--- title: Minutes - Final --- 15 West Kellogg Blvd. ## Saint Paul, MN 55102 ## City of Saint Paul ## Minutes - Final ## Legislative Hearings ## Marcia Moermond, Legislative Hearing Officer ## Mai Vang, Hearing Coordinator ## Joanna Zimny, Executive Assistant legislativehearings@ci.stpaul.mn.us 651-266-8585 ## 9:00 AM ## Remote Tuesday, July 7, 2026 9:00 a.m. Hearings ## Special Tax Assessments-Delinquent Garbage ## RLH TA 26-1471 Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 2195 ## BENSON AVENUE. (File No. CG25Q4B2-1, Assessment No. 260146) ## Sponsors: ## Jost Reduce assessment from $154.06 to $143.04. No one appeared Staff report by Jillian Barden: the property owner was charged for three extra bags but there was only one extra bag at the property. staff reached out to FCC Environmental and they agreed the bag count was incorrect and stated we could reduce the bag count from three bags to one bag. Staff recommend reducing assessment to $143.04 Moermond: so recommended. Referred to the City Council due back on 8/19/2026 ## RLH TA 26-1492 Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 865 ## DEALTON STREET. (File No. CG25Q4B2-2, Assessment No. 260149) ## Sponsors: ## Jost Approve the assessment (noting it has already been paid). No one appeared Staff report by Jillian Barden: this property owner agrees with the amount due and has already made payment. Property owner showed up in person to the Public Council hearing on June 17, so the file was pulled from the assessment roll. However, the property owner agrees with the amount due and already paid invoice. Staff recommends approving assessment. Moermond: sounds good. Approve the assessment noting it has already been paid. Referred to the City Council due back on 8/19/2026 Page 1 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final ## RLH TA 26-1503 Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 790 ROSE AVENUE EAST. (File No. CG25Q4B4-2, Assessment No. 260140) ## Sponsors: ## Yang Approve the assessment. No one appeared Staff report by Jillian Barden: property is requested payment plan at the Public Council on June 17. The property owner is not disputing amount due, but thought going to a hearing is what grants her a payment plan or payment extension. Explained the hearing process to property owner and they are now aware payments can be made at a later time or make partial payments up until the certification date in November. Staff recommends approving the assessment. Moermond: so recommended. Referred to the City Council due back on 8/19/2026 ## RLH TA 26-1484 Ratifying the Appealed Special Tax Assessment for property at 847 ## YORK AVENUE. (File No. CG25Q4B4-1, Assessment No. 260148) ## Sponsors: ## Yang Reduce assessment from $641.71 to $415.80. No one appeared Staff report by Jillian Barden: the property owner is paying for two 96 gallon carts and one 64 gallon cart but the 64 gallon cart went missing and the property owner was charged for extra bags instead. A medium sized garbage cart holds 4 to 5 bags, so if we remove a maximum of 5 bags per pickup day in Quarter 4, 2025 it would bring the bag count from 46 bags down to 5 bags. Staff recommends removing a maximum of 5 bags per pickup day in Quarter 4, 2025 and reducing assessment to $415.80. Moermond: looks like the property owner is happy with that solution. Did they get a new cart? Barden: yes. Moermond: recommend the reduction. Referred to the City Council due back on 8/19/2026 11:00 a.m. Hearings ## Making Finding on Nuisance Abatements 5 ## RLH SAO 26-41 Second Making finding on the appealed nuisance abatement ordered for 399 BLAIR AVENUE in Council File RLH SAO 26-16. (Public hearing continued to July 15, 2026; Legislative Hearing July 14, 2026) Page 2 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final ## Sponsors: ## Bowie Continue CPH to July 15th. LH July 14th at 11 am to check if permit is issued. Nyar Pwo, owner, appeared via phone Mitchell Hadler, attorney o/b/o owner, appeared via phone Moermond: I know we told you that we were continuing this but there were a couple items in the permit review I wanted to flag for you. There is information in Paulie showing that Mr. Pwo re-submitted drawings for his Permit Application. The drawings attempt to classify the house addition as a “Detached Structure” even though the drawings indicate a Flashing that attaches it to the house. There is nothing in the Permit Application that references the unfinished garage/ shed. Drawings are showing as “Under Review”. I expect you’ll hear from Plan Review too, but I wanted to flag it. Hadler: how was