HRA Board Meeting – April 22, 2026: Jackson St Development, Downtown 2050 Plan, and Q1 Budget Review
Housing & Redevelopment Authority Board Meeting – April 22, 2026
The Saint Paul Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) Board of Commissioners met on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 3:03 PM in Council Chambers. All seven commissioners were present (Chair Johnson, Commissioners Bowie, Coleman, Jost, Kim, Noecker, Yang). The meeting consisted of three staff reports: a tentative developer designation for 0 Jackson Street, updates on the Downtown 2050 Plan and Comprehensive Plan, and the first quarterly budget-to-actual report. No formal votes were taken; all items were informational and will return for action at future meetings.
Discussion Items
1. Staff Report 26-79 – Authorization to Designate DC Commercial and JB Vang as Tentative Developer of 0 Jackson Street
Principal Project Manager Tia Anderson presented the proposal for the Jackson Street Apartments, a new affordable housing development on a 1.73-acre site (including an HRA-owned 0.67-acre parcel) near McDonough Homes in Ward 5. The development would consist of 60–80 units (workforce or family-friendly, with 12 supportive housing units at various AMI levels), three stories, surface and structured parking, and a playground. The development team includes DC Commercial (an emerging developer) and JB Vang (an experienced affordable housing developer in a mentorship role). David Yang, CEO of DC Commercial, answered questions about his company’s background and commitment to the community. Ashley Bisner, VP of Development for JB Vang, described the partnership and JB Vang’s role in guiding DC Commercial. Commissioner Kim, who represents Ward 5, expressed strong support, noting the site’s long vacancy and the need for housing choices, especially 1–4 bedroom units. She also noted the upcoming Jackson Street reconstruction that will remove on‑street parking. The item will return for a vote on May 5, 2026.
2. Staff Report 26-77 – Downtown 2050 Plan and Comprehensive Plan Update
Planning Supervisor Anton Jerve described the 10‑year cycle comprehensive plan update required by the Metropolitan Council. The 2050 plan will include chapters on land use, transportation, housing, parks, water resources, and historic preservation (excluding the Mississippi River Critical Corridor, recently rezoned). The Downtown 2050 Plan, led by Senior City Planner Spencer Miller‑Johnson, will update the 2003 downtown development strategy with new policy and zoning recommendations. A consultant team (selected from eight proposals, contract ~$250,000) will assist with policy and design standards, while city staff manage the process and lead engagement (coordinating with the Downtown Alliance’s Reimagined Downtown effort and Capital River Council). The timeline includes a draft policy framework by late 2026, with adoption in early 2028. Commissioner Noecker asked about including design standards (e.g., ground‑floor retail requirements). Commissioner Kim inquired about regional coordination with other cities. Chair Johnson emphasized the need for specific, actionable recommendations.
3. Staff Report 26-78 – HRA Quarter 1 Budget to Actual
Deputy Director and CFO Nicole Green presented the first quarterly budget‑to‑actual report, a new requirement adopted in December 2025. The report compares budgeted revenues and expenditures for HRA special funds with actual and projected spending. Staff noted that many programs (e.g., down payment assistance, emergency rental assistance, downtown vitality fund) have planned projects to meet budget allocations, but some line items (e.g., supportive housing, MHFA fix‑up program) show low or zero spend due to outdated programs or lack of data. The MHFA fix‑up program will likely be closed and the funds returned. Special fund balances (Housing Trust Fund, Loan Enterprise Fund) are depleting, and the board will need to set policies on fund balances and replenishment. Commissioner Bowie requested a column showing expected revenue timing. Commissioner Noecker found the report helpful for future budget decisions. Chair Johnson stressed fiscal responsibility and noted the importance of adjusting budget line items when programs are no longer active.
Key Outcomes
- No votes were taken on any agenda item; all were informational staff reports.
- The Jackson Street Apartments tentative developer designation will be considered for a vote at the May 5, 2026 HRA board meeting.
- The Downtown 2050 Plan and Comprehensive Plan process will proceed with consultant contracting and community engagement through 2027, with adoption expected in early 2028.
