contracting with community organizations to lead the City's CLI work. Additionally, this budget proposal creates a Commercial and Industrial Energy Hub to drive large scale emission reductions required to meet the City's goals through technical assistance and increasing awareness about incentives.

Refer to the Office of Public Service's budget proposal page to learn more about the Climate Legacy Initiative Senior Project manager who will coordinate state and federal funding opportunities for the City. Refer to the Intergovernmental Relations budget proposal page to learn about the one-time funding for the Climate Legacy Initiative IRA-IIJA Response Capacity.

Equity

Policy Coordination and Outreach will be conducted with an equity lens. A majority of the federal and state investment opportunities focus on equity. The equity incentives outlined in the Climate Legacy Initiative will help the City capture some of the federal and state funds. Policy and outreach will align with equity incentives and apply Justice40 standards as City investments are focused in environmental justice communities, cultural corridors, and low-income properties.

Evidence

There are billions of dollars available to local governments through federal and state programs. The money is flowing to cities through many different programs. The City will need to track, apply for, and secure this funding. Community partners and leveraged relationships are an essential part of the success in deploying resources on climate change. The City sees an increase in program utilization in communities where work is preformed closely with community organizations. Funds will be utilized to build community organizational capacity with key communities and energy sector experts to increase efficiencies.

Performance

Objective: Secure the maximum amount of federal and state investments to increase capacity. Create marketing campaigns that include new programming. Deliver green house gas reduction projects with 3-5 major emitters. Contract with 5 community organizations for outreach.

Metrics:

• State and Federal grants applied for and investments secured
• Contractual performance measures with key community partners, especially serving in Green Zones, Cultural Corridors, and low-income properties
• Projects completed with commercial and industrial partners and tons of greenhouse gas emissions reduced
• Citywide activity and metric tracking on meeting greenhouse gas reduction targets within the enterprise and community wide emissions

Summary

The Council approves $455,666 in ongoing and $400,000 in one-time General Fund for the Health Department, through the Climate Legacy Initiative, to hire one City Trees Program Assistant. Additionally, this investment will increase the number of trees available in the residential tree sale program, increase the number of trees planted by staff and volunteers in the Green Zones, and increase the number of trees planted on commercial property.

Description

The City Trees program has worked to increase thee tree canopy on private property since 2006. The program currently has funding to distribute 2,000 residential trees and plant 250 commercial trees each year. In 2023, there were 5,000 entries for the residential lottery for a chance to purchase a low-cost, $30 tree, over 330 trees were requested through the commercial program, and 384 applications for 100 available free trees for Green Zone residents through a state grant. The budget proposal includes investments for a Green Spaces chapter to improve urban and community forest management, maintenance, and stewardship while also adapting to the impacts of climate change.

This new budget proposal will increase the number of trees offered in the residential tree sale to 4,000, ensure at least 500 trees are planted by staff and volunteers in the Green Zones, and increase the number of trees planted on commercial property to 500 each year. The City Trees Program is ran by the City Trees Program Coordinator. This new funding will be used to hire a City Trees Program Assistant to increase outreach and communications about the program, plan events, coordinate plantings, and assist with identifying methods to improve the program. The City Trees Program will also add capacity to water trees on private property across the City. Watering in the initial growth stages after a tree is planted is essential to survival and to realize the investment in young trees. The City of Minneapolis and other cities with tree planting programs see high mortality rates due to a lack of watering.

Equity

The City Trees Program prioritizes increasing the number of trees distributed and offering full service planting in the Green Zones and other areas of the City with the lowest tree canopy, with many census tracts at 3%-10% canopy coverage. Supporting planting, over distribution, is critical as most residents and businesses would not invest in tree planting without this program.

Evidence

The City Trees Program has grown year-over-year. In 2019, the residential tree sale distributed 1,000 trees. There were over 4,000 applications for the residential tree program in 2023, and there were not enough trees to meet the demand. Increasing the urban tree canopy improves air and water quality and climate resilience.

