Crime & Safety
Feds Deny Walz's Request To Help Rebuild Minneapolis
Current estimates of the damage caused during the civil unrest exceed $500,000,000.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Federal authorities have rejected Gov. Tim Walz's request for aid in rebuilding Minneapolis after the violent protests that broke out over the death of George Floyd.
Earlier this month, Walz requested financial support from FEMA and asked President Donald Trump to "declare a major disaster for the State of Minnesota because of extensive fire damage to public infrastructure caused by civil unrest."
In a statement to the Star Tribune, FEMA stated that "the impact to public infrastructure is within the capabilities of the local and state governments to recover from."
Find out what's happening in Southwest Minneapolisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
A spokesperson for Walz told the newspaper that the governor is considering appealing the decision.
A preliminary damage assessment found more than $15 million of eligible damages directly related to the fires.
Find out what's happening in Southwest Minneapolisfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
More than 10,000 public safety officials contributed to the effort to restore peace and safety, including the first full mobilization of the Minnesota National Guard since World War II. However, nearly 1,500 Twin Cities businesses were damaged by vandalism, thefts, and fire, according to a news release.
Current estimates of the damage exceed $500,000,000.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.