that information transmitted to you? Moermond: that’s in the City’s public system. I don’t know the process for the permit desk to communicate with you. Hadler: we’ve called them and asked them to call back and he hasn’t done that. But we’re trying to work with them. We submitted the drawings and don’t have any further information. I’d like something in writing. We don’t know where that came from. Moermond: Kari Hillison. Ms. Martin, perhaps you can send that on to her? We’ll go ahead and send you an email as follow up. Hadler: for your information, I spoke with a Racia Johnson who said she was in charge of the file and we met with her after we did the upload. We went down to make sure they had it. Ms. Johnson also brought over Kari Hillison and they said they’d look at it. Then Racia Johnson told us Mario Gonzalez is in charge of the file now. Moermond: we’ll send an email and copy everyone on those. Hadler: I’d like to see the author of the document. Moermond: I know you would. We’ll try and send you a screenshot of that. Referred to the City Council due back on 7/8/2026 6 ## RLH SAO 25-73 Making finding on the appealed nuisance abatement ordered for 1473 FAIRMOUNT AVENUE in Council File RLH SAO 25-66. ## Sponsors: ## Jost Grant additional extension to November 20, 2026 for compliance. Walter Wilkins, owner, appeared via phone Staff update by Supervisor Lisa Martin: we’re showing it is definitely not in compliance. They are working on it. Lots of pavers in the driveway, some on the sidewalk. Randomly stacked around. If someone steps on them they’d probably fall over. Drainage issues in the front yard. I’m sure there is a plan, I just don’t know it. Page 3 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final Moermond: we do have a fair bit done since we last spoke. I did read your email, I saw a request for an extension but I didn’t get a sense of when you want an extension too. Tell me about that. Wilkins: the work continues, just as anyone with a garden. I’ve worn myself ragged trying to do this. I think my neighbors have spoken for me better than I can for myself. I don’t know of any rocks in the sidewalk, I’ve made every consideration I can to my neighbors. I’ve been working very hard. Moermond: I can see you have been and trust you continue to do so. I’m happy to look at an extension. We have the stones for the ongoing project in the front yard. We have pavers in back. Wilkins: its an evolving garden, honestly. Those pavers in the driveway, I can imagine a courtyard deployment with it. I had a survey done and put a one foot drain tile with a four inch sock pipe wrapped in fabric. They will appreciate the drainage as much as we will. We can certainly follow through on the court yard feel in the middle of the yard. I had to convince my neighbor across the street that the temporary storage structure was just that, temporary, to help make it look better. I am so exhausted, I ‘m sorry. I was much better prepared last time. Moermond: first think I look at is was there progress. Yes, there was. The boulevard was completely cleared out. Wilkins: and hydroseeded. Moermond: right, right. The drain tile is installed. I don’t see run off of soil into the sidewalk of area. That would be my concern with a half-completed wall. It doesn’t appear that is happening. I do see at the very base of the wall there are some smaller stones—if they’re tucked into the ground and safely sunk in, as long as they’re not a trip hazard. If they’re just sitting on the sidewalk they need to go. Wilkins: those are cobblestones to separate the wall proper from the sidewalk and still allow the City to work on the sidewalk. Moermond: I’d like it more flush with the sidewalk to eliminate the trip hazard. Wilkins: I can certainly do that. That’s easy compared to what I’ve done. Using those veneers as edging has created a wonderful effect, I think. Moermond: let’s take you through this year’s construction season. Wilkins: that’s great. I won’t disappoint you. Moermond: let’s go to November 20th. Same deadline for the pavers. Referred to the City Council due back on 7/15/2026 ## Summary & Vehicle Abatement Orders ## RLH SAO 26-55 7 Appeal of Tami Richardson to a Summary Abatement Order at 1547 ## CAROLL AVENUE. ## Sponsors: ## Bowie Page 4 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final Grant to August 7, 2026 for compliance. Tami Richardson, owner, appeared via phone [Moermond gives background of appeals process] Staff report by Supervisor Lisa Martin: June 11 a tall grass and weeds order went out, deadline is 3 to 4 days later. It is now July 