Brian Strahan (Ward 1)
Detailed Responses
If elected, what will be your top three priorities?
Safety, housing, competent and responsive governance.
What should the City do to generate missing revenue as downtown building values fall?
Downtown Minneapolis is the heart of our city, and its future depends on making it a safe, vibrant, and adaptable place for both businesses and residents. The pandemic accelerated trends that were already shifting, and we need to be proactive in rethinking how downtown functions—not just as an office hub, but as a well-rounded, thriving neighborhood.
Public Safety as the Foundation
First and foremost, we must restore public trust in safety downtown. That means a fully staffed and well-trained police force, a strong presence of community safety ambassadors, and continued investment in mental health response teams. People need to feel comfortable working, living, and visiting downtown at all hours—not just during the workday.
A Hybrid Business Model: Supporting a New Downtown Economy
The reality is that many businesses are not returning to a five-day office week, and we should embrace a Tuesday-Thursday hybrid model as the new normal. To support this, the City can:
Incentivize businesses to cluster in core areas on hybrid days to create energy and activity.
Encourage event programming on Mondays and Fridays to draw people in on traditionally slower days.
Support small businesses, restaurants, and bars that cater to the new work-life balance.
Converting Offices to Housing—But Doing It Right
As office vacancies rise, converting some buildings to apartments is a smart, long-term strategy—but only if we ensure downtown remains livable.
Zoning and incentives for developers to add a mix of market-rate and affordable housing.
Ensuring downtown has key amenities like grocery stores, pharmacies, barbers, and retail so that living downtown is practical.
Reactivating street-level spaces to prevent empty storefronts and make downtown feel inviting, not hollowed out.
Filling the Revenue Gap: Smart Growth, Not Just Tax Hikes
Falling downtown property values mean declining tax revenue, so we need to diversify how the city generates revenue:
Encourage more residential and mixed-use development to stabilize tax income over time.
Expand tourism and event-based revenue by making downtown a go-to destination for conventions, concerts, and sports events.
Reevaluate tax incentives to ensure we’re attracting and retaining the right mix of businesses.
Strengthen small business growth by reducing red tape and fees for startups looking to fill vacant spaces.
If we focus on safety, smart business adaptation, and livability, we can build a downtown that works for the future—not just tries to recreate the past. With the right leadership, we can ensure downtown remains a thriving economic and cultural center for all.
What is the appropriate role of the City Council in developing policy and providing services under the 'Executive Mayor' system?
Under the Executive Mayor - Legislative Council system, the City Council's primary role is to develop policy, represent constituents, and provide oversight, while the mayor is responsible for the day-to-day operations of city departments.
The City Council should be the main architect of all policies for Minneapolis. As the closest elected representatives to the people, council members must ensure that the diverse voices of residents are heard, debated, and reflected in the city’s legislative agenda. All policy and service directives should be built through consensus, with clearly stated goals that guide the city’s priorities on public safety, housing, economic development, and transportation.
While the Council sets the vision, it is the mayor’s responsibility to execute that vision by managing city services and departments. However, if the mayor steps out of line or fails to follow the Council’s directives, it is the Council’s duty to act as a check on executive power, ensuring that policies are implemented as intended and that city operations remain accountable to the people.
To fulfill this role, the Council should:
Craft policies that align with community needs and provide a roadmap for city operations.
Approve and oversee the budget, ensuring taxpayer dollars are spent efficiently.
Hold the mayor accountable—but only when necessary—by ensuring city services are delivered in accordance with Council-approved policies.
Engage with residents to bring forward concerns, ideas, and solutions that shape the city’s future.
This system is designed to create a clear division of power, preventing inefficiencies and political interference in daily operations while ensuring the Council remains a strong voice for the people in shaping the future of Minneapolis. By staying focused on policy and oversight, rather than micromanaging, the Council can ensure a functional and effective government that serves all residents.
What should the City Government do to support small and local businesses?
