🏠 A predatory housing scheme

Jury Finds Broker Deceived Muslim Homebuyers

Local real estate broker Chad Banken was recently found liable for preying on Muslim homebuyers with inflated prices and deceptive contracts. The Minnesota Attorney General's office had sued Banken after a 2022 joint investigation by Sahan Journal and ProPublica into his business practices. [Sahan Journal]

• The financing trap: Banken would sell homes by contract for deed, where he would buy a house under a traditional mortgage and sell it to a buyer the same day under a contract directly between him and the buyer. Under the contract, the buyer would make payments directly to Banken rather than to a bank. Many buyers ended up losing their homes when they were unable to keep up with monthly payments or when they were unable to come up with a lump sum to pay off their house completely at the end of their five-year contract. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities / Sahan Journal]
• Deceptive practices: Interest is forbidden in Islam, and many Muslim homebuyers turn to contract for deed sales as a way to purchase a home without paying interest. In the course of the lawsuit, the jury found that Banken's contracts would often obscure the fact that they were actually charging interest without the buyers' knowledge. The contracts were also found to prominently present a lower price to buyers near the beginning and bury the actual more expensive price deeper in the contract. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities / Sahan Journal]
• What's next? If Hennepin County District Court Judge Laura Thomas upholds the jury's findings against Banken, she will decide whether he must pay restitution to his clients and, if so, how much. [Sahan Journal]

Surveillance or safety? Minneapolis is considering using drones as first responders for some calls in North Minneapolis. City officials say the drones could reduce unnecessary police responses and give officers more information before arriving. Critics say the program would expand surveillance in already over-policed Black and Brown communities, and oppose a contract with Skydio because its drones are also used in Israeli military operations in Gaza. [Spokesman-Recorder]

Own a piece of MN history: One of the boats used in the Vikings' 2005 "Love Boat" scandal is for sale. For just under $150,000, you could own the vessel that once cruised Lake Minnetonka with Vikings players and sex workers until the party came to an abrupt end after a few players peed on someone's lawn and the police were called. If I had that kind of money, I think I would buy literally any other boat. [Sports Illustrated]

Meet Indígena: Sean Sherman's new restaurant Indígena is now open inside the Guthrie Theater, and the kitchen alone is about the size of his entire previous restaurant, Owamni. On today's episode of the podcast, Sherman talks about how he is reimagining what American food is by including Indigenous knowledge, how his restaurant is putting money into the hands of Indigenous food producers, and what it means to decolonize a restaurant's food and drink program. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

No kings! Unless… 🤔: LeBron James is ending his tenure with the Los Angeles Lakers to enter free agency, and there is a frenzy of speculation about where he could end up next season. The odds of him ending up on the Timberwolves are low, but James is reportedly a fan of Anthony Edwards after playing with him on the 2024 Olympic team. Gov. Tim Walz is also putting in work on social media to try to convince him. [Star Tribune]

Stars, stripes, and soundbites: There won't be a new episode of our podcast tomorrow morning, but Sean is stepping in to host a round of U.S. trivia on tomorrow's episode of City Cast's national podcast Your City Could Be Better. Atlantic staff writer Alexandra Petri and City Cast CEO David Plotz face off on their knowledge of our nation, and things get competitive. [🎧 Your City Could Be Better]

Thursday, July 2

• 🆓 Firefly Nights | Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
• 👽 CONvergence: Science Fiction Convention | Hyatt Regency Minneapolis
• 🧘 Yoga in the Pines | Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter
• 📚 Once Upon a Crime Book Club | Once Upon a Crime Books
• 🎵 Super Diamond: The Neil Diamond Tribute | First Avenue
• 🆓 Prairie Potluck Band | Minnehaha Bandstand

Friday, July 3

• 🆓 Taste of Minnesota | Nicollet Mall & Washington Ave.
• 💐 Lowertown First Fridays | St. Paul
• 🎇 St. Louis Park Fireworks | Aquila Park
• ⚾ St. Paul Saints vs. Buffalo Bisons | CHS Field
• 👑 A Tribute to Dolly Parton and Friends | Roxy's Cabaret
• 🎭 Come From Away | Guthrie Theater
• 🎵 Cole Diamond Birthday Show & EP Release | Turf Club

Saturday, July 4

• 💃 Ballroom in the Park | Mears Park
• 🆓 Taste of Minnesota | Nicollet Mall & Washington Ave.
• 🌭 Hot Dog Eating Contest | Meteor
• 🎵 Davina and the Vagabonds | Dakota
• 🎤 Summerfest | Hmong House
• 🎇 Red, White & BOOM! Fireworks | Mississippi Riverfront
• 🛍️ Frogtown Flea | 499 Charles Ave, St. Paul

Sunday, July 5

• 🎭 BALLS Cabaret | Strike Theater
• 🆓 Garden Storytime | Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden
• 🆓 Minneapolis Pops Orchestra | Lake Harriet Bandshell
• 🆓 Rock the Block | Minneapolis Parks
• 🎤 Ladies of Soul Vol. 4: Tribute to Waiting to Exhale | Dakota
• 😂 Improv-A-Go-Go | Strike Theater
• 🎵 Johnnie Brown: Tribute to Barry White | Crooners Supper Club

• Development Director at Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy | $81k – $90k per year
• Assistant Director of COMPASS at Minnesota Department of Education | $92k – $132k per year
• Sr. Human Resources Manager at Voyageur Outward Bound School | $65k – $85k per year
• Executive Director, Organizational Renewal & Growth at Minneapolis Athenaeum | $60 per hour (part time)
• Director of People & Culture at Minnesota Children's Museum | $113k per year