OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Housing & Redevelopment Authority Meeting - July 8, 2026

Budget CommitteeWednesday, July 8, 2026
BodySt Paul, Minnesota
SessionBudget Committee
DateWednesday, July 8, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 18:32
Transcript — Verbatim
1:01

Um, um, uh, um, uh, uh, roll call, please.

2:02

Coleman here, Joe, Kim.

2:05

Here, Naker.

2:06

Here.

2:07

Yang, here, Chair Johnson.

2:09

Here.

2:10

Six in favor, one, or I'm sorry, six present, one absent, and Commissioner Bowie is excused.

2:17

Item number one is MIN twenty-six-21.

2:21

Approval of the June twenty twenty-six HRA meeting minutes.

2:26

All right, I trust that everyone has had a chance to view the to review the meeting minutes for June.

2:31

I'll take a motion from Vice Chair Jose to approve all those in favor.

2:36

I all opposed.

2:38

Six in favor, zero opposed.

2:40

The minutes are approved.

2:42

Item number two is staff report SR 26-134, introduction to requested TWV limited partnership loan amendment.

2:53

District three ward two.

2:54

All right, we have two staff reports that uh need to get in front of us, they'll come back for action on the 22nd.

3:00

Um, I'll hand it over to Director McMahon.

3:03

Thank you, Chair Commissioners.

3:04

We have Lily Logston here to present on this item for um introduction to the moment of parentship.

3:12

Hello, welcome, Miss Lawson.

3:14

Thank you.

3:15

Um apologies, I just sprinted over here from the annex, so I'm a little out of breath.

3:22

Um, but Chair Johnson, commissioners.

3:26

Um my name is Libby Logson.

3:29

I am a senior project manager um on PED's multifamily housing finance team.

3:34

And today we are uh going to discuss the requested TWV limited partnership loan amendment.

3:40

If you need a if you need a middle missloc, take it.

3:43

You can take we can pause for a second, we can you know I can fill it with beautiful uh pieces around the staff to report.

3:50

Um, you know, yes, we have water back in the building.

3:55

You know, it's welcome.

3:56

I want to give folks an opportunity to be able to catch their breath.

4:00

No problem so much.

4:01

We definitely empathize having to uh go back and forth today between here and Osborne.

4:05

So you're looking listen, I I was like I know I'm the first idea.

4:09

Gotta go over there.

4:11

Um but thank you so much.

4:13

I uh have my breath now.

4:14

So we can see wonderful.

4:17

Um so TWV is a um a combination of three different common bond properties.

4:24

So the T stands for Torre Day San Miguel, which is 142 units, um located in district three, Westminster Place is ninety-nine units located in District Five, and Vista Village is 48 units located in District three.

4:40

So back in 2006, these three projects um were underwritten together because it was advantageous to all the projects to be underwritten together at that point in time.

4:52

Um, and as dollar wear, lots of things change um within the development.

4:59

Um over the last 20 years.

5:00

And so at this point, it is unfortunately not advantageous for the three projects to be grouped as one under TWV limited partnership.

5:11

Tory being the largest was selected to kind of go out on its own for funding, and it also had the biggest rehabilitation needs.

5:21

And Tory has now secured all necessary funding and is proceeding to a November 2026 financial close.

5:31

And then the other two projects, as you might remember from a couple weeks ago, there was a reservation for a million dollars for the Minnesota housing application for Westminster and Vista.

5:45

And those applications are due tomorrow.

5:47

So I think they are well on their way to having that be submitted.

5:54

So just to geographically place where we are, the um the property that's furthest north, that is Westminster Place.

6:04

The property that is further south is Vista Village, and then the property that is just north of the furthest south is Torre Day San Miguel.

6:14

And the developers Common Bond, over 55 years of experience as a nonprofit owner and developer, they've owned these properties since at least 2006, but a fairly uh well-known entity in the affordable housing space.

6:29

And this request is coming right now, because of what I mentioned before that Tory is proceeding to financial close for a rehabilitation.

