Hello Corcoran Neighbors,
As we come to the end of 2019, I wanted to make an appeal from the heart.
You see, it’s been almost a year since I attended a community meeting and learned about the struggles of
our renter neighbors on 22nd Avenue, and I’ve since become deeply engaged in this cause.
You may have heard that renters in several buildings on the block raised concerns about the conditions of
their homes, and their landlord responded by serving them eviction notices. The renters brought him to
court for retaliation, and have raised $7 million dollars to purchase five of these buildings. Unfortunately,
a deal has not yet been offered to them, and evictions are moving ahead.
Our Corcoran Neighborhood Organization (CNO) has played a critical role in this fight. Offering office
space for organizing, getting to know their stories, and ensuring renter voices are at the decision table by
recruiting tenants to become CNO board members.
Securing stable housing for our neighbors is just one of CNO’s many activities. We are also:
•A beacon for entrepreneurs getting started as a vendor at our Midtown Farmers Market or moving into
permanent brick-and-mortar spaces in the neighborhood
•A guiding hand for people seeking work through training programs and employment workshops
•Forming plans to agitate Hennepin County leaders for a safer Cedar Avenue
•Making genuine progress to secure safety improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers at the
Hiawatha-Lake intersection
Help CNO keep up this critical community work
As you may know, this activity requires resources. As a CNO board member, I’ve been asked to make a
personally meaningful investment in CNO’s future.
I’d like to invite you to do the same. Here’s why: CNO is an investment in a community that agrees to do
what’s right for each other, to put our “All Are Welcome Here” signs into action and to join our neighbors
who have taken a courageous stand while living with constant uncertainty.
Will you help CNO keep up this critical community work with a financial contribution? Every donation, no
matter the size, matters.
You can also join us at one of our board meetings, stop in our office, or find us at the Midtown Farmers
Market when it starts again in May.
Thank you, Corcoran neighbors. Together, let’s ring the hammer of justice this holiday season as we work
towards peace and resolve in 2020.
Kevin Kirsch
CNO Board Member
Comments are closed.