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Our Priorities for a County That Works
Public Safety
Hennepin County’s role in public safety is broad — from running 911 dispatch and the jail, to emergency management, probation, and community rehabilitation. Josh’s plan focuses on using the county’s tools to prevent harm, respond effectively, and build trust.
1. Strengthen Countywide Emergency Response
Improve staffing and coordination in the county’s 911 dispatch center and crisis response teams so residents get faster, safer help during mental health crises, emergencies, and high-demand periods.
2. Modernize the Sheriff’s Office and Jail
Expand mental health treatment, detox services, and re-entry support inside the jail. Prioritize training and equipment that help deputies respond effectively while reducing unnecessary incarceration.
3. Expand Community Corrections and Rehabilitation
Strengthen probation, Sentencing to Service, electronic home monitoring, and youth diversion programs that reduce re-offense and keep people connected to work, family, and stability.
4. Lead Community Safety, Don’t Outsource It
Support social workers, community engagement teams, and programs that build trust — while ensuring the county takes responsibility for long-term public safety strategies instead of relying on nonprofits to fill the gaps.
County Service Reliability
Hennepin County’s Human Services and Public Health systems are responsible for food assistance, child and family services, disability supports, mental and chemical health, senior services, and core stabilization programs. These services shape whether families fall into crisis or get the support they need to stay stable. Right now, too many residents face long waits, confusing processes, or inconsistent communication. Josh believes the county must act like a strong public institution — accessible, responsive, and accountable.
1. A Unified System for Accessing Services
Build a clear “front door” to county services by integrating applications, document uploads, case status, and communication into one modern, mobile-friendly platform. Residents shouldn’t have to navigate multiple portals, numbers, or offices just to get basic help.
2. Reduce Caseloads & Restore Frontline Capacity
Increase staffing for case managers, social workers, housing navigators, and support staff so residents can actually reach someone when they need help. Lower caseloads mean faster responses, more accurate follow-up, and fewer people falling through the cracks.
3. County-Run Service Hubs With Real Resources
Strengthen and expand county-operated service centers — places where residents can get in-person help without being bounced between nonprofits. Cities and nonprofits are stepping in because the county hasn’t been present enough. Josh will ensure the county takes the lead by staffing hubs with benefits workers, behavioral health staff, housing navigators, and public health resources.
4. Strong Behavioral Health & Public Health Supports
Grow the county’s behavioral health capacity, including assessment, stabilization, outpatient services, and culturally specific care. Public Health must remain a central pillar — from community clinics to home visiting programs to chronic disease and overdose prevention — so residents can get the support they need before issues escalate into emergency rooms, jail bookings, or homelessness.
Housing and Homelessness
Hennepin County is the primary public institution responsible for emergency shelter, homelessness coordination, housing stabilization, and the funding and operation of many programs that keep residents housed. Cities cannot solve unsheltered homelessness on their own — the county must lead with the scale, staffing, and systems needed to reduce street homelessness and move people into stable housing.
1. County-Led Response to Unsheltered Homelessness
Take responsibility for outreach, assessments, and shelter placement instead of pushing cities to manage encampments alone. Expand county-led outreach teams and ensure every encampment response includes housing navigation, behavioral health support, and direct county presence — not just city enforcement.
2. Faster Emergency Assistance & Shelter Access
Reduce wait times for emergency assistance, expand same-day access for families and individuals in crisis, and ensure that people sleeping outside can rapidly enter shelter or temporary housing without bureaucratic delays.
3. Build More County-Controlled Shelter & Housing Options
Increase the number of county-owned or county-operated shelter beds, transitional housing units, and permanent supportive housing so the entire system isn’t dependent on nonprofits operating on unstable grants. The county must directly create and sustain core homelessness infrastructure.
4. Stabilize the Housing Continuum from Prevention to Permanent Housing
Strengthen eviction prevention, rental assistance, housing navigation, and supportive housing services so people can move from street to shelter to stable housing with a clear, uninterrupted path. Coordinate housing, behavioral health, and economic supports so people exiting homelessness can stay housed long-term.
County Transit
Hennepin County controls major roads, intersections, sidewalks, bikeways, and the placement of county buildings — all of which determine how easily residents can reach work, school, clinics, and county services. While Metro Transit runs buses and trains, the county’s transportation and facility decisions shape whether mobility is safe, affordable, and realistic for everyone.
1. Locate County Services Where People Can Reach Them
Ensure service centers, clinics, and county offices are placed near high-frequency transit lines and walkable corridors so residents don’t need to drive or take multiple buses to access basic support.
2. Safer County Roads for Walking, Biking & Transit
Use county authority to improve lighting, crosswalks, sidewalks, and bike connections along major corridors like Lake Street, Lyndale, and Franklin — reducing crashes and improving safety for seniors, families, and transit riders.
3. Transit-Informed Housing & Shelter Decisions
Require every major housing, shelter, or service investment to consider how residents will actually reach it. Access to transportation should be an essential part of any plan aimed at stability, recovery, or re-entry.
4. Support for Seniors & Residents With Disabilities
Strengthen mobility assistance, paratransit coordination, and pedestrian improvements so older adults and residents with disabilities can travel safely, maintain independence, and access county services without barriers.
Green Jobs, Clean Energy & Climate Resilience
Hennepin County oversees waste reduction, environmental health, facility operations, and regional climate planning. The county can drive real change by investing in clean energy, modernizing infrastructure, and supporting jobs that prepare residents for a clean-energy economy.
1. Green Workforce Pathways for District 3 Residents
Partner with unions, trades, and community colleges to create job training pipelines in solar installation, building retrofits, environmental restoration, and electric vehicle infrastructure — ensuring working families access the careers of the future.
2. Clean Energy Investments in County Facilities
Expand solar installations, electrify the county vehicle fleet, and upgrade HVAC and energy systems in county buildings to reduce emissions, cut costs long-term, and model what responsible public-sector climate action looks like.
3. Strong Environmental Health Protections
Strengthen air quality monitoring, environmental inspections, and community health protections — especially in neighborhoods historically exposed to higher levels of pollution or industrial activity.
4. Climate-Resilient Infrastructure
Invest in stormwater upgrades, tree canopy expansion, flood prevention, and cooling strategies that protect residents from extreme heat, heavy rain, and climate-driven weather events.
Economic Mobility & Opportunity
Hennepin County’s role in economic mobility includes workforce development, childcare assistance, family stabilization services, small business support, and transportation access. Josh believes the county must build pathways that help residents achieve long-term stability — not temporary survival.
1. Workforce & Job Training That Leads to Real Careers
Expand county-supported job programs, youth employment opportunities, and re-entry employment partnerships so residents can build long-term stability and move into higher-wage careers.
2. Support Small Businesses & Local Corridors
Simplify access to county contracts, technical support, and small business resources — especially for entrepreneurs of color, immigrant-owned businesses, and neighborhood-based shops that keep District 3 vibrant.
3. Childcare & Family Stabilization
Streamline childcare assistance, early childhood services, and family stabilization programs so parents can work, finish school, and support their families without being blocked by bureaucratic delays.
4. Invest in Neighborhood Opportunity
Support community-led development projects, public space improvements, and local corridors that strengthen neighborhoods, create jobs, and keep economic activity rooted in District 3 communities.