Performance

Objective: Plant 5,000 trees a year and water high risk trees.

Metrics:

• Number of trees distributed or planted by neighborhood
• Number of trees specifically planted in the Green Zones, cultural communities, and/or low-income properties
• Survivability rates
• Number of people reached through educational events and communications

Summary

The Council approves $272,964 in ongoing and $300,000 in one-time General Fund for the Health Department, through the Climate Legacy Initiative, to hire two Biochar/Carbon Sequestration Program Coordinators and support carbon sequestration.

Description

The Minneapolis Carbon Sequestration Program harvests carbon temporarily stored in trees, changing it to a stable form called biochar. Biochar supports the Climate Equity Plan by building resilient, functional green spaces, increasing climate resilience in the Green Zones, and increasing tree survival. This improves poor urban soils and makes soils more suitable for gardening while sequestering carbon for an estimated 1,000-2,000 years.

The City has developed an extensive network including the university research community, federal and state agencies, tribal connections with the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community, counties, non-profits, and community organizations.

The Minneapolis Carbon Sequestration Program is currently funded through a Bloomberg Philanthropies grant, set to expire May 2024, and one-time matching funds. A key request is stable staff funding, as well as start-up costs for the construction and operationalization of the Minneapolis biochar production facility in spring 2024. Inflation has increased manufacturing estimates over 50%, exceeding the budget of the Bloomberg grant. Site changes, zoning, development and regulatory requirements have increased costs as siting has evolved. The program will be revenue neutral through cost recovery to offset operational expenses. Carbon sequestered in this program will be equal to thousands of home emissions each year.

Equity

The City has agreed to provide biochar to several equity-based community urban agriculture groups to support work in local food production. Community partnerships improve the climate resilience and output of food systems, larger drought resistant tree canopies, and reduce flooding.

Evidence

Over the past ten years the City demonstrated biochar use while developing an extensive professional network. The City developed agreements with community groups, worked with Minnesota Department of Transportation on specifications and standards, and established pilot projects. Following a demonstration project, Hennepin County incorporated biochar into their own Climate Action Plan.

Performance

Objective: Begin production of biochar with 2,000 tons of carbon capture credits.

Metrics:

• Quantity of waste wood used
• Tons of biochar produced
• Tons of carbon dioxide removed, and tons of carbon used in projects.
• Cost recovery includes biochar and carbon credits generated.

Summary

The Council approves $100,000 in ongoing and $100,000 in one-time General Fund for the Health Department, through the Climate Legacy Initiative, to support programming to grow more sustainable, local food, and address food waste.

Description

The Homegrown Minneapolis (HGM, "Homegrown") mission is to help the community grow, process, distribute, eat, and compost more healthy, sustainable, and locally grown food.  Current HGM programming related to the Climate Legacy Initiative includes:

The Minneapolis Food Vision ("Food Vision"), which contains strategies to promote a more just, resilient, and equitable food system; it was designed as a companion plan to the Climate Equity Plan. Conventional agriculture and food distribution systems as wasted foods are significant sources of greenhouse gases. To reduce emissions, more localized and sustainable methods of production and distribution are needed alongside prevention and better management of wasted foods. The Food Vision contains strategies to support these changes, which were incorporated into the Food and Zero Waste Circular Economy section of the Climate Equity Plan.

Equity

The Homegrown Minneapolis Food Council created seven food justice principles that guide the City's work. Marginalized communities experience a disproportionate burden of harm related to climate change including within the food system. The proposed strategies prioritize work led by and impacting BIPOC communities, particularly in Green Zones.

Evidence

Homegrown is collaborating with internal and external partners on solutions for more sustainable growing spaces for community gardeners. These resources will help the City support those transitions. There are currently two Deep Winter Greenhouse pilots making the City well positioned to expand upon initial success. Through a new partnership with Food Matters, a program of the Natural Resources Defense Fund, the City is actively planning ways to rescue more wasted food and compost inedible food scraps. With funding from this budget proposal, the City will have the resources to implement that work.

