Abdihakim for District 3
Abdihakim Ibrahim is running to be Hennepin County District 3’s Commissioner to end status quo failures and fight for greater affordability, healthcare, and safety. He is a father, engineer, and public servant who has built his life in St. Louis Park.
After immigrating to the U.S. over a decade ago, Abdihakim dedicated himself to serving the community that embraced him and creating opportunities for all families to thrive.
As the first Somali American elected to the St. Louis Park School Board and a former Vice Chair, Abdihakim oversaw multi-million dollar budgets, led the search for a new superintendent, and has become a trusted voice for families, residents, and students.
Priorities
Affordable Housing
Families should not be priced out of their own neighborhoods.
● Build more housing, work to streamline permits, and examine every possible policy to ensure families can stay in their homes.
● Demand ethical development and fair subcontracting practices.
● Expand Stable Homes Stable Schools in St. Louis Park to keep families housed and students supported.
Economic Opportunity
● Support Elevate Hennepin’s work for small businesses; explore county investment to back entrepreneurs building products that will benefit residents.
● Support funding for youth employment initiatives like Step Up, while also exploring a county-level youth internship program.
● Demand an end to policies that harm small businesses; examine and work to mitigate the impact of Lyndale construction on local business owners.
Building a Unified Family Assistance Hub
Health & Human Services
It should never be hard to access services your dollars fund.
● Fight to protect Hennepin Healthcare (HCMC) & explore cost-sharing, governance changes, and other options before levying more taxes on residents.
● Create a Unified Family Assistance Hub so residents can access services in one place – no more bureaucratic nonsense or fragmented offices.
Public Safety
Progress looks like protected communities.
● Acknowledge the critical role of law enforcement, like the County Sheriff, in protecting our communities – while expecting agencies to stay within their allocated budget.
● Demand an end to all cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on civil immigration matters while supporting targeted enforcement against violent perpetrators.
● Introduce resolutions focused on police accountability for brutality and opaque behavior; support prevention programs and community dialogue.
Community Engagement
A commissioner is a fellow citizen and should behave like one.
● Quarterly meetings & town halls with mayors, city councils, and residents.
● Introduce a resolution creating a Community Advisory Board for District 3 and a vetted panel of independent experts to investigate fraud and recommend reforms.
● Host listening sessions in Minneapolis and St. Louis Park schools for youth to learn about government.
Environmental Responsibility
A clean environment must be achieved through realistic policies.
● Set a date for closing HERC permanently, along with a day-after plan for the economic and environmental impacts – no more delays or throat-clearing.
● Direct county investments to recycling, composting, and waste reduction; pursue private-sector cooperation where appropriate.
● Center public health in all discussions with potential environmental impacts/factors, especially large-scale infrastructure projects and developments.
Transportation
District 3 must have modern, safe transit — and accurate timelines.
● Build on existing work to keep street infrastructure modern and safe.
● Support the Minnetonka Boulevard construction project, monitor the timeline, and ensure residents continue to have chances for input on the project.
● Clearly communicate light rail transit (LRT) timelines to residents, celebrate the Southwest Greenline Extension when it opens, and demand a real investigation into why construction took so long — because 8 years is unacceptable for District 3.
Ending Fraud, Waste, and Theft from Taxpayers
● Ensure the Fraud Prevention and Program Integrity Team (FPPI) is fully staffed and pursue an expansion of their capabilities, with real teeth.
● Introduce resolutions to establish a community advisory panel on county fraud and the misappropriation of funds, with independent authority and rigorous vetting for members.
● Work to establish a secure hotline for whistleblowers, activists, and residents to report the misuse of public funds.