A great approach to supporting small businesses in Minneapolis means prioritizing incremental, financially sustainable policies that foster organic growth, not top-down mandates. Public safety must be improved through a mix of community-based initiatives, smart policing, and investments in the public realm to make commercial areas welcoming and secure. Instead of relying on expensive corporate subsidies, the city should prioritize small businesses by cutting red tape, and making it easier to start and expand local enterprises. Downtown should evolve into a thriving, mixed-use district, where vacant office spaces are gradually converted into apartments and small-scale commercial spaces, ensuring that essential amenities like grocery stores and services are in place to support new residents. Public investments should focus on small, high-return infrastructure improvements—fixing sidewalks, improving transit access, and ensuring streets are safe and business-friendly. Above all, the city must be responsive and transparent, engaging regularly with small business owners, seeking input before enacting policies, and ensuring local entrepreneurs are at the heart of decision-making. A bottom-up, incremental strategy that makes it easier for local businesses to grow will create a more resilient, financially strong Minneapolis that works for everyone.
What is an immediate and urgent solution to encampments in Minneapolis?
First, the city should establish more sanctioned, managed outdoor spaces with access to basic services like hygiene facilities, outreach workers, and connections to mental health and addiction treatment. While not a permanent fix, this approach reduces harm while offering stability to those currently living in unsafe and unregulated encampments. Simultaneously, the city must expand low-barrier shelter options that do not impose rigid rules that often discourage individuals from seeking help, ensuring that people have safe and warm places to go immediately.
Next, the city should increase rapid-response outreach teams to connect encampment residents with the services they need, including mental health care, addiction treatment, and job assistance. Many unhoused individuals are caught in a cycle of instability, and breaking that cycle requires consistent, personal engagement rather than one-time displacement efforts.
Finally, Minneapolis must streamline and accelerate access to transitional and permanent supportive housing. This means fast-tracking adaptive reuse projects—such as converting vacant hotels, office buildings, and underused properties into temporary and permanent housing—while cutting bureaucratic delays in getting people placed into stable homes. Housing-first strategies have been proven effective in addressing chronic homelessness, and the city must prioritize policies that lead to permanent solutions, not just temporary displacements.
The encampment crisis is urgent, but simply clearing encampments without alternatives only relocates the problem. A Strong Towns approach demands incremental, financially responsible solutions that actually work, combining immediate safety measures with long-term housing stability so that Minneapolis can move beyond reactionary policies and toward real, lasting progress.
What role should the City Council have in improving public safety?
The City Council plays a critical role in improving public safety by ensuring that policies are effective, community-centered, and fiscally responsible, while also serving as a check on the executive branch to make sure safety strategies align with the needs of Minneapolis residents. Public safety is not just about law enforcement—it’s about creating an environment where all residents feel safe, whether they’re at home, at work, or walking in their neighborhood.
First, the City Council must set clear, measurable safety priorities by working closely with community members, law enforcement, first responders, and violence prevention organizations. This includes ensuring that police resources are used efficiently, while also investing in alternative responses—such as mental health crisis teams and violence prevention programs—that reduce reliance on police for non-criminal issues.
Second, the council must properly fund and oversee the city’s public safety departments, ensuring that both law enforcement and community-based safety initiatives are adequately resourced. This includes not just the Minneapolis Police Department, but also fire, emergency medical services, 911 dispatch, and social services that play a role in crisis response.
Third, the council must act as a check on the mayor’s administration under the new Executive Mayor system. While the mayor is responsible for implementing public safety strategies, the council must hold the administration accountable to ensure that policies are working, that safety efforts are transparent, and that city resources are spent effectively. If the mayor’s approach is failing to meet the needs of the public, the council must step in to course-correct through policy adjustments, budgetary oversight, or public engagement.
Lastly, public safety must be approached holistically, addressing the root causes of crime—such as economic instability, lack of mental health services, and housing insecurity—rather than relying solely on reactive measures. The council should champion policies that make neighborhoods safer over the long term, from better street lighting and improved walkability to stronger partnerships with local businesses, schools, and community groups.
At its best, the City Council is the voice of the people in shaping public safety policy. It must balance law enforcement accountability, community-driven solutions, and strategic investments to ensure that every Minneapolis resident—regardless of where they live—feels safe and protected.
Quick Hits
Property taxes?
Safety, Housing, competent and responsive governance.