6:39

Um and so their request is to essentially keep TWV limited partnership, but remove Tory as collateral from the original CDBG loan.

6:50

And the purpose of this is that this being done now helps to decrease the cost and complexity of the financing as we move towards closing.

7:01

If this were to happen at the same time as financial close, the lender would think about this deal as being more risky because it's essentially like a two-step process instead of a one-step process, and um at that point there would be cancellation of debt income fees as well.

7:21

Um so it's really to decrease the cost of compliance on the project and decrease the compliance requirements that take a lot of time and then also money.

7:33

So um, and we found out yesterday actually that the HRA CDBG loan is actually in the first lien position.

7:41

So these slides are um a bit inaccurate, but it's actually even less risk for the HRA in this.

7:47

So you'll see um it should actually show that the HRA is in lean position number one.

7:52

So the original loan was 275,000 with interest now.

7:57

Um it's around 727,000.

8:00

It was originally um originated as a loss, and um all other details about the loan modification are proposed to be the same beyond moving Tory as collateral.

8:13

Um but uh so you can see even with the paraff loan for Minnesota Housing being in first position.

8:22

Um, as shown here, um the estimated loan to value ratio is around like 15.5 percent with the HRA loan being in first position, it's um 6.65 or no, 5.65, so even less risk to the HRA since we are in the first lien position.

8:40

Um so there is uh sufficient collateral to um cover the HRA's risk in terms of this loan in the event of default, even with Tory being potentially removed.

8:53

Um, so staff recommendation is to approve this uh request to modify the TWV limited partnership loan to remove Tory.

9:05

Um, and that it will be, or we are uh proposing that it will still be originated as a loss, so no change in that position.

9:16

Um and then the next steps, um the application for Minnesota housing is due tomorrow for the Westminster Vista projects, and we are proceeding to the anticipated November of 2026 closing for Tory.

9:28

So there will be more items before y'all to look forward to.

9:34

But are there any questions?

9:36

Commissioner Naker.

9:29

Thanks, Chair Johnson.

9:39

Um, so my understanding is that taking out Tory from the rest makes it easier for Tories closing to proceed, which is obviously desirable.

9:45

Does it have any effect on the other two's financing?

9:48

That's a great question.

9:50

Um Chair Johnson, commissioners.

9:52

Um, Commissioner Naker, apologies if I did that in the incorrect order.

9:56

Um it actually is well, so the the cancellation of debt income fees will still apply for the Westminster Vista project, so it's kind of like kicking the can down the road a little bit.

10:08

Um so I think it's estimated that those fees are gonna be like 200,000 right now.

10:13

Um, and the developer is not actually seeking loan forgiveness because it counts as a committed source of funding for their Minnesota housing application, so it's actually um beneficial for the project to keep the debt on Westminster and Vista at this point of in time.

10:31

Um so and the properties, as I understand, are not interconnected directly for their operations.

10:40

Um, so really like this isn't changing really anything for their operations, it's it's really just like changing the place on paper where Tory exists.

10:51

Does that answer your question?

10:52

Um, yes, thank you.

10:53

And then a follow-up.

10:55

Um you said that the original principal is 275,000, the balance is 727,000, it matures in 2042.

11:03

Are payments being made over time, or when you say is this never gonna be paid back?

11:10

So, um, these are typically underwritten as deferred.

11:13

Um, and so every 20 years or so is when um for a housing development projects need to be re-syndicated or um rehabilitated.

11:22

Um, and so no um fees have been collected so far, no no amount of the principal or interest, I believe has been collected at this point, um, because they're deferred.

11:32

No, yes, okay, good.

11:35

Um, and so we are anticipating that the developer will request a um a forgiveness of the interest part, um, but they will, as we are anticipating, they will likely keep the principal amount on their books.

11:53

Does that make sense?

11:54

We're getting into some of the more complex financing structures of a deal, but um essentially, no, they are not paying because it's it's set up as a deferred loan.

