August 21, 2020 eNews

August 18, 2020 Meeting Recap

The ANA discussed this Sunday’s Sweet Treats event, possibilities for a distanced Halloween event at Armatage Park, and a new Halloween Decoration Tour during the last week in October.  Additional upcoming events include a distanced Neighborhood Clean-up on October 3 (sign up here) and an anti-racism training on Zoom on October 6 led by facilitators from the Theater of Public Policy (sign-up info coming soon). The Board voted to sign onto a neighborhood funding letter drafted by colleagues from around the city and Accountant, Rachel, held an informative training on city funding and neighborhood financials. Next month’s meeting will be September 22 at 6:30pm on Zoom!

Sweet Treats in the Park This Sunday

Sunday, August 23
5:30-7:30pm
Armatage Parking Lot

Grab your mask and come to Armatage Park for our safe and distanced event of the summer – Sweet Treats in the Park!  Food trucks Sonny’s Ice Cream and Thumbs Cookies will take orders in the parking lot while practicing new safety guidelines and distanced ordering:

  • Pre-order cookies from Thumbs for easy pick-up at https://www.exploretock.com/thumbscookies/
  • Sonny’s prefers prefers cash at the event (don’t worry – transactions will be totally separate from scooping).
  • Dairy-free or gluten-free? Both vendors will have options for you.

Thanks in advance for following our safety guidelines to wear a mask during the event, maintain *at least* 6 feet of distance from everyone outside of your household, follow signs and use the pre-marked spaces to wait in line, and eat away from others in the park or bring your treats home! More on the event at armatage.org. The weather looks perfect but in case of inclement weather, we’ll post cancellations on Facebook, Nextdoor and Twitter

NEW: Native Plant Rebates!

The ANA and Green Team are so excited to launch our first-ever Native Plant Rebate program to increase pollinator habitat throughout the neighborhood! Now through September 30, you can purchase native plants locally and apply for a 50% rebate from the ANA up to $20/household.

See lists of native plants available at our local garden centers and learn more about the new program here.

Get Ready to Vote in the 2020 Election

Minneapolis had its higher primary voter turnout in 50 years! Of the 130,888 ballots, 65% of them were cast early through vote by mail or early voting. Here’s everything you need to know to stay safe and exercise your right to vote this fall:

  • Register to vote or update your voter registration at bit.ly/votemn101
  • Vote by mail: Everyone in Minnesota is eligible to vote by mail, no reason needed. It’s quick and easy to request your absentee ballot online but allow plenty of time to request and mail back your ballot: bit.ly/vbmmn101
  • Track your ballot after you mail it at bit.ly/trackmyvote101
  • Vote early in person at the Minneapolis Early Vote Center at 980 East Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis MN 55414. Hours will be posted at vote.minneapolismn.gov/events and please wear your mask!
  • Election judges needed: Eligible voters who can read, write, and speak English, especially if you are multilingual. High school students ages 16 and older can become student election judges. Learn more and apply at www.hennepin.us/residents/elections/become-an-election-judge


Armatage Adopt a Storm Drain Challenge

Sign up to adopt a new storm drain in the neighborhood, commit to keeping it clean and free of debris that could pollute our waterways, and enter to win a $25 gift card from the ANA! All the details you need to get started are at armatage.org/adoptadrain The challenge ends September 30.

You Could Lose Your Neighborhood Association. We Need Your Help.

Funding for neighborhood organizations like the ANA expires in December. The City is considering a new funding plan that would add equity goals for neighborhoods’ work and increase funding for areas of the city that need it most. But it would also drastically reduce the annual base funding for Armatage and many other neighborhoods to such a degree that core services will be in jeopardy.

If you value the ANA and our continued work in the neighborhood, please take a few minutes to comment before the deadline of September 30, 2020 at 11:59pm. Mail in the postcard we included in your latest edition of the Armatage News, email a comment, or write your own.  All the info you need to quickly comment is at armatage.org/n2020.

Comment on Parks for All

Visit bit.ly/MPRBCompPlan (or click on the image above) to learn more and weigh in on the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board’s Comprehensive Plan.


Take the Southwest Business Assocation’s Safety Survey

The Southwest Business Association would like to hear from community members around safety. Fill out their quick survey at https://forms.gle/dbqHbP8zfvZwURHDA

Loans Available for Those Affected by Civil Unrest

Minneapolis individuals, property owners, businesses and nonprofits can now apply for low-interest disaster loans. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has approved a disaster declaration for areas in Minnesota affected by the recent civil unrest.

Apply online for one of three types of SBA disaster loans:

  • Home disaster loans for homeowners or renters for disaster-damaged real estate and personal property including automobiles.
  • Physical disaster loans for disaster-damaged property owned by businesses and nonprofits including real estate, inventory and equipment. Businesses and nonprofits of any size are eligible. Applications due October 2, 2020.
  • Economic injury disaster loans for working capital to help small businesses and nonprofits meet their financial obligations that cannot be met as a direct result of the disaster. Applications due May 3, 2021.

For help preparing financial documentation, Minneapolis businesses can consult with an advisor through the City’s Business Technical Assistance Program or contact the Minneapolis Small Business Team at 612-673-2487 or SmallBusiness@minneapolismn.gov. See the Small Business Administration news release and fact sheet for more information.


Census Takers Started Door-to-door Outreach on August 11

On August 11, enumerators (also known as census takers) began going to households to help those who have not yet completed the census. If you do not want someone to come to your door, you can still complete the census:

Census takers will only visit households until September 30. Let’s make sure our community is seen and heard. Be counted now, so we have the resources we need for education, healthcare, housing and other vital services for the next 10 years.


Travel Needs Survey

You are invited to participate in a short University of Minnesota survey on people’s travel needs in the Twin Cities region and how shared automated vehicles may help meet these needs. This survey is part of a larger study titled SCC: Leveraging Autonomous Shared Vehicles for Greater Community Health, Equity, Livability, and Prosperity (HELP), which is funded by the National Science Foundation.

The survey is completely online, is available in English and Spanish, lasts no more than 15 minutes, and is voluntary. After completion, all survey participants will be entered into a raffle to win one of forty $50 VISA gift cards!

Link to survey: https://umn.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8tRKSNEtnt5HLaB


Emergency Rent Assistance

Evictions are suspended now through September 11. Hennepin County offers emergency rental assistance for residents with low incomes who have been financially harmed by COVID-19. Residents can learn more and apply at www.hennepin.us/rent-help and find more information here:


Hennepin County Deconstruction Grants

To help divert waste from landfills, Hennepin County has grants available for homeowners and developers to deconstruct buildings to salvage building materials rather than demolish them. Homeowners and developers of residential properties can receive up to $5,000 to help offset the additional costs associated with deconstruction.

Grants are available for demolition or renovation projects that are 250 square feet or larger on structures built prior to 1950 (please note we had this year listed incorrectly in our last edition – our apologies!). Learn more about the grants including eligibility and requirements at hennepin.us/deconstruction.