The City of Bloomington is taking action to address an increased demand for rental assistance services. On Monday, January 26, the Bloomington City Council unanimously approved an allocation of up to $350,000 to support emergency rental assistance for Bloomington residents.

The funding comes from the City’s 2025 Local Affordable Housing Aid (LAHA), which are state-issued funds designated to support affordable housing projects. The funding is managed by the Bloomington Housing and Redevelopment Authority (HRA) and is mostly used for homeownership programs and multifamily development and redevelopment projects.

“State statute allows LAHA funds to be used for emergency rental assistance when there is a demonstrated community need,” said HRA Administrator Sarah Abe. “This allocation gives us the ability to respond quickly and help residents remain housed during a time of increased uncertainty.”

As an initial step, $50,000 has been allocated to Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People (VEAP), a nonprofit organization that provides rental assistance, a food shelf and other basic needs services to residents. In the first two weeks of January alone, VEAP reported receiving 243 calls for financial assistance, 66 of which came from Bloomington residents.

The HRA will continue to assess community need and determine how additional funds should be allocated to other organizations serving Bloomington in the coming months.  

Residents in need of emergency housing resources can visit blm.mn/hraresources.  

For emergency rental assistance, contact VEAP directly at 952-888-9616

Today, our state - and indeed our entire nation - was shaken by another fatal shooting in Minneapolis involving federal law enforcement. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who according to friends and family cared deeply for his patients and his community, was shot and killed by federal agents during an immigration enforcement action in the Whittier neighborhood.

This tragedy comes less than three weeks after the killing of Renee Good in a separate incident involving federal immigration officers – and it follows tens of thousands of Minnesotans taking to the streets in peaceful, powerful protest just hours earlier on Friday.  

My heart goes out to the family, friends, and loved ones of Mr. Pretti, and to everyone grieving. I know many residents of Bloomington and across Minnesota are feeling deep pain, frustration, and anger about yet another life lost in circumstances that raise urgent questions about federal law enforcement practices and community safety.

The Bloomington City Council and many of our elected representatives have called on federal leaders to stop using harmful enforcement tactics and respect constitutional rights that protect both human dignity and public safety. Public safety is not built through fear or force, it is built through trust, fairness, accountability, and humane policy.  

It is imperative that local, state and federal leaders work together to de-escalate the current environment. No one is being made safer in this dynamic, nor is it sustainable. As voices across the community and national leadership have emphasized in recent days, now is the moment to reduce the temperature of rhetoric and tactics and pursue a constructive, coordinated approach that prioritizes safety, transparency, and trust.

At the same time, we must be clear: violence and destruction have no place in our community. Bloomington will not tolerate actions that endanger people or property. I have directed Chief Hodges and our outstanding officers of the Bloomington Police Department to remain vigilant and to work collaboratively with regional partners so that Bloomington remains safe, resilient, and welcoming in the days ahead.

Bloomington will continue to support efforts toward transparency, accountability, and justice, including independent investigations into these incidents, while ensuring our community remains secure and inclusive for everyone. In times like these, we need to come together with compassion, respect, and resolve. Those are the values that define our city.  

Thank you to the residents, community leaders, business owners and public safety personnel who work every day to make Bloomington a place where all people can live safely and with dignity. 

Tim Busse
Mayor, City of Bloomington