12:06

Um, and then typically at the like 20-year syndication period, either um they assume the loan or um they request for it to be uh forgiven or something, so kind of like at the inflection point, so which we're at now.

12:22

So we anticipate that they will request a um to get rid of the interest portion but still carry the principal balance, but not pay any of it.

12:33

But it doesn't get paid back.

12:35

Yes, so as long as they keep the property affordable and like keep all the terms that they have been required to do, then typically um those aren't typically paid back.

12:49

Thank you.

12:52

Any other questions?

12:54

All right, and seeing, thank you so much for kind of bringing on the information around this.

13:00

And if folks have quite have questions, um, they can reach out to uh to you.

13:05

Okay, yes, thank you.

13:07

Absolutely, yeah.

13:08

Thank you so much.

13:10

Item number three is staff report 26-136.

13:15

Introduction to proposed three-year lease with Union Pacific Railroad UPRR for exclusive use of HRE property at 43 Water Street for its reconstruction of the Mississippi River Lip Bridge District 3 Ward 2.

13:31

All right, I um appreciated to getting a chance to learn a little bit more about this.

13:35

We own a few different lots here.

13:38

Um, one of them is unpaved, and this one is that, and so I'll give it over to Director McMahon who will be leading in the presentation for it.

13:45

Welcome.

13:46

Hi, Chair, Commissioners, thank you so much.

13:48

I'm pitching in here, we've got folks that have been working hard on this, so I appreciate Gendal and Daniela Lorenz's work on this and um are also available for follow-up and additional questions.

13:57

This is just an introduction.

13:59

This is an item that would have action on the 22nd at our next HRA meeting.

13:59

So you can see here outlined in red, what we call 43 Water Street.

14:10

It's actually five different parcels that collectively we just refer to as 43 Water Street.

14:15

It is currently an HRA owned parking lot managed by Trans Park Incorporated.

14:19

It is a gravel parking lot that has been sort of gravel and in that state for for quite a while down there.

14:25

Union Pacific Railroad is going to be doing work on the just adjacent Robert Street Railroad Bridge.

14:30

It's actually a three-year project for that bridge work that they're going to be doing.

14:34

And so they approached us to talk about using some of that parcel, using that parcel to be able to have to help support that construction project and to really reduce the impact to the surrounding community and neighborhood from all of the construction and everything going on for that project.

14:50

Again, that project will take three years, and rail and marine traffic will actually remain in service during that bridge construction.

14:56

Interestingly, a lot of the construction equipment is brought in and used via barge.

15:02

So over the next three years, if you're if you're interested or you have kids that are interested or know a lot of folks really like watching that kind of work.

15:08

And so it's actually it'll be fascinating to see the equipment come in on a barge and the barge kind of park underneath and use it.

15:14

It's not a typical way you see construction in the city.

15:16

So folks like watching, it'll be an interesting one to watch for the next few years.

15:21

Under the proposed lease terms, yeah, Union Pacific can use a lot for construction trailer and employee parking.

15:27

So, like I said, not the equipment necessarily, the equipment's coming in via barge.

15:31

This would be a trailer and employee parking during those three years of construction.

15:35

This helps keep the employee parking out of the surrounding neighborhood and area and really minimizes that disruption to the community.

15:42

Additionally, Union Pacific would then be responsible for maintenance and security of the site during that time, which is an added benefit to that location.

15:50

They would pay the HRA about 16, not about, they would pay the HRA sixteen hundred dollars a month in rent, which will total 19,200 a year to the HRA.

16:01

Noting that currently, approximately the usual annual amount that the HRA receives in parking revenue is around 11,000.

16:08

So again, we're getting around 11,000 annually now in parking revenue.

16:12

This being a lease we would get from Union Pacific, 19,200 a year.

16:19

Also noting that were the parking lot to try and continue to operate as a parking lot moving into the future.

16:26

It doesn't have an adequate stormwater system in place.

16:28

Again, it is gravel, it is not paved.

