The City is hosting Welcoming Week next month. If you are interested in participating, and need help connecting with city planners, please reach out to Jessica at jessica@experiencesouthwest.com

Welcoming Week Celebration is September 20

This year's Welcoming Week Celebrationwill be on September 20, 2019 from 2-6:30 p.m. at Powderhorn Park in partnership with Wellstone International School. The Welcoming Week Celebration is a great opportunity to learn how the City works to ensure that Minneapolis is a welcoming place, to find out how you can support your neighbors and to celebrate immigrant and refugee stories. Past years have had music, traditional dance, pick-up soccer and lots of fun activities for families. Watch last year's video here. If your organization is interested in tabling at this event, please leave us your information here.

Aqua City Motel on Lyndale Ave S has received approval for an addition. Traffic could be impacted during construction, dates yet to be announced. SWBA will share updates as they become available.

The City of Minneapolis wants to support its small, local businesses, and has a program in place to allow businesses access to contracts from the city. They are in the process of updating the related ordinance. 

View Updated Language

The City of Minneapolis is entertaining the idea of adding a food license for micro-wholesalers. The new license type would allow small local producers to lease shelf-space at local retailers for their products. This would open up retail options for small food producers that are currently too expensive through traditional licensing options. 

Review the proposed ordinance

Happening Soon:

• ·          NEW The ramp from I-35W north to 31^st Street and Lake Street is closed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, Thursday, Aug. 29 and Sept. 3-5.

• ·          NEW The access from I-35W north to downtown Minneapolis is closed 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28 through 5 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 29.

• ·          NEW I-94 east is closed from 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29 to 5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 30 between I-394 and I-35W.

• ·          NEW I-94 east is closed from 10 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30 to 5 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 31 between I-394 and I-35W.

• ·          NEW I-35W south is closed from 10 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3 to 5 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4 between I-94 and Highway 62.

Over the past few weeks, SWBA has been listening to input from business members, and last week met with co-author Council Member Palmisano to discuss the proposal and share concerns. As good business owners, we're all in agreement that our employees should be paid what they earn. 

This ordinance would expand enforcement authority of wage theft issues to the City, and adds a few more requirements, mostly surrounding notification of earned safe and sick time (ESST). Based upon conversations and our meeting, SWBA submitted written comment asking for some modifications that would ease the amount of work to implement the required record keeping changes. 

View New State Law

Review Ordinance Draft

Submit Public Comment

Minneapolis Parks are planning improvements to the parks in Southwest. Several meetings are scheduled in August to give you a chance to review the plans and offer feedback.

SW Parks Plan project

We're excited to announce that Hell Bent Fitness is offering an exclusive offer to members of SWBA. Find access to this and other additional benefits when you log-in.

Minimum Wage

Effective Now

The minimum wage in Minneapolis is scheduled to increase on July 1 each year through 2024. Two increase schedules are in force. The first for small employers, designated as those with 100 or fewer employees. The other for those with more than 100 employees.

The City's Department of Civil Rights oversees enforcement of the municipal minimum wage. The city provides information on the ordinance and requirements.

More Information