7th. There are still some grape vines and things growing onto the sidewalk. Richardson: I have attempted to take care of the problem. I’ve cut back a bunch of the grape vine closes to my staircase. I thought I’d gotten all the vines growing onto the sidewalk. There’s been a series of really hot days and lots of rain that has prevented me from doing more lawn care. I’m also physically disabled, which makes it an extra challenge. I did this appeal because I received the notice after the deadline expired. The mailing took longer than 72 hours, I didn’t even get notice until after the deadline had passed. Between not having enough time because of the delay and my disability is why I wanted to appeal. I pay a lawn care service to take care of my lawn, and everything else on my property looks neat. This front embankment gets away from me and I struggle to take care of it. Moermond: what I’m looking at doesn’t fall under say a “native landscape” definition. The grape ivy doesn’t fall into any of those categories. I think you need to have a different approach of what you want to plant there. We need to get it off the sidewalk in the immediate future. Tell me about what you think it will involve to do this and how much time? I am flexible as long as we can get it off the sidewalk. Richardson: I have requested my service weed whips along the embankment so that takes care of the grass closest to the sidewalk. I don’t want the grape vine, it is invasive and takes over my lawn. I want to get rid of it. I’ve been delaying hiring a landscaper because I’ve been waiting for the lead pipe grant to become active because I don’t want to pay for landscaping and then have it dug up later. Long term I hope to have landscaping done and make the embankment more manageable for myself with some terracing. That’s not within the next year though. I guess I will continue going out with loppers and cutting back the vines as I am able to this summer. Moermond: can your lawn company just go in and weed whip the entire thing and then start mowing it. Richardson: they didn’t respond to my text about it, I’ll have to follow up. They come every 2 weeks. Last time they came they didn’t weed whip like I’d requested. I’ll talk to the owner and make sure it is communicated better. Moermond: do that. That is the immediate concern. I get you want to wait for the lead pipe stuff, but I think you can get this under control without a ton of hassle. Based on the service very couple of weeks, I want the sidewalk cleared within the week. Make sure it is far enough back it won’t grow right back over the sidewalk. Then, we can include a couple mowing cycles. How about August 7th for them to respond to your texts. Referred to the City Council due back on 7/22/2026 8 ## RLH SAO 26-57 Appeal of Katherine Werner to a Tall Grass and Weeds Order at 2177 Page 5 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final ## FAIRMOUNT AVENUE. ## Sponsors: ## Coleman Layover to LH July 14, 2026 at 11 am to discuss proposed work plan by PO. Katherine Werner, owner, appeared via phone [Moermond gives background of appeals process] Staff report by Supervisor Lisa Martin: we sent a letter May 30th to cut tall grass and weeds. Usually we recheck in about 72 hours, it is now July 7th. We did take photos. Looks like the boulevard is cut grow, but there are some volunteer trees growing up. The grass appears to be a mix of stuff. I’m sure the owner probably has a plan. Werner: I do have a plan. I got 3 letters, identically the same. Does that mean it was 3 complaints, or someone got printer happy? Moermond: they’re automatically generated, they go to owner and any occupants. Both are you. I don’t know why you got a third. But two is normal. Werner: I’ve been here since 1999. It is a large lot with a small house. I’ve been maintaining it by myself since then. One of my goals is to reduce or eliminate the need to cut my lawn. I tore up the sod and put in wood chips and a patio. On the Cretin side, just this year, I’ve been installing a habitat wildflower garden. It is turning out great. That’s flowers and perennials. The front yard, which is about 25% of my lot, though noticeable, this is my third year of not mowing and choking out the grass. Thoughtfully, in my opinion, by planting wild violet and clover. This is the first year I’ve got a complaint. If a person sees the front yard from the street they will get a different impression of the amount of grass up close. Inspector Vincent, I have a feeling, he didn’t photograph it except from the street. Had he had the time to see if I was home, or to walk on