16:31

There would be significant work that would need to be done in order to continue to operate this as a parking lot into the future.

16:37

That's significant capital investment.

16:39

The revenues just simply don't support that can that level of investment to continue to use it as a parking operations.

16:48

The Westside Flats Master Plan identifies a space as future parkland or for park operations.

16:54

You know, previously, including for this year, actually, parks has entered into an agreement with the HRA to use this lot to support things like the Yacht Club Festival and other large events at Harriet Island and really support those large events and community festivals so that encourages people in the neighborhood to have those opportunities to gather and to celebrate.

17:13

After the Union Pacific lease ends, the intent would be to work with parks on transferring this property to the city for their use.

17:20

But any future conveyance after the end of the three-year lease with Union Pacific would require additional HRA approvals at that point, and so it would be back before you if the land were to be proposed to be conveyed to parks at that time.

17:33

And then just noting quick it says August 5th here, August 5th here for the action date.

17:38

It should be the 22nd, the next HRA meeting, not the fifth.

17:42

So apologies for that.

17:46

If there are any questions, happy to answer and happy to follow up.

17:52

I do appreciate just getting kind of like a full run through of it, and I appreciate the added financial piece to it.

17:58

I think it's just really important to understand what we have, what we're spending now, versus what we stand to, you know, either gain or lose in any situation.

18:07

So I do appreciate that additional insight as well.

18:10

Okay.

18:13

Alright, so yes, uh, the third Wednesday is coming up, so we will not meet on the third Wednesday, but we also will not meet on the fifth Wednesday as well.

18:20

So just a reminder, the 22nd is our last uh HRA meeting for July.

18:25

And then we'll come back in August and have quite a few things as we gear up for budget season.

18:30

So with that, we are adjourned.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing█████████████████████████████████████████████66%
Engineering And Infrastructure██████████████21%
Procedural██████9%
Parks and Recreation███4%
Summary of Proceedings

Housing & Redevelopment Authority Meeting - July 8, 2026

The Saint Paul Housing & Redevelopment Authority (HRA) Board of Commissioners met on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 2:00 PM in Council Chambers. The meeting lasted approximately 16 minutes and included the approval of previous meeting minutes and two staff report introductions. No public comments were heard. The meeting was chaired by Chair Cheniqua Johnson, with six commissioners present and one absent (Commissioner Anika Bowie, excused).

Approval of Minutes

  • Minutes 26-21: The minutes from the June 2026 HRA meetings (June 3, 10, and 24) were approved unanimously (6-0, with one absence).

Discussion Items

  • Staff Report SR 26-134 – TWV Limited Partnership Loan Amendment (District 3, Ward 2):

    • Senior Project Manager Libby Logsden presented a request to modify a Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) loan originally made to TWV Limited Partnership, a grouping of three affordable housing properties: Torre Day San Miguel (142 units), Westminster Place (99 units), and Vista Village (48 units).
    • The loan was originally $275,000 and has grown to approximately $727,000 with accrued interest. It is a deferred loan, with no payments made to date, maturing in 2042.
    • The request is to remove Torre Day San Miguel as collateral from the loan so that it can proceed to a November 2026 financial close for major rehabilitation, while keeping Westminster Place and Vista Village as collateral. The developer, Common Bond, is not seeking loan forgiveness for the interest portion at this time, but such a request is anticipated in the future.
    • The HRA discovered that its loan is actually in the first lien position (not second as previously thought), reducing risk. The estimated loan-to-value ratio is about 5.65% with the HRA in first position, compared to 15.5% if it were second position.
    • Commissioner Noecker asked questions about the impact on the other two properties and repayment terms. Staff clarified that removing Torre does not affect operations of the others and that the deferred loan structure means principal is typically carried but not paid as long as affordability terms are met.
    • The staff recommendation is to approve the amendment; the item will return for action on July 22.
  • Staff Report SR 26-136 – Three-Year Lease with Union Pacific Railroad for 43 Water Street (District 3, Ward 2):