- The HRA will continue quarterly budget‑to‑actual reporting, with refinements based on commissioner feedback (e.g., revenue timing details, clearer expense projections).
- The next HRA board meeting is scheduled for May 6, 2026.
Meeting Transcript
Roll call, please. Bowie, here, Coleman here. Jost, here. Kim. Here. Naker. Here. Yang. Here. Chair Johnson. Here. There's seven present, zero absent. The three items before you staff reports. Item number one is staff report twenty-six-seven nine report on the authorization to designate DC commercial and JBang as development partners as the tentative developer of Zero Jackson Street, District Six Ward Five. So this is a staff report that's in front of us. Um looks like Miss Anderson is coming up, so I'll hand it over to Deputy Excuse me, Director McMahon. Yes, thank you, Tia Anderson. We'll be here to provide more information this week, and in two weeks, since it's a fifth Wednesday next week. Um, we'll be back for your consideration on this item. Good afternoon. Uh Chair Jackson, Commissioners, my name is Tia Anderson. I'm a project manager in economic development. Um and as was said, I'm here to present to you uh the uh overview for the tentative development request developer request for the Jackson Street apartments uh at Zero Jackson Street. Uh so it uh is a proposal by a uh development team consisting of DC Commercial and JP, um, and they are seeking tentative developer status for a parcel at Zero Jackson Street to create Jackson Street Apartments, which uh after due diligence and design would be somewhere between a sixty and eighty unit affordable housing development. Uh, and this uh particular property is in uh ward five, uh, in the district six uh district council. Um there's a a piece of the project would be HRA own land. Um overall, though, this the intent is to assemble a one point seven three acre development site, which would consist of three properties that are already owned by the developer. Another parcel that is currently owned by the public housing authority, and they're working with PHA on that acquisition. And then besides the HRA own lot, there's also an unimproved alley that will need to be vacated in order to make this development a go. And as you can see on the on the map here, the HRA property is just one of the vacant parcels. It is about a 0.67 acre parcel there between Jackson Street and Wheel Lock Drive, just across from McDonough homes. So DC Commercial, they are a local emerging uh developer of color really looking to branch into uh the affordable housing uh development world by really to really help contribute to uh our city and make the community uh stronger and more uh resilient. And they're partnering with JB Bang, who uh has been a tested uh long long time affordable housing developer here in the Twin Cities in St. Paul and JB Vang will really have a mentor role with DC Commercial on this development project. So the preliminary proposal um, as I mentioned, is to combine those parcels. Uh the Jackson Street apartments itself would be new construction on uh this 1.73 uh vacant uh acre vagant land. Uh it would be three stories. Uh it'll either be a mix of uh workforce housing, uh, which would end up in more units or family-friendly housing, which would um result in probably something closer to the 60 units. Uh and so then the bedroom mix would would depend on on where we land with that as well. It would be a combination of of surface and structured parking. Uh, and then there would be outdoor amenity uh space, which would include a playground area looking for affordability at different uh levels of AMI, and that would also include uh 12 supportive housing units with HUD uh Section 811 PRA and housing support. And we have a concept site plan. Um you can see with um the intent of accessing the site off of Wheed Lock Drive to both the surface and the structured parking, and then the three levels of uh housing with uh pedestrian access uh fronting on Jackson Street and the amenity spaces uh in the center courtyard area. So the request that I'll come before you with on May 5th is that request to designate DC Commercial and JB Vang as the tentative development developer for the Joe Jackson Street parcel for a period of 24 months with an option to extend. Um, we'll be needing to go through probably multiple rounds of various funding proposals that um may end up resulting in that request for an administrative extension. Um the project would be seeking uh as part of the resolution that we would bring before you on the 5th to meet pretty standard benchmarks in terms of environmental study, community engagement, um completing architectural and civil plans that would be reviewed and permitted, uh ultimately having a budget and financing proposal and a develop and a negotiated development agreement with the city. So, with that, if you have any questions, uh I'm happy to take them. Otherwise, uh I know DC Commercial is here, and JB Vang uh staff are also here. Uh, happy to introduce themselves uh or be available for any questions if you have them. Okay, first I'll take any questions that are here for Ms.
openpublica.com