Saint Paul HRA Board Meeting - July 22, 2026
Saint Paul HRA Board Meeting - July 22, 2026
The Housing and Redevelopment Authority Board of Commissioners met on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 2:00 PM (called to order at 2:05 PM) in the Council Chambers at City Hall. Chair Cheniqua Johnson presided. Six commissioners were present initially (Commissioner HwaJeong Kim arrived at 2:08 PM), and all seven voted on later items. The meeting covered five agenda items, including approvals of a CDBG loan amendment, business assistance fund guideline changes, a Union Pacific license agreement, an introduction to the 47 Douglas Street redevelopment project, and the second quarter budget to actual report. The meeting adjourned at 3:05 PM.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Carol Carey, representing Historic Saint Paul, spoke in support of the 47 Douglas Street project. She confirmed that after many stops and starts, the organization is ready to move forward with the rehabilitation, having met with the construction lender and general contractor to ensure everything is in place.
- Neighbors from the Little Bohemian neighborhood attended in support of saving the property, having previously rallied to prevent its demolition.
Discussion Items
RES 26-1173 - Approving and Authorizing the CDBG Loan Amendment for TWV Limited Partnership Director McMahon noted the action approves an amendment to an existing CDBG loan agreement and authorizes execution of loan documents. No further discussion. The resolution passed unanimously (6-0, with Commissioner Kim absent at the time).
RES 26-1174 - Resolution Amending the Business Assistance Fund (BAF) Guidelines, Citywide Assistant Mayor Nick Stumo-Langer explained the amendment adds the three words "skyway access improvements" to the eligible uses under the downtown vitality fund's public realm improvement category. Commissioner Rebecca Noecker, the sponsor, stated that restoring Skyway access is critical for downtown vitality, mobility (especially in heat/cold), and that the downtown vitality fund is the appropriate source. Commissioners Anika Bowie and others expressed strong support, clarifying that the change is not intended for expanding the Skyway system (which would involve additional regulatory barriers and the Skyway Governance Advisory Committee). The resolution passed unanimously (7-0).
RES 26-1175 - Resolution Authorizing a Three-Year License Agreement with Union Pacific Railroad for HRA Property at 43 East Water Street This item authorizes a three-year exclusive use license of HRA-owned land. Chair Johnson noted it provides revenue and better use of the space. No questions. The resolution passed unanimously (7-0).
SR 26-143 - Introduction to Redevelopment Project at 47 Douglas Street (Galvin Sheeran House) Principal Project Manager Joe Musolf presented details of the proposed rehabilitation of this HRA-owned vacant single-family house (built 1883, moved 1912) in the Little Bohemian neighborhood. Historic Saint Paul will rehabilitate the home into a 1,000 sq. ft., two-bedroom, one-bathroom unit consistent with historic standards. The total development cost is $594,000, with an HRA subsidy request of $254,961 (from CDBG funds as a forgivable loan). The future buyer must be owner-occupant with income at or below 80% AMI and eligible for up to $5,000 in down payment assistance (forgiven over five years to enforce owner occupancy). Commissioner Molly Coleman inquired about the non-use of project labor agreement (PLA): staff followed the required notification process, received no response, and thus recommended no PLA. The project will come back for a vote at the next HRA meeting on August 5, 2026.
SR 26-144 - Second Quarter Budget to Actual Report Deputy Director and Chief Financial Officer Nicole Green presented the quarterly financial report, noting that PED is 4.6% of the city's overall budget but its general fund portion is under $500,000. She explained the amended budget column includes prior-year carryover. Key points: Full Stack program showed a projected overage (budget $350,000; projected $370,000) – staff explained it reflects program demand and will be managed. Emergency rental assistance shows a projected underspend due to delayed program opening and staffing challenges; the department is considering rightsizing future budgets. District council contracts are nearly all executed, enabling earlier spending. Revenue projections show a continued decline in special fund receipts (e.g., general fund support, ARPA, loan repayments), and planned expenditures significantly outpace receipts, depleting special funds. Commissioners noted the need for accurate reporting and discussed parking meter revenue increases from additional enforcement investments. The report was received and filed.