    • Executive Director Melanie McMahon presented a proposed three-year lease with Union Pacific Railroad for exclusive use of an HRA-owned gravel parking lot at 43 Water Street (five parcels). The lot is currently managed by Trans Park Inc. and generates about $11,000 annually in parking revenue.
    • Union Pacific will use the site for construction trailer and employee parking during the reconstruction of the Mississippi River Lift Bridge. The project will take three years, with rail and marine traffic remaining in service. Construction equipment will be brought in by barge.
    • Lease terms: $1,600 per month rent ($19,200 annually) – an increase from current parking revenue. Union Pacific will also be responsible for site maintenance and security during the lease.
    • The lot lacks adequate stormwater systems and would require significant capital investment to continue as a parking lot. The West Side Flats Master Plan designates the area as future parkland. After the lease, the HRA intends to convey the property to the city's Parks Department (subject to future HRA approval).
    • The item will return for action on July 22 (not August 5 as noted in a slide).

Key Outcomes

  • Minutes Approved: Unanimously (6-0).
  • Staff Reports Received and Filed: Both the TWV loan amendment and Union Pacific lease introductions were received and filed; they will be brought back for formal action at the July 22 HRA meeting.
  • Next Meeting: July 22, 2026 (the last HRA meeting for July; no meeting on July 15 or August 5).
  • Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 2:18 PM.

Meeting Transcript

Um, um, uh, um, uh, uh, roll call, please. Coleman here, Joe, Kim. Here, Naker. Here. Yang, here, Chair Johnson. Here. Six in favor, one, or I'm sorry, six present, one absent, and Commissioner Bowie is excused. Item number one is MIN twenty-six-21. Approval of the June twenty twenty-six HRA meeting minutes. All right, I trust that everyone has had a chance to view the to review the meeting minutes for June. I'll take a motion from Vice Chair Jose to approve all those in favor. I all opposed. Six in favor, zero opposed. The minutes are approved. Item number two is staff report SR 26-134, introduction to requested TWV limited partnership loan amendment. District three ward two. All right, we have two staff reports that uh need to get in front of us, they'll come back for action on the 22nd. Um, I'll hand it over to Director McMahon. Thank you, Chair Commissioners. We have Lily Logston here to present on this item for um introduction to the moment of parentship. Hello, welcome, Miss Lawson. Thank you. Um apologies, I just sprinted over here from the annex, so I'm a little out of breath. Um, but Chair Johnson, commissioners. Um my name is Libby Logson. I am a senior project manager um on PED's multifamily housing finance team. And today we are uh going to discuss the requested TWV limited partnership loan amendment. If you need a if you need a middle missloc, take it. You can take we can pause for a second, we can you know I can fill it with beautiful uh pieces around the staff to report. Um, you know, yes, we have water back in the building. You know, it's welcome. I want to give folks an opportunity to be able to catch their breath. No problem so much. We definitely empathize having to uh go back and forth today between here and Osborne. So you're looking listen, I I was like I know I'm the first idea. Gotta go over there. Um but thank you so much. I uh have my breath now. So we can see wonderful. Um so TWV is a um a combination of three different common bond properties. So the T stands for Torre Day San Miguel, which is 142 units, um located in district three, Westminster Place is ninety-nine units located in District Five, and Vista Village is 48 units located in District three. So back in 2006, these three projects um were underwritten together because it was advantageous to all the projects to be underwritten together at that point in time. Um, and as dollar wear, lots of things change um within the development. Um over the last 20 years. And so at this point, it is unfortunately not advantageous for the three projects to be grouped as one under TWV limited partnership. Tory being the largest was selected to kind of go out on its own for funding, and it also had the biggest rehabilitation needs. And Tory has now secured all necessary funding and is proceeding to a November 2026 financial close. And then the other two projects, as you might remember from a couple weeks ago, there was a reservation for a million dollars for the Minnesota housing application for Westminster and Vista. And those applications are due tomorrow. So I think they are well on their way to having that be submitted.

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