EPNI’s Statement on State Funding Loss
While the state legislature’s decision to cut local funding—again—poses a significant obstacle, EPNI remains steadfast on the path to secure the Roof Depot site for community stewardship, to meet our neighbors needs now and nourish generations to come.
On Monday at the State Capitol, local funding was largely gutted from the state budget, including $5.7 million needed to complete EPNI’s purchase of the Roof Depot site from the City of Minneapolis as planned.
Below, we explain what this means and how you can support EPNI as we continue pushing for community ownership of the Roof Depot site and long overdue justice for East Phillips.
PURCHASE AGREEMENT $ RECAP
The City of Minneapolis bought the Roof Depot site for $6.8 million in 2018 amidst loud public and legal backlash. After stopping the City’s planned demolition in 2023, EPNI entered into a purchase agreement with the city of Minneapolis and the MN State Legislature, to acquire and convert the site into an indoor urban farm and community hub in East Phillips.
The City has asked East Phillips to pull together a total of $15.9 million for the site, 4x its appraised value. EPNI has secured $10.2 million. But, for the second year in a row, the State Legislature promised then failed to deliver the outstanding $5.7 million needed to fully replace what the City of Minneapolis spent while developing their controversial water works facility expansion plan over the years.
“The inability to secure the funding needed to complete the Roof Depot purchase was one of many disappointments coming out of this legislative session. Our Minneapolis delegation fought hard for the funding, but we were ultimately not successful given the political dynamics of the legislature this year. Nonetheless, we made a commitment to help neighbors realize their vision for the site, and we will continue to be a partner at the table with the city and community to move the project forward.” - MN State Representative Samantha Sencer-Mura 63A
If this $5.7 million obstacle is not resolved by July 1st, the City has the option to terminate the deal ahead of the September 15th closing date outlined in our purchase agreement.
For now, we’re hopeful that the city will work with East Phillips to find a solution, given the long history and strong momentum behind this project that will create hundreds of good-paying jobs, year-round access to nutritious food, and increased tax revenue for the city, while also meeting the city’s own environmental justice commitments and community development goals laid out in their 2040 Plan.
WHAT’S OUR PLAN?
Over the past year, EPNI has taught hundreds of neighbors skills to grow their own food, raised over $1.8 million in program and operations funding, and empowered our community at each stage of this project. View our 2024 report here. Phase 2 of the East Phillips Urban Farm project—set to begin this fall—includes soil remediation, an outdoor teaching farm, compost systems, and community education programming, supported by more than $600,000 in secured grants and a growing network of partners. Phase 3 is projected to begin in Fall 2026, which will include stabilizing the shell of the warehouse, preparing the site for a cooperatively-owned solar array on the rooftop, a large-scale aquaponics operation in the northern portion of the warehouse, and small businesses and community organizations in the southern portion.
This project has always been bigger than a building. The East Phillips Urban Farm will remediate land poisoned by industrial use and decades of racist city planning. It will fulfill the City of Minneapolis’ stated commitments to environmental justice in a community where asthma, cancer, and heart disease remain heartbreakingly common. It will create good-paying jobs, year-round access to fresh food, free gathering spaces and countless other public benefits.
It will transform the future of East Phillips, and Minneapolis, into a more beautiful and resilient place by meeting our neighbors needs now and building resilient infrastructure for generations to come. These impacts are not hypothetical—they are guaranteed and they are necessary now more than ever.
After fighting for and building out this community vision for over 10 years, we know that people in East Phillips don’t give and won’t start now.
EPNI is are in active conversation with city leaders and other stakeholders about how to navigate this obstacle. We also know our time and energy should be focused not on patching broken deals, but on building the future our neighborhood deserves.
Here’s how you can help:
Follow EPNI on social media (Instagram | Bluesky | Facebook | Twitter) or sign up to join our email list for updates and calls to action.
Volunteer with us - fill out our intake form to join one of our many volunteer teams
Join EPNI for a community meeting on Wednesday, June 18th, from 4-6pm at the East Phillips Park Cultural & Community Center - Gymnasium (2307 17th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55404) - more details to come.
Keep the pressure on. Let your elected officials know that East Phillips deserves follow-through, not setbacks.
We’ll be sharing more in the coming weeks,
In solidarity,
East Phillips Neighborhood Institute (EPNI)