Key Outcomes
- RES 26-1173 adopted (6-0).
- RES 26-1174 adopted (7-0).
- RES 26-1175 adopted (7-0).
- SR 26-143 received and filed; will return for board action on August 5, 2026.
- SR 26-144 received and filed. Staff will continue improving quarterly reporting, including better indication of funds transferred to other departments and risk mitigation.
- Next regular meeting scheduled for August 5, 2026, at 2:00 PM.
Meeting Transcript
Roll call, please. Um Bowie here. Coleman, here. To us? Here. Kim. Yay? Here. Chair Johnson? Here. There are six present. That one one absent, then being Commissioner Camp. Item number one is RES twenty-six-1173. Approving and authorizing the C D B G loan amendment for TWV limited partnership district three and five, wards two and five. All right. So we did receive a staff report on this at the last HRA meeting, and I just uh these next couple items will move a little bit quicker in nature only because we want to leave time for um some of the other items that we're starting a little bit late. Um but sometimes and uh conversations are a little bit more important and bleed over. So with this item itself, we did receive a staff report on this item last time. Are there any questions related to it before we take a motion? Uh Director McMahon, is there anything you want to add? Nope, just a reminder that the action before you today is approving the amendment to the existing um C D BG loan agreement and then authorizing execution of loan documents as necessary. Uh I'll take a motion from uh Commissioner uh Naker to approve all those in favor. I all opposed six in favor, zero opposed, resolution as adopted. Item number two, RES twenty-six-1174 resolution amending the business business assistance fund BAF guidelines citywide. And to contradict my last statement, this one we did not receive a staff report on last time as it's a new budget item, it's a new item in front of us, but I do see assistant mayor Sumerlinger coming up, and I know the council president has also been involved. So um welcome, Assistant Mayor Sumalinker. Thank you, Chair Johnson. Commissioners, um, so the item before you um adds three words to the downtown vitality fund's economic development pool um within the public realm improvement um aspect for eligible uses, it adds the three words skyway access improvements. Um I'd defer to council president or commissioner uh naked to talk a little bit about this, but I'll just note that the philosophy behind public realm improvements as an eligible use does contribute directly to the vibrancy of downtown and that interoperability between buildings and streetscapes and vice versa. So the other items under public realm improvements are lighting, outdoor seating, and public art, and Skyway access does help kind of get that street level to all different of our wonderful buildings connected to the Skyway. Thank you, and thank you for being here making the time. Commissioner Neaker, yeah. Thanks. Uh Madam Chair, thanks so much, Assistant Mayor, for your hard work on this as well. This is something the Assistant Mayor and I have been working really closely on. We've been hearing um consistently and vociferously from downtown constituents that restoring Skyway access throughout the system is critical. Um it is an amenity that people move downtown for. It is essential for those who have mobility challenges in the heat that we were just experiencing last yesterday, two days ago, um, and that we'll come back, and the cold that we experienced in the winter that it's hard to remember right now. Um the skyways are absolutely essential. So uh we've had the central portion of our skyways through um Central Station, the Athletic Club and the Alliance Bank building cut off for too long. Um and it's become clear that we need to restore that access. That does come with funding challenges in part due to the need to secure some of the businesses that are adjacent to the Skyway, especially in the Alliance Bank building, the need for additional cameras and other physical changes. So uh the downtown vitality fund, as the assistant mayor mentioned, is the perfect source for this because downtown vitality absolutely relies on having a, as the assistant mayor says, double decker approach, including the Skyways. Um so we think this is completely aligned with the goals of the fund. It's just unfortunate that we left out these three little words uh skyway access improvements when we first uh created the fund. So with this change, we will be freeing up the capacity for those who are interested in making Skyway access changes to apply and receive that funding and for us to restore Skyway access uh in the near term. And just for clarity for folks who are getting caught up to speed, our business assistance fund uh guidelines encompass the downtown vitality fund. So that's the only reason why it doesn't say changing the downtown vitality fund guidelines. Um I'll just share that having reviewed it and also been in some of the conversations. I also um supportive of adding Skyway access improvements to downtown vitality.
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