Is Jacob Frey the Most Influential Mayor Minneapolis Has Ever Had?

What Makes Jacob Frey Stand Out Among Minneapolis Mayors

How One Mayor’s Decisions Continue to Influence the City’s Future

Strong Leadership Matters: A Look at Minneapolis

Strong leadership and good citizenship are the backbone of a vibrant and healthy community. At Karen’s Green Cleaning, we believe that building trust with our customers, and providing sustainable cleaning services is the backbone of a successful business. Understanding the influence of leadership in your own community will give you a better appreciation of how Minneapolis is changing and why supporting and following those leaders that want to make a lasting positive impact on their community is so important.

About the Current Mayor of Minneapolis

Since 2018, Jacob Frey has been the Mayor of Minneapolis. Before becoming the Mayor, Mr. Frey was a professional runner, Attorney, and a Member of the Minneapolis City Council. Prior to entering politics, Mr. Frey was in housing and community development, which is also a focus of his time as Mayor. As a combination of progressive ideas, combined with a practical approach to resolving problems, Mayor Frey has made affordable housing options, a reduction in the number of homeless people in Minneapolis, and environmental sustainability of Minneapolis main areas of focus for his administration. Affordable housing options, and reducing the number of homeless people in Minneapolis are two major issues for the residents of Minneapolis, who pride themselves on being a community-based city and the progressive roots and community spirit that define Minneapolis.

Mayor Frey has invested greatly in programs to provide affordable housing and reduce homelessness in Minneapolis. Environmental sustainability is another primary focus of Mayor Frey and this aligns with the mission of Karen’s Green Cleaning. At Karen’s Green Cleaning, we strive to create a cleaner, healthier and greener environment for future generations.

Jacob Frey’s Leadership in Challenging Times

Mayor Frey’s leadership in challenging times, particularly in 2020, cannot be discussed without reference to the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests across the globe demanding justice and police accountability. The city of Minneapolis became the focal point of both the pain of George Floyd’s death and the progress toward justice and equality that occurred in response to his death.

The death of George Floyd presented the largest test of Mayor Frey’s leadership to date. The protests and demands for change created significant pressure on Mayor Frey to respond to the protests, demands for change and the expectation of national leaders to address the demand for police accountability and systemic reform. Instead of simply responding to the pressure put on him by others, Mayor Frey chose to take a measured and deliberate approach to advocating for police accountability and systemic reform, while ensuring the safety of Minneapolis.

While some of the people that were critical of Mayor Frey’s response to the protests, acknowledged that it took courage to lead in such a tumultuous time, Mayor Frey showed the type of leader he is; a leader that will advocate for what he believes is in the best interest of Minneapolis, whether or not it requires him to stand alone.

A Vision for a Sustainable and Just Minneapolis

While Mayor Frey’s leadership in challenging times has received considerable attention, his leadership has been focused on developing a city that will be able to thrive for generations to come. Mayor Frey has implemented numerous green initiatives, increased bike-friendly infrastructure and implemented clean energy programs. Similar to the way we work to help our clients live and work in an environmentally sustainable manner, Minneapolis, under Mayor Frey, has made efforts to become an environmentally sustainable city. Like Mayor Frey, we believe that the ultimate goal of making Minneapolis a more efficient, cleaner and enjoyable place to live for everyone, is no less important than generating profits.

By focusing on enhancing the quality of life in Minneapolis, Mayor Frey demonstrates that city growth is more than just buildings and budgets; it is about the well-being of its citizens. Parks, green spaces, clean transportation options and protecting public space in Minneapolis, demonstrate a commitment to the same core values that contribute to a strong community: caring, transparency, and responsibility.

Comparative Analysis of Jacob Frey to Past Mayors of Minneapolis

Minneapolis has hosted some of America’s most respected mayors, including Hubert H. Humphrey, whose progressive policies defined a generation, and Sharon Sayles Belton, who broke barriers for women and minorities in local government as the city’s first African-American and female mayor. Each of these mayors has left behind a legacy of courage and change. 

In contrast to previous mayors of Minneapolis, Mayor Frey represents a new generation of public service. Mayor Frey is more open, more available, and more digitally connected to citizens than any of his predecessors. Mayor Frey governs in real-time, through social media and directly engaging citizens in the decision-making process and informing them of his actions. This degree of engagement is very rare among contemporary leaders.

It is subjective whether Jacob Frey is the “best” mayor in the history of Minneapolis, but it is clear that his leadership has had a profound effect on the role of a modern leader in an increasingly dynamic urban environment.

Why does Strong Local Leadership Matter

We know from experience at Karen’s Green Cleaning, how local leadership impacts the health of a community. When city leaders prioritize sustainability, fairness, and accountability, the results of their decisions are evident in the lives of every resident and business in the community. Mayor Frey exemplifies how collaboration between individuals, organizations, and institutions can produce meaningful and positive change in a community, such as creating a cleaner, fairer and more imaginative city for the citizens of Minneapolis. This is the exact model that our company operates with: do the right thing for people and the planet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is currently serving as the Mayor of Minneapolis?

Jacob Frey has served as the Mayor of Minneapolis since January 2018.

What are the Major Achievements of Jacob Frey as Mayor?

Jacob Frey's top three priorities as Mayor are: Affordable Housing, an Environmentally Sustainable City, and Police Accountability.

Why is Jacob Frey a Polarizing Figure?

Jacob Frey's Response to the George Floyd Protests are the reasons why he is a polarizing figure. Some praise Mayor Frey for listening to the voices of citizens and for having empathy, while many other people criticize his response to calls for reform.

Will Jacob Frey be Remembered as the Best Mayor of Minneapolis of All Time?

This will depend on individual views. Jacob Frey has achieved widespread acclaim for the development of green initiatives and for developing affordable housing. However, as is true with his overall legacy, there are different viewpoints.