Jovan Northington: Responses to We Love Minneapolis candidate screener

The following are the responses to the candidate screener conducted by We Love Minneapolis:

Name: Jovan Northington

Website: https://jovan4ward5.org/

Ward: Ward 5

Endorsements – Do you plan on seeking the endorsement of any political parties, groups, or organizations?: DFL

Money raised in 2025: $0

To what political parties and/or organizations do you belong (Ex: DFL, GOP, DSA, Green, Independent)? Please list all that apply: Outreach Director Progressive African American DFL Black Caucus

On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being most progressive and 10 being the most conservative, how would you rate yourself on the scale? 5

If elected, what will be your top three priorities? Public Safety —- Affordable Housing —- Human Services

Current Property Taxes in Minneapolis: Are too high and should be reduced.

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 City of Minneapolis moving forward a Boycott, Divestment and Sanction policy against Israel where possible? No

Do you support the removal of I-94 through Minneapolis and replacement with a boulevard and/or public transit? 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 should the City do to generate missing revenue as downtown building values fall? Downtown buildings are great locations for small businesses to relocate and build small business resilience incubator hubs.

What is the appropriate role of the City Council in developing policy and providing services under the ‘Executive Mayor’ system? Under an executive mayor system, the City Council’s primary role is legislative focusing on enacting laws and policies approving the budget and overseeing the mayor’s actions while the mayor focuses on executive functions like implementing policies and managing cities operations.

What would you prioritize in immediate future city budgets? Expansion of municipal functions into areas like social services, financial services, and other areas like municipal banking, sidewalk shoveling, and municipal grocery stores.

Should a Labor Standards Board be revisited, its composition should be: Business and Labor have equal representation

If you answered “something else” in the previous question, please explain here: n/a

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

What should the City Government do to support small and local businesses? To support small and local businesses in Minneapolis the city government should offer financial assistance through grants and loans, simplify regulations and promote local shopping and business districts.

Would you support a strict rent control policy with rents capped at 3%? No

If yes, do you support exemptions for new construction? Yes

Are you open to supporting a different version of rent control than a strict 3% cap? Yes

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? Yes

Do you think we need additional renter protections? No

If yes, what protections would you support? n/a

The existence of homeless encampments is (can answer more than one): A public health and safety emergency

Should encampment closures be halted? No

What is an immediate and urgent solution to our Encampment situation in Mpls? Put in fencing, hire private security get no trespassing signs from our neighborhood crime prevention specialist contact the homeless response team.

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? No

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? Police accountability

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? Yes

Should ShotSpotter be expanded to include additional high-crime areas? Yes

What role should the City Council have in improving public safety? The Minneapolis City Council plays a vital role in improving public safety by overseeing budget allocation enacting legislation holding the administration accountable and fostering community engagement to address safety concerns.