Performance

Objective: 5-10 community grants supporting urban agricultural and regenerative practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase availability of locally grown food.

Metrics:

• Number of gardeners impacted by more sustainable land tenure and/or season extension
• Number of gardeners with increased access to needed supplies and equipment
• Number of entities purchasing equipment to help them distribute rescued food
• Amount of edible food rescued and estimated associated greenhouse gas emissions saved

Summary

The Council approves $624,489 in ongoing General Fund for the Health Department, through the Climate Legacy Initiative, to hire four staff and support administration of the Climate Legacy Initiative.

Description

The call for transparency from residents and community coalitions on climate change is loud and clear. The administration portion of the Climate Legacy Initiative makes investments to create community facing dashboards, data tracking that dovetails with City operations, and capacity for processing more contracts for climate projects and agreements with partner organizations. The Climate Legacy Initiative calls for staff positions to directly coordinate weatherization work with the Healthy Homes program in Regulatory Service.

The Climate Legacy Initiative will triple the amount of investments made for climate work, will increase the administrative capacity of the City to operationalize investments, and demonstrate how investments are spent. Staff in the administrative positions will coordinate the aforementioned work, especially in rental housing, and increase community contracts.

Equity

The data tracking and transparency will allow the City to understand how investments are spent and ensure data is incorporated into existing city IT systems. The City aims to ensure investments are made within Justice40 environmental justice standards, and a minimum of 40% of funding is directed to Northside/Southside Green Zones, cultural corridors, or low-income units. The City currently exceeds a 60% level of investment in environmental justice communities.

Evidence

Historically, climate programming was administered at lower investment levels that did not allow for the required administrative support, reporting tools, data tracking, and coordination and management of staff. This budget proposal ensures the City has a framework established for increasing climate programming.

Performance

Objective: Create a transparent tracking and reporting system for all Climate Legacy Initiative results and other city activities to monitor progress towards climate goals.

Metrics:

• Establishing the systems to track performance of the entire Climate Legacy Initiative and a public-facing dashboard
• Connecting data from results-based services, such as energy savings or energy scores from weatherization, with the city land management system
• Ensuring there is coordination of service with Health, Regulatory Services, and CPED

Summary

The Council approves earmarking $100,000 in one-time General Fund for the Health Department to continue support of the Green Cost Share Program.

Description

This earmark of existing Health Department budget supports the current implementation of the Green Cost Share program. Green Cost Share is key to the City’s climate goals and has consistently higher demand than available funding. Through this program the City helps businesses reduce the disproportionate impacts of climate change and environmental pollution.

Green Cost Share projects incentivizes participants to engage in solar energy projects, weatherization, and pollution reduction by providing upfront, matching funds. Over half of the projects completed in 2021, or 73% of the funding, were considered environmental justice projects. 1,700 low-income properties took part with solar and energy efficiency projects.

As an existing, successful program, additional funds can be easily deployed to increase the number of projects completed annually.

Equity

This investment will reduce racial disparities and is supported by rigorous, data-driven evidence.

Low-income residents, Indigenous people, and residents of color within the City are disproportionately impacted by the cumulative effects of traffic, air pollution, blight, and climate change. Fair treatment means no group of people should bear a disproportionate share of the negative environmental consequences resulting from industrial, governmental, and commercial operations or the execution of federal, state, local, and tribal programs and policies.

The Green Cost Share program is one way that Minneapolis strives for environmental justice. In 2021 there were a record 173 out of 334 projects Environmental Justice qualified projects. The program focuses its work in areas of the City that are designated are Green Zones, Great Streets, low-income/affordable housing, and priority census tracts. A higher percentage of matches and higher caps on project matches in high percentage BIPOC communities are one strategy to ensure that those most impacted by pollution and negative effects of climate change are prioritized.

Performance

Goal: To drive pollution reduction and climate action through win-win approaches with small businesses, non-profits and community groups through financial matches to investment that benefits the health of residents, workers, and visitors.