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Hennepin County creates Reparative Justice Research Task Force to study local harms
Summary
The Hennepin County Board voted unanimously Dec. 2 to establish a Reparative Justice Research Task Force charged with researching county-specific harms—such as housing covenants and exclusionary policies—and returning data-driven, legally permissible recommendations focused on Hennepin County’s authority and capacity.
Hennepin County commissioners voted unanimously Dec. 2 to establish a Reparative Justice Research Task Force, a board-directed research group tasked with examining the county’s documented history of racially discriminatory policies and recommending county-level remedies.
Commissioner Connolly introduced the action, citing the Race Equity Advisory Council’s (REAC) annual report and examples of historic discrimination in the county, including housing covenants, exclusionary zoning and unequal access to public services. “This research and data collection should be rooted in local harms that Hennepin County was part of and that we can address,” Connolly said.
Commissioner Green co-sponsored the board action and framed the task force as an early, methodical step tied to the county’s disparity-elimination goals. Green noted that other jurisdictions have used revenue streams such as cannabis sales tax to fund equity programs and that examples from Evanston, Ill., and Portland, Ore., inform the conversation.
Several commissioners emphasized constraints on county authority and the need for a narrowly tailored scope. Commissioner Anderson said the county must identify where local policies directly contributed to disparities and limit recommendations to what is legally and financially feasible. “We have an obligation to repair the harm that is ours,” Anderson said, while urging staff to avoid proposing remedies the county cannot legally implement.
Commissioners Lundy, Edelson and others urged realism about costs and implementation. Lundy cited past efforts in California and the risk that large price tags can stall action; Edelson asked that the REAC and staff ensure the process yields actionable steps rather than additional reports. Commissioners repeatedly stressed the research element: the task force will gather evidence, assess county-specific harms, and then propose options for county action.
The board’s motion directs staff to work with REAC and internal and external partners to define membership, meeting schedules and a timeline for reporting back to the board. The board approved the measure by voice vote.
What happens next: staff will develop the task force’s membership and scope and report back to the board as directed in the board action. The county’s REAC will play a role in shaping the research priorities and membership outreach.