the sidewalk, he would have seen about 1/3rd of the grass remains. Each of the last 3 summers I’ve been weeding out bellflower and thistle---anything that I’m not seeding---and the suckers growing up around the City tree, I cut those back every year in the fall. I’m happy to do that now, that’s easy enough. I’m sort of frustrated the inspector didn’t get out of the car, but also bewildered why someone would call the City. I’m outside most of the time. I have 2 dogs. I’m just sad the situation is that people tend to call the City first rather than ask me directly. Maybe even asked me if I needed help. I’m just bothered by that, though I realize that’s a separate thing I can’t control. I do have a plan for the front yard though. It is certainly an anomaly in my area. I don’t know who complained, but I have a feeling I know who it is. I’m just trying to choke out the grass. I try and keep that process looking “unchaotic”. When the violets and white clover bloom in the spring before the grass comes up, I’m a destination for photographs. Then the wild violets come up. It is probably about ½ clover and violet, and ½ tall grass. Moermond: I don’t who called it in. It would be illegal for me to find out, it is covered under data privacy. When the City gets that call, the letter goes out automatically. No judgement has been made by the City at that point. It is blindly sent, same as with snow shoveling. With respect to the method your using, I feel ok about the progress. When I hear and see people moving towards more native plantings, I am always concerned about the transition from turf lawn to that, rather than tilling the soil and starting fresh with alternate plants. It is much harder to do it this way, and it does take longer. Page 6 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final I see a lot of grass growing through the wild violet. I see the other side is mostly tall grass gone to seed. That isn’t considered native planting nor ornamental planting. I also see a bunch of Queen’s Anne’s lace. I’m looking for a plan to finish this up so we don’t have the tall grass going on. Werner: what photos are you looking at? Moermond: I have photos taken close up, and then a couple from this morning that were from the street. Werner: its took bad he didn’t knock. I am home. I’m really offended by that. Moermond: and please don’t be. It was already under appeal; you’re a very nice person but not everyone is. Werner: there is no way I can reach Victor’s office or that department. I had to do some serious phone calling until I reached Mai Vang, faxed her my form, and it was of course to a different office and it had to be interofficed over. I get it an inspector won’t knock on my door, but there’s no way for me to reach them. I can only talk to someone by appealing. I was home when a crew from Warner Landscape was pulled up with all kinds of mowers and I went outside and asked who they were and what they were doing. Talk about rude people. They were a bunch of jerks. Moermond: when did that crew show up? Werner: they were pretty snarky. Moermond: your appeal was received June 18th, so I want to make sure the appeal wasn’t received prior to crew going out. It looks like they went out June 24th, so definitely an oversight there. Council offices are under renovation so we have one small office and everyone else is elsewhere. You happened to fall at the beginning of the transition. I’m looking for a plan on how we get this under control while you transition it. Werner: ok. What’s your plan? Moermond: I don’t want to let it go indefinitely. Werner: I am frustrated. I have neighbors in the same situation as me. I’m not the only one trying to do this purposefully. I’m also not going to call the City on them. I’m also not going to go talk to them. Moermond: you’ve handled the back yard. Looking at this in smaller bites so it isn’t the entire thing at once. Maybe one half front yard this year, one half next year. Slowing down expectations into more manageable bites. City follows State law. Werner: my plan is just to proceed through the season like I have been. Are you suggesting I mow my front yard? I’m not clear what your plan is. Moermond: I’m trying to work with you here. I know you have concerns about this law. Because your “plan” is vague, I’m trying to put boundaries around the expectations that are reasonable. There IS a code violation here. I want to break it into smaller pieces so it is doable. I need to have a better idea, or we’re going ot end up with a crew there and I don’t want that. Maybe we can get some grass cut down. Maybe put a sign