The City has committed to transforming George Floyd Square in a way that honors community values and vision for the future. What option do you support for this transformation?
A Flexible Open-Street concept that would support development at the People’s Way.
What concept do you support for 3000 Minnehaha Ave, the site of the former Third Police Precinct?
Additional community engagement needed in order to decide.
Do you support the removal of I-94 through Minneapolis and replacement with a boulevard and/or public transit?
Yes.
Do you support the City of Minneapolis moving forward a Boycott, Divestment and Sanction policy against Israel where possible?
No.
The City of Minneapolis has a Separation Ordinance in place preventing city employees from asking about immigration status. Do you support this ordinance?
Yes.
What would you prioritize in immediate future city budgets?
Focus more on core functions for which the city is currently primarily responsible like police, fire, and road maintenance.
Should a Labor Standards Board be revisited, its composition should be:
The Minneapolis Labor Standards Board (MLSB) has the potential to be a powerful advocate for workers, ensuring that labor, especially those of the most vulnerable, are heard and addressed. By providing a structured forum for workers, employers, and community members to discuss workplace issues, the board can play a crucial role in highlighting gaps in labor protections, exposing enforcement challenges, and recommending policy improvements. Its work can help shape a fairer and more equitable labor environment by ensuring that worker voices are elevated and that the City Council has access to valuable, real-world insights when crafting policy. However, while the MLSB can be a strong advocate, it should not function as a policymaking body. That responsibility must remain with the City Council, which is directly accountable to voters and must balance worker protection with broader economic sustainability. If the board were to act as a de facto policymaker, it could risk bypassing public accountability, creating unintended burdens on businesses, and overstepping its role in city governance. Regulations require careful deliberation to ensure they support workers without negatively impacting Minneapolis’ economy. The best path forward is for the board to continue serving as a trusted advisory body, ensuring labor concerns are addressed, while leaving the final decision-making process to elected officials. This balance will allow the city to maintain a fair and effective labor policy that reflects the needs of workers, businesses, and the community.
Increased vibrancy and activity downtown is important for:
Everyone in Minneapolis
Minneapolis small and local business owners receive:
Too little support from the City Council
How important is economic health and the business environment in Minneapolis?
One of the top three most important issues facing our city
Do you believe that Minneapolis currently has a hospitable business climate?
No.
I believe that perception of crime:
Has a real impact on local businesses and should be taken seriously by city policymakers.
Would you support the implementation of a strict rent control policy with rents capped at 3% annual increases, such as was passed in Saint Paul in 2021?
No.
Are you open to supporting a different version of rent control than a strict 3% cap?
No.
In general, what effect do you believe the production of market-rate housing have on other units in the area?
Decreases rent through increasing supply
Do you support the Revised Affordable Housing Right of First Refusal Ordinance?
No.
Do you think we need additional renter protections?
No.
The existence of homeless encampments is:
A public health and safety emergency. Harmful to those living in and near encampments
Should encampment closures be halted?
No.
Do you support the minimum police officer mandate of 1.7 per 1,000 residents?
Yes, and I believe the City should continue working to fulfill it.
As a city council member, would you support increasing funding for recruitment, hiring, and retention of officers as the mayor proposed and City Council majority rejected in their 2024 and 2025 budgets?
Yes.
Do you support the Office of Community Safety Department of Neighborhood Safety’s (DNS) RFP process awarding contracts to organizations through a basic competitive bidding process with expert-informed “best practices” proposal evaluations?
Yes.
Do you support the Department of Neighborhood Safety requiring data-driven accountability and reporting by violence interruption/prevention groups?
Yes.
With regard to public safety do you feel like the city's more pressing issue currently is police accountability or staffing levels?
Staffing levels.
The City reached a federal consent decree with President Biden’s Department of Justice. Despite President Trump’s administration indicating it may abandon efforts to finalize the decree, Mayor Frey has stated he will support the city and the MPD complying with the agreement even if it’s not enforced by the federal courts. Do you agree?
Yes.
Do you believe Shotspotter is a valuable tool?
No.
Should ShotSpotter be expanded to include additional high-crime areas?
No.