Twin Cities mayors split with councils over 60‑day eviction notice ordinances
Minneapolis’ 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 it—citing steady eviction‑court trends, arguing rental assistance is more effective, and announcing an additional $1 million for emergency rent aid—with the council needing nine votes to override. In St. Paul a 7–0, veto‑proof council approved a 60‑day notice effective May 14–Dec. 31, and Mayor Kaohly Her said she will neither sign nor veto it, letting it become law via pocket approval while urging state‑level rental assistance as a more sustainable solution.
📌 Key Facts
- Minneapolis 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, adding to $1 million previously approved by the council for Hennepin County residents affected by Operation Metro Surge (totaling $2 million in related emergency aid).
- Frey’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), arguing filings are consistent with 2025 monthly averages.
- Frey said COVID‑era experience shows eviction‑filing pauses are less effective than direct rental assistance, arguing that "stopping evictions may sound good, but... rental assistance is" the real solution.
- Council Minority Leader Robin Wonsley argued preventing eviction is cheaper and more humane than rehousing, warned that Metro Surge will drive a spike in homelessness, and noted the council would need nine votes to override Frey’s veto.
- In St. Paul the city council voted 7–0 to extend the pre‑filing eviction notice from 30 to 60 days (effective May 14 through Dec. 31, 2026); Mayor Kaohly Her said she will not sign but also will not veto, allowing the measure to become law via "pocket approval" under the city charter.
- Mayor Kaohly Her said the ordinance could produce "the opposite result," described state‑level emergency rental assistance as a "more responsible and sustainable path," and said she is working with the Legislature on such aid.
📊 Relevant Data
In Hennepin County, which includes Minneapolis, about 63% of those facing eviction in early 2025 were Black, while Black residents make up just 12% of the county's population.
MN eviction filings spiked in January 2025 as COVID money dries up — Star Tribune
Black Minnesotans are three times more likely to rent, two times more likely to have housing problems, and 11 times more likely to experience homelessness compared to White Minnesotans.
Housing Disparities Dashboard — Minnesota Housing
Eviction filings in Minneapolis and St. Paul have increased by 25% so far in 2026 compared to the same period in 2023, with immigration enforcement threatening housing security due to lost wages and fear among immigrant communities.
Immigration enforcement threatens housing security, rippling through local economies — Stateline
Immigrant families in Minnesota face disproportionate eviction risks due to lower incomes and higher rent prices, with missed rent payments exacerbated by fears related to ICE operations.
Fears of ICE pushes Minnesota families into housing crisis — Sahan Journal
Rental assistance programs have been shown to improve housing stability and prevent evictions more effectively than eviction pauses, with some programs achieving 95% permanent housing retention after intervention.
HOMELESSNESS PREVENTION SERIES: Spotlight on Eviction — United States Interagency Council on Homelessness
📰 Source Timeline (3)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- St. Paul’s 7–0, veto‑proof council vote to extend pre‑filing eviction notice from 30 to 60 days, effective May 14 through Dec. 31.
- Mayor Kaohly Her says she will not sign the ordinance but also will not veto it, allowing it to become law via 'pocket approval' under the city charter.
- Her’s stated rationale that the ordinance risks 'the opposite result' and that emergency rental assistance at the state level is a 'more responsible and sustainable path,' with her working the Legislature for such aid.
- 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.