up Page 7 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final about converting to native planting and you expect it completed in 2027. I’m looking for something more concrete to work with. I’m not going to say it is ok with this slow progress. Werner: if you are hoping me to have some sort of plan I was to communicate to you in this phone call it sure would have been nice to know that ahead of time. Moermond: ma’am all you wrote in your appeal was you were appealing the orders. How was I to have a follow up questions about that when that’s all we know? We will lay this over a week and you can take a look at making it more of a step by step process. That can include a sign about converting the yard. That way people and neighbors can see what you are doing and understand it better. Let’s go from there and talk next week. Werner: by the way it is NOT the weeds that is overgrown, it is just the grass. I pull all the weeds. The violation says grass AND/OR weeds. We can talk next week. I’ll put up as big of a sign as I need too. I’ve been doing this for 3 years. This is difficult to deal with. Note from staff: for clarity the crew went out June 9th and the property owner stopped the work order. The property owner called right away, said she stopped the crew, called Victor and then called the LH office. Then the property owner sent the appeal to the wrong office. Then Department of Safety and Inspection inter-officed it to us. Laid Over to the Legislative Hearings due back on 7/14/2026 9 ## RLH SAO 26-54 Appeal of Jane Foster to a Summary Abatement Order at 1312 ## SCHEFFER AVENUE. ## Sponsors: ## Jost Layover to LH July 14, 2026 at 11 am to discuss work plan/diagram for conversion to native plantings. Jane Foster, owner, appeared via phone [Moermond gives background of appeals process] Staff report by Supervisor Lisa Martin: tall grass and weeds order went out June 9th. 72 hours later we usually cut the grass, but an appealed was filed. right-of-way boulevard plants are over 36” which isn’t allowed either. Foster: my understanding is on the boulevard I’m allowed to plant flowers and bushes. I do trim them down to 36” regularly. I was gone a couple of weekends and then it got hot. As far the yard, I’ve been slowly converting it into wildflowers. It isn’t unkempt. It is cared for. It is looked after. It isn’t invading the sidewalk or the neighbor’s yard or sidewalk. I understand certain people want monocultured grass, and I’ve had fireflies in my yard the last 2 years due to what I’ve planted. If there’s a safety issue, I’m happy to deal with it. If it has to be cut, I’d prefer to do it. Moermond: the City’s ordinance simply says lawn over 8” needs to be cut. We’ve been seeing over the last decade many people are working towards transitioning to more native plantings and away from turf lawns. Absolutely support that. We have neither fish nor fowl right now, it isn’t all native and it isn’t all lawn. It is an in-between space. Page 8 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final Normally what I look at is can the yard be divided so you’re more actively converting some part of the yard and focus on another part of the yard next year. Smaller bites. Foster: I’m happy to do that. I suspect whoever reported it would like it more maintained in front. I do keep a path for the mailman who cuts through. I’m happy to mow more of it. I do mow the back for my kids. Moermond: and I’m ok with that. What a lot of people do is either rototill and put in new seeds, or they cover the turf lawn to kill it off. Let’s sit on it a week. Let’s have you make a drawing of the yard and explain how you plan on completing the conversion. The other thing I’d suggest is for people to put up a sign in their yard saying it is transitioning to native plantings. Information being out there really helps for people to understand it isn’t being neglected. There’s a purpose to it. Laid Over to the Legislative Hearings due back on 7/14/2026 ## RLH SAO 26-56 10 Appeal of Thomas Turbes to a Summary Abatement Order and Vehicle Abatement Order at 2203 SELBY AVENUE. ## Sponsors: ## Coleman Grant to September 11, 2026 for compliance. Thomas Turbes, owner, appeared via phone [Moermond gives background of appeals process] Staff report by Supervisor Lisa Martin: a Summary Abatement Order and Vehicle Abatement Order were issued June 16th. The Summary Abatement Order was to remove and properly dispose of cabinets, shelving, bricks, loose scrap metal, household items, tires and miscellaneous other materials. The vehicle is a white travel trailer. There’s also a boat and