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Hennepin County Race Equity Council urges expanded health screening, reparations research and housing supports
Summary
The county's Race Equity Advisory Council presented a 2025 annual report urging the county to expand health access (including male-focused screening), publish guaranteed basic income pilot data, form a reparations research task force and fund eviction-prevention and homeownership programs to tackle racial disparities.
The Race Equity Advisory Council (REAC) presented its 2025 annual report to the Hennepin County administration and board on Nov. 13, calling for concrete actions across health, juvenile justice, education, income and housing to reduce racial disparities.
REAC chair Erica Ryan and vice chair Catherine Bowie told the county board the council formed five committees this year and focused recommendations where disparities are largest: mental health and well-being, juvenile justice, education, income and housing. The mental health committee recommended expanding the county's SHAPE survey after the 2022 survey found nearly one in four residents reported delayed or unmet medical care, and urged tracking equity in early childhood special education and directing resources to male health, including prostate and colorectal screenings in Black communities.
On juvenile justice, REAC asked the county to simplify domestic-violence resources for youth and families, expand immigration legal assistance for minors, and explore establishing a long-term nonprofit rehabilitation facility focused on youth needs.
On income, the council recommended publicizing results of Hennepin's guaranteed basic income (GBI) pilot and continuing rigorous, mixed-method evaluations with independent evaluators; depending on findings, REAC said the county should consider expanding the pilot to more families and wraparound services. The income committee also urged creation of a reparations research task force to study historical harms, convene public forums, and identify best practices from other jurisdictions.
The education recommendations include creating a countywide education collaboration task force with school district representatives, training K-12 educators on anti-racism and culturally responsive instruction, and offering programming to help parents navigate school systems and college access.
On housing, REAC proposed a range of measures including down-payment and housing revitalization grants, application of the county's Racial Equity Impact Tool to housing decisions, revising eligibility criteria to prioritize ZIP codes with lower homeownership and descendants of enslaved people, expanding the Hennepin County HRA levy, establishing a $2 million eviction-prevention and legal-aid stabilization fund, and piloting a 24–36 month lease-purchase program serving 25–50 homes.
Commissioners praised the report as "meaty" and data-driven. Several asked staff to return with implementation details, evaluation plans and metrics for pilots, and asked REAC to involve community members and experts (including partnerships with the University of Minnesota and other jurisdictions) in task-force work. Commissioner Marion Connolly highlighted alarming cancer disparities cited in the report and urged attention to screening access.
REAC concluded by recognizing member contributions and said it would follow up with staff and commissioners on next steps. The board received the report and directed staff to coordinate follow-up briefings and implementation planning.
