Empowering Ward 10
This is where our journey begins. Get to know DeShanneon For Ward 10 and my commitment to serving the community with quality and dedication. Join me as we work towards a better future for Ward 10. I'm glad you're here to be a part of my story.
About Me
As a 25-year resident of Ward 10, entrepreneur, mother, and dog lover, I bring a lifetime of local experience and professional versatility to everything I do. I’ve held senior roles with high-end retailers such as Saks Fifth Avenue, worked in the tobacco industry, and successfully ran both my own insurance agency and a small house cleaning business.
Currently, I’m a Realtor with Keller Williams here in Uptown. I’m also a passionate animal rights advocate who fosters and rehomes dogs and cats. So far, I have fostered, rescued, and rehomed 13 dogs and cats.
Most importantly, I’m a proud mom to a college graduate and two gentle giant pups—you’ve probably seen us strolling through the neighborhood.
When I was asked years ago to run for City Council by various restaurant owners, I wasn't ready, as I felt I still had a lot to learn, being new to Minneapolis. I was transferred here from Milwaukee, WI, where I was born and raised.
Today, I am ready. I’ve said yes because I’ve watched our neighborhood decline while real solutions remain absent. Too often, it feels like we’ve been forgotten—or worse, as if they're pushing us out.
Uptown and Ward 10 are more than where I live—it's where I thrive. My friends, who are like family, are here. They own coffee shops, restaurants, sandwich shops, bars, and insurance agencies. We own homes, we rent, we invest in this community. This is our home.
Being a member of this neighborhood, I've grown into the person that I am today. We are not a community defined by one race, nationality, culture, or religion. We are a community made up of many, each with a voice that deserves to be heard.
With a strong focus on accountability and bringing Uptown back to life, I'm committed to serving Ward 10 and everyone who calls Ward 10 home. Together, we can thrive and we can build a stronger community.”
What Are We Fighting For
Safer Streets
We need to work with the Minneapolis Police Department and reestablish strong connections with local crime prevention groups—because we need them in our community. We don't need to defund; it’s about rebuilding trust and working together.
Right now, our streets are littered with drug paraphernalia, and people are openly using drugs to the point where it’s become an everyday sight in Uptown and Whittier. That’s not the community we deserve.
We don’t need to be over-policed, but we do need a stronger, more consistent presence to keep our neighborhoods safe, clean, and welcoming for everyone.
I want to implement practical safety measures—such as traffic cameras, clearly posted speed limit signs, and speed bumps—to help curb reckless driving and speeding on streets like Dupont Avenue, Lake Street, and Lyndale Avenue.
Fair Rent and Taxes
Hennepin County: There were 763 eviction filings in Hennepin County, since January 2025
The 2025 Budget passed by City Council increased property tax by 6.9% the largest increase in a decade for the city, with Uptown being hit the hardest.
I will push for our rents and taxes to align with our current economic reality.
Ward 10 residents are paying more but getting less. We face a serious problem: rents no longer match the amenities and services available, and property taxes for homeowners and landlords continue to rise without delivering real value back into our neighborhoods.
I believe in being fair, transparent, and balanced policies that protect both renters and homeowners. That means:
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Fair Rent Practices – Advocate for rent policies that ensure affordability without driving out small landlords or discouraging investment in our community.
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Tax Accountability – Push for property taxes that reflect the actual services and amenities we receive, not blanket increases that burden families and small property owners.
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Support for Small Landlords & Tenants - Create programs that help small landlords maintain their properties while ensuring tenants live in safe, well-cared-for homes.
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Community Reinvestment – Ensure that revenue from taxes and fees is reinvested directly into Ward 10—into safer streets, cleaner neighborhoods, and stronger community resources.
Fairness means that whether you rent or own, you should feel confident that what you’re paying truly reflects the value of living in Ward 10.
Reviving Ward 10 Retail Core
Bring back major retailers and restaurateurs, and open a new hotel. We have two major buildings in foreclosure that are perfect for a hotel.
We need to support independent businesses and utilize all the abandoned storefronts and buildings in our community. Bring energy back to Hennepin Ave and Lake Street.
Offer real incentives to help with build-outs, provide special financing, and create opportunities that attract and retain businesses.
Infrastructure Decision With Us, Not Without US
Road construction and infrastructure projects have disrupted daily life in Ward 10 and caused real harm to our small businesses. While improvements are necessary, the way these projects are planned and executed must change.
Residents and business owners deserve a seat at the table from the very beginning. Their input should guide decisions so that construction timelines, detours, and designs work with the community, not against it.
By prioritizing transparency, communication, and collaboration, we can make infrastructure upgrades that strengthen our neighborhoods without destroying the livelihoods of those who call this home.
We need infrastructure improvements, but not at the cost of our daily lives and small businesses.
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Community Input First: Major projects must include residents and business owners in planning from the very start.
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Transparency & Communication: Ensure timelines, detours, and designs are clearly communicated and minimize disruption.
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Balanced Growth: Upgrade infrastructure in ways that strengthen—not weaken—our neighborhoods and local economy.
Compassionate solutions for homelessness and Addiction
Drug use and homelessness impact us all. This isn't a "them" issue; it's an "us" issue. We need to approach them with both compassion and effective solutions. That means connecting people to treatment, housing, and support services that help them rebuild their lives—rather than simply moving them from one block to another.
Our community deserves a thoughtful, sustainable approach that balances care with accountability.
Fair spending For Ward 10
Money is being spent elsewhere. We will fight for Ward 10's share of resources, investments and opportunities
-Minneapolis broke ground in July 2025 on a $45 million overhaul of North Commons Park, the largest investment in a neighborhood park in the city's history.
-Northside Forward Initiative: A $1.5 billion revitalization project called "Northside Forward" aims to transform North Minneapolis over 10 years, including bringing new businesses, housing, and jobs to the area.
Community Events and Placemaking
Reignite Ward 10 community spirit with vibrant events, creative placemaking that utilizes Lake and Lyndale , bring back our Art Fair and projects that make Uptown a true destination again, where people can connect, we can compete, and feel inspired.
Updates from the campaign trail
Stay informed about the latest news and events from DeShanneon For Ward 10. Explore our recent activities and discover how I'm working to make a positive impact in our community.