trailer. Trailer is lacking tabs, open to entry, has flat tired, honestly it appears to be falling apart. Turbes: I’m 73 years old and still a registered nurse. I purchased the travel trailer and boat when I was able bodied. I am still handicapped from the injury I sustained during an accident. I was working with Hector Caballero, he left a Voicemail the week of May 22 saying he was retiring on May 26. My last contacted I indicated to him the facts I just mentioned to you. I had hoped to get to the point where I can use the trailer and boat, but I’m accepting now that isn’t going to happen. I’m the senior member of the neighborhood, I’ve lived here all my 73 years. I pick up the tab for alley plowing my block. I’ve had good relationships with my neighbors. I was informed by my next door neighbor that a man from the other side of the alley complained to the City. Since that time I’ve worked on those things listed. I left a Voicemail May 22nd for Mr. Caballero indicating things have gone slowly due to my condition and I anticipated I could unload the travel trailer—I can probably sell the boat—I have purchased a chain saw to eliminate the scrub trees that have grown since my accident. I fully intend to comply, I just need more time. I mentioned in my Voicemail to Mr. Caballero I’d be done before labor day. At least by the end of August it should be up to snuff. Moermond: I’ll recommend the Council give an extension through September 11th, a Friday. Everything should be done by then. The inspector will swing by Monday and if it isn’t done I’ll get that report back again and the Department of Safety and Inspections will be asking Council to send a crew out to take care of it. Focus on the things that will be harder to get rid of. Page 9 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final [Moermond explains abatement process + tax assessments and appealing] Referred to the City Council due back on 7/22/2026 ## Correction Orders 11 ## RLH CO 26-3 Appeal of Isaiah Tolo to a Correction Order at 575 BEAUMONT ## STREET. ## Sponsors: ## Noecker Layover to LH July 14, 2026 at 11 am (rescheduled due to time constraints). Laid Over to the Legislative Hearings due back on 7/14/2026 1:00 p.m. Hearings ## Vacant Building Registrations ## RLH VBR 26-12 12 ## Appeal of Gomaa Elzamel to a Vacant Building Registration Requirement at 838 THIRD STREET EAST. ## Sponsors: ## Johnson Waive VB fee for 90 days (to November 5, 2026). Cristabel Olivera, partner of owner, appeared via phone Gomaa Elzamel, owner, appeared via phone [Moermond gives background of appeals process] Gomaa Elzamel, owner, appeared via phone Cristabel Olivera, partner of owner, appeared via phone Staff report by Supervisor Matt Dornfeld: this was made a Category 2 Vacant Building August 5, 2021. Sale was made May 22, 2026 to appellants. I do believe we have permits. Code Compliance was done. Property is being maintained. I assume we’re here to discuss the upcoming Vacant Building fee due August 6 for the 2026-2027 year. Elzamel: I’m appealing the Vacant Building fee because the house is livable and is ready and all we are waiting for is the City for a couple months. Everything is fine and we already pulled the permits. It is done, you know? Everythign is ready to go. Moermond: you said you have all the permits pulled? Elzamel: some permits. Moermond: some, not all. Elzamel: we did mechanical and we worked on lumber. The City took a long time to get the Code Compliance to us. Page 10 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final Moermond: when did you apply for it? And when did you receive it? Olivera: we had to wait 2 months for the Code Compliance, it was a lot of back and forth. We also had a contractor who wasn’t pulling permits. Moermond: when we talked last August you said you were waiting on contractors. You said you were close to finishing. A lot of talk about delays, that was a year ago. Now we’re a year down the line. I put a 60 day fee waiver on last year. I’m kind of wondering if we’ll be having the same conversation next year again. Olivera: no, because everything is good. We just need the contractor to pull permits. They told Gomaa he could pull permits originally, but then because it was 3 units, they told him we had to call contractors. Now we’re actively looking for contractors to pull permits. Moermond: for work that’s already done? Olivera: no, they left the job half done. We just need them to do the little things in the Code Compliance that remain. October 27, 2025 we got an email saying there’s a Code Compliance required and they don’t have record