NRP Policy Board Candidates at a Glance


Carol Ann Pass

Occupation: Retired College Professor / Property Management
Address: 2536 18th Ave. S. (55404)
Neighborhood of Residence: East Phillips
Years in Neighborhood: 30 years
Years in Minneapolis: 35 years
Phone: 612-721-4509
E-Mail: bpass@usinternet.com


  1. How have your life experiences prepared you to be a neighborhood representative?
    I believe I can offer folks in the redirection neighborhoods a wealth of experience in issues that touch their lives. I have lived in Phillips Neighborhood 30 years, raised my two sons here, (both teach at North High and St. Paul), been a teacher myself, served on Phillips Housing Board, helped rebuild a new organization when that failed, was treasurer for 3 years, chaired housing and East Phillips Commons committees, served on the Village In Phillips Board bringing in millions in new housing, worked on the Block Club Network, Weed and Seed, and been an NRP rep for 3 years.

  2. What do you consider to be the strengths and weaknesses of the NRP?
    The great strength of NRP is its implementation and admin. funding of the neighborhoods and the freedom allowed the neighborhoods in decision-making regarding this. I am convinced that trying to organize participation without the possibility of actually doing something is a "fool's errand". Anyone who wants to give us citizen participation funding only, simply demonstrates either a lack of understanding of basic principles of human nature or actually does not want the neighborhoods to have a real voice. The weaknesses are often internal to neighborhood governance and can be corrected through good training, good structural rules and good advising.

  3. How have you participated in your neighborhood organization and its NRP process?
    I served on People of Phillips Housing Board, then when that failed, helped rebuild the East Phillips Improvement Coalition, served as its treasurer for 3 years, chaired housing and East Phillips Commons committees, served on the Village In Phillips Board bringing in millions in new housing. We used NRP to jumpstart each of our major housing projects, plus did a housing rehab lottery and first time homebuyers grant both with NRP leveraging other dollars. Many thank NRP and credit these efforts with literally saving the livability of East Phillips and our business district on Lake Street.

  4. How do you plan to maintain a relationship with the neighborhoods you would represent if elected?
    I have worked to build relationships with folks all over the city. During the various campaigns to retain funding for NRP and determine the character of its organizational future, I visited many of the neighborhoods, listened and spoke with many folks about concerns. While e-mail is great and efficient, I like face-to-face and hope to be running around visiting and listening to concerns and sharing new information. I think communication can be definitely improved, especially between the North and South inner core neighborhoods, so we can better assist one another. I hope to work on real visits to implement this if elected.

  5. Name one thing you would like to work on if elected.
    Hard to limit this, so here are several things. I would like to work on more connection and knowledge-sharing between neighborhoods, getting together to share strategies for crime control, housing issues, youth programs and involvement, health care concerns, etc. and the creative use of NRP to implement these things. I would like to assist neighborhoods with internal conflict resolution strategies and encourage more serious board training for all. I would like to help build a stronger political voice to insist in unity on future neighborhood funding and bring all this to the table at the NRP Policy Board.

  6. Why are you running for a neighborhood representative seat on the Policy Board?
    I am a "known quantity" to myself and others. I know I always show up and fight for the voice, financial help, and city visibility of the "impacted neighborhoods". I have served for 3 years and seen how important experience and boldness are. I have become more effective for folks because of time served and can deliver on their issues better than ever. I am on the street in Phillips every day, listen to many of you and am earnestly concerned about your issues, they are my own. I have been consistently unafraid and made carefully researched, unabashed racket on your behalf for the past three years.

  7. Please list any community-based organizations with which you are currently involved.
    • East Phillips Improvement Coalition
    • Midtown Greenway Coalition
    • Bloomington/Cedar/Lake Commercial Association
    • Weed and Seed
    • Lake Street Council
    • Bloomington Avenue Citizens' Patrol


  8. Please list all current paid and unpaid affiliations.
    • East Phillips Improvement Coalition
    • Midtown Greenway Coalition
    • Bloomington/Cedar/Lake Commercial Association
    • Weed and Seed
    • Lake Street Council
    • Park Avenue Methodist Church
    • University of Minnesota Alumni Association