Frey vetoes Minneapolis 60‑day eviction notice ordinance, shifts to rental aid
The Minneapolis City Council passed the "Pause Evictions, Save Lives" ordinance to extend pre‑filing eviction notices from 30 to 60 days through Aug. 31, 2026, but Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed the measure. Frey cited court data showing a slight drop in filings and said direct rental assistance is more effective, announcing $1 million in additional emergency rental aid on top of $1 million previously approved related to Operation Metro Surge, while council critics urged prevention and would need nine votes to override the veto.
📌 Key Facts
- On March 11, 2026, Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed the "Pause Evictions, Save Lives" ordinance that would have extended the pre-filing eviction notice from 30 to 60 days through Aug. 31, 2026.
- Frey announced an additional $1 million in emergency rental assistance for Minneapolis residents, supplementing $1 million the council had already approved for Hennepin County residents affected by Operation Metro Surge.
- The mayor’s office cited eviction-court data showing 982 eviction filings in Minneapolis so far in 2026 versus 1,040 during the same period in 2025 (a 5.5% decrease), saying filings are consistent with 2025 monthly averages.
- Frey argued that COVID-era experience shows eviction-filing pauses are less effective than direct rental assistance, saying "stopping evictions may sound good, but... rental assistance is" the real answer.
- Council Minority Leader Robin Wonsley said preventing eviction is cheaper and more humane than rehousing, warned Metro Surge could drive a spike in homelessness, and the council would need nine votes to override the mayor's veto.
📊 Relevant Data
As of 2023, an estimated 130,000 unauthorized immigrants lived in Minnesota, representing about 2.2% of the state's population.
Mapped: Minnesota's growing unauthorized immigrant population — Axios
In Minnesota, 88% of undocumented immigrants are between the ages of 16 and 54, indicating a predominantly working-age population.
The Role of Undocumented Immigrants in Minnesota's Workforce — Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development
Eviction filing rates in Minnesota between 2016 and 2021 were consistently highest among Black renters and renters in 'Other Groups'.
Minnesota Eviction Filings — The Eviction Research Network
Single Black mothers face the highest risk of eviction in the United States, with Black renters in North Minneapolis evicted at rates far higher than White renters.
Evictions & Inequality in North Minneapolis: Centering Community in Data Storytelling — Collaborations: Anthropology in a Neoliberal Age
State-funded rental assistance programs have been shown to increase housing stability and reduce homelessness by providing direct aid to low-income renters.
State and Local Policymakers Should Invest in Rental Assistance to Reduce Evictions and Homelessness — Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Mayor Jacob Frey has vetoed the 'Pause Evictions, Save Lives' ordinance that would have extended the pre‑filing eviction notice from 30 to 60 days through Aug. 31, 2026.
- Frey simultaneously announced an additional $1 million in emergency rental assistance for Minneapolis residents, on top of the $1 million previously approved by the council for Hennepin County residents affected by Operation Metro Surge.
- The mayor’s office cites eviction‑court data showing 982 eviction filings in Minneapolis so far in 2026 compared with 1,040 during the same period in 2025 — a 5.5% decrease — arguing filings are consistent with 2025 monthly averages.
- Frey argues that COVID‑era experience shows eviction‑filing pauses are less effective than direct rental assistance, saying "stopping evictions may sound good, but... rental assistance is" the real answer.
- Council Minority Leader Robin Wonsley reiterates that preventing eviction is cheaper and more humane than rehousing and warns Metro Surge will otherwise drive a spike in homelessness; the council now needs nine votes to override the veto.