Minneapolis Mayor Frey: The state of the city is 'unbowed'
It was not the kind of State of the City address Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had envisioned doing. Frey began his prerecorded speech Wednesday by saying he’d rather be delivering his annual address from one of the city’s parks, touting the city’s booming economy.
“Maybe next year,” Frey said from inside his office at City Hall. “Today, for the first time in city history, we’re not delivering a State of the City address live.”
Frey said COVID-19 has significantly changed the lives of each resident. But despite the hardships brought on by the virus and the shelter-in-place orders, Frey said the city is "unbowed."
He encouraged residents to continue being patient and persistent, noting that Minneapolis has one of the lowest infection rates in the country.
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"For the days, weeks and months ahead our actions will be guided by a sense of civic and social responsibility,” he said. “And our decisions must continue to flow from science and the best data available."
A recent analysis by the city shows that the majority of COVID-19-related fatalities in Minneapolis have come from people in congregate housing facilities.
In response to that information, Frey said he issued an emergency order last week aimed at stemming the spread of the virus among those residents. The order suspends communal dining; it requires facilities to isolate infected residents on separate floors; and all patients and residents will be expected to keep their faces covered while outside their rooms.
To date, Minneapolis has had 425 residents test positive for COVID-19. That’s less than 10 percent of the cases in the state. However, deaths in the city total 55, and account for more than 17 percent of COVID-19 fatalities statewide.
The city will not release a racial breakdown of fatalities yet because the numbers are too low to analyze. Data on confirmed infections show that African Americans represent 20 percent of cases and make up about 19 percent of the city’s population.
Frey said the city is trying to help people hard hit by the economic fallout from the stay-at-home orders. But those efforts are not enough to help all who need it, he noted.
Last week, the city began taking applications from low-income renters needing help paying rent or overdue utility bills. Households can receive up to $2,000 in assistance.
“We’re still counting the applications. But already we’ve received at least five times what we can fill,” said Frey.
The city is also offering $5,000 and $10,000 forgivable loans for small businesses facing hardships due to COVID-19.
Again, Frey said the need far outstrips the city’s resources.
“I’m imploring our state and federal leaders to act,” said Frey. “Give us the resources to execute on emergency relief.”
Frey ended his 16-minute address on a personal note. In September, the mayor and his wife Sarah Clarke will become first-time parents. Frey said they’ve talked about how they will someday tell their child about how they responded to the pandemic.
“You will tell your own children that we struggled, occasionally faltered, but acted boldly, decisively and selflessly in a time of great uncertainty,” said Frey. “And that will be our legacy.”