Property-Tax Relief and a Round of Rental Assistance

The Hennepin County Board of Commissioners voted March 17 to abate 2026 property-tax late-payment penalties for eligible taxpayers facing hardship tied to Operation Metro Surge, the federal-immigration enforcement response the county addressed this winter. The abatement effectively grants a six-week, penalty-free extension: applications and full payment of past-due taxes are due June 30 for the first half and November 30 for the second. The waiver does not forgive the taxes themselves, only the penalty for paying late, and is separate from the standard once-a-decade abatement process.

On the rental side, the City Council voted 11-2 to add $2.8 million in emergency rental assistance, drawing $900,000 from the general fund and $1.9 million from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund. That came on top of $1 million the council approved in February, and McKnight-adjacent philanthropy added to the pool: Wilson Foundation President John Wilson pledged to match at least $3 million, putting roughly $6.8 million within reach, administered through Hennepin County and its vendors.

The rental-aid vote came as a related tenant-protection measure faltered. The council failed to override Mayor Jacob Frey's veto of an ordinance that would have extended the notice landlords must give before filing an eviction, leaving the longer notice period off the books for now. Hennepin County's 2026 budget separately set aside $9.6 million for RentHelpHennepin, which the county says is aimed at preventing more than 2,500 evictions.

Both measures land against a tight fiscal backdrop, which is part of why the relief is targeted and time-limited rather than open-ended. Residents can route property-tax questions to the Hennepin County assessor listed on their valuation notice and apply for penalty abatement in person at the Government Center or through the county website. Renters can apply through the city's emergency rental-assistance page or by calling 311.