of one being applied for. Then, November 3 I talked to Robert Humphrey. March 11 Robert sent the Code Compliance Inspection application. He said it still needs a Code Compliance Inspection and Sale Review. We told him we don’t have the Code Compliance report. He told me to call him. It was somewhere around March when he sent the application for that. Moermond: you said the last conversation was in November, and March was the next conversation? Olivera: no, I believe I called Robert a couple times and he gave me the application in March. Then we went back to the no Code Compliance. He said there’s a lot more to this than you think. Moermond: it sounds like you are close to being done, yes? Olivera: yes. Moermond: let’s do a 90 day waiver on this. That takes you to November 5, 2026. If you’re done by then, no Vacant Building fee. Referred to the City Council due back on 7/22/2026 1:30 p.m. Hearings 13 ## RLH VO 26-25 ## Appeal of Tobin Sauro to a Fire Inspection Report, including condemnation at 1655 MCAFEE STREET. ## Sponsors: ## Yang Deny the appeal and lower unit must be vacated immediately. Left a Voicemail at 2:02 pm: this is Marcia Moermond from St. Paul City Council calling Tobin Sauro about 1655 McAfee, we did check the status of utilities and they remain shut off. This has been going on since May 9, I’ll go ahead and recommend the Page 11 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final Council deny the appeal, which I don’t think is the worst thing for you, and the unit must be vacated immediately. I wish you well on your tenant situation there. This has a Council Public Hearing tomorrow. Referred to the City Council due back on 7/8/2026 2:00 p.m. Hearings ## Vacant Building Registrations ## RLH VBR 26-13 14 ## Appeal of Jeanne Elizabeth Aura to a Vacant Building Registration Notice and Notice of Condemnation and Order to Remain Vacant at ## 2051 THIRD STREET EAST. ## Sponsors: ## Johnson Grant appeal of condemnation, make property a Cat 1 VB, allow permits, and waive VB fee for 90 days (to September 22, 2026) Jeanne Aura, owner, appeared via phone [Zimny gives background of appeals process] Staff report by Supervisor Keith Demarest: this is a single-family home and the owner is listed as Jeanne Auro with a property on Reaney Avenue. Thus, the property is not owner occupied .and given to Fire to monitor. Second week of June Department of Safety and Inspections received the initial referral regarding this property. June 18 Inspector Dravis went to the property and commented that St. Paul Regional Water Services had been turned off in 2021, gas locked at meter, and electricity was disconnected at pole. There didn’t appear to be signs of life there when he knocked. Report sent to owner and it was sent to Vacant Buildings. Appeal received June 26. Aura: the prior owner was my best friend. She passed away September 23, 2021. She also left me another property in New Richmond. A couple months prior to her passing she lived with me. She would go home and get mail and check on the house, take care of the yard. She called me one time white she’s over there and asked me to call the water department and have them turn off the water, which I did. She returns to my house and she said there was a water leak in the basement up to her knees. She didn’t want to deal with it. I didn’t want to turn the furnace on because it had a boiler. After she passed I dealt with the New Richmond house. Nothing has been turned on in this house, and no one is living in it. No one has for quite a while. I want to get it taken care of so I can get it sold, and help the neighborhood. I have to be careful because my friend---- she liked stuff, but she was neat in a way about it. She put things in boxes. Zimny: collecting. Aura: there’s stuff and I would lift a box and there would be envelopes of cash. I don’t want to just hire someone to clear it out until I can go through things, I don’t trust anyone. Zimny: you can’t just pay someone to come junk it out. You inherited a lot of work, it sounds like. Page 12 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final Aura: I did. Sometimes I get upset about it. At some point she was able to deal with this stuff and she didn’t. At one point her doctor brother passed I helped her move all the stuff to the Cities. So there’s that stuff too. Here I am again. Zimny: I am impressed by your friendship, I think everyone hopes to have a friendship like yours. Aura: this house is a thorn in my side. I know I need to get it done. Zimny: Mr. Demarest, I assume this was sent over as a Category 2 Vacant Building? Demarest: let me check. Zimny: it sounds like you have the other house gone, you can now focus on this one. Do you have any sort of timeline you’re looking at? It sounds like you need to clean it out, some water damage. Aura: I’m selling it as is. I’ll get things out, but whoever wants to buy it, the rehabber, will buy it like it is. Zimny: and you’ll be doing a TISH or the like. I’m not sure if you have received the Vacant Building letter yet. There is a fee for being in the Vacant Building program, roughly $2,500. I think we all agree it is vacant. Aura: yes. Zimny: we all agree it is uninhabitable as it sits now, but you have no intention of moving anyone in. Aura: no, no, absolutely not. Zimny: [explains the difference between Category 1 and Category 2 Vacant Buildings] I’m assuming this is currently a Category 2 Vacant Building. I’m going to recommend this is made a Category 1 Vacant Building, waive the Vacant Building fee for 90 days, on condition that the property remains unoccupied. [explains Truth in Sale of Housing (TISH) requirements] Referred to the City Council due back on 7/22/2026 ## Fire Certificates of Occupancy 15 ## RLH FCO 26-51 Appeal of Ambe McKenzie, tenant of unit 5, to a Fire Certificate of Occupancy Correction Notice at 683 KANSAS AVENUE. ## Sponsors: ## Noecker Grant to August 7, 2026 for compliance. Ambé McKenzie, occupant of unit 5, appeared via phone Mr. Jackson, occupant of unit 4, appeared via phone Unknown woman, occupant, appeared via phone [Moermond gives background of appeals process] Page 13 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final Staff report by Supervisor Keith Demarest: this is owned by TWV Limited Partnership. It appears to be a rowhome/town home situation with individual units that go up and down with a basement, with 4 to 6 per row. February 18, 2026 a multi-page complaint was delivered from somewhere within Department of Safety and Inspections. I received a packet several days later after it came into Department of Safety and Inspections. Once received I began sending out information regarding a follow up inspection. March 5, 2026 I made my initial inspection at the property. Notice was sent to property owner at that time. Some of the findings include kitchen sink drain line dripping, upstairs bathtub overflowing through ceiling, heat deflector shield removed from heater in kitchen, smoke alarms removed in 2 places (kitchen and basement). Some repairs to a vanity upstairs. Hole in upstairs door. Upstairs bedroom ceiling bubbling, needs scrape and repaint. There are some condensation events in this unit with dirt dripped throughout the walls, so most of the unit needs a repaint, and new vent fan needed upstairs. April 9, 2026 reinspection and new orders issued, little to nothing done. May 8, 2026 I reinspected again, new orders issued, nothing done. May 28 2026 an email was received from someone who only identified themselves as “the tenant” and the end of the email said “I am armed today, no one will come in here”. June 9, 2026 reinspection check in done, no change, new orders issued. June 22, 2026 a report of a structure fire at the property. Upon arriving the tenant advised they were on a zoom call with court, but a fire started on the stove top and his daughter had fallen down a flight of stairs. Upon my inspection of the kitchen I didn’t feel or observe any heat or smoke on the stovetop or in the kitchen. The stovetop was disassembled. I arrived on the scene a few minutes after the St. Paul Fire Department. An individual was transported by ambulance from the scene. I did issue new orders for the stovetop to be repaired, as it is in a state of disassembly. McKenzie: let’s start at the stove. I’d been going through that for a while. Some sort of electrical, there was something there that would shock us when we turned it on or off. The issue is maintenance either doesn’t see it or believe or you put in an order and they don’t come. Then when they do they say they fixed it, and it isn’t. Then things come up missing out of the house. When I was saying that, I wrote him thinking I could complain to the City who sends the inspector, who is the only other person I’ve seen who actually came. Let out my frustrations and protect myself and my daughter because they come here and steal, they come when I’m not here and intimidate my kid, but outside of that when it comes to the inspections—they pulled wires upstairs for the electrical work---I got a piece in the bathroom I can put in and show the electrical doesn’t work. Same with unit 4. They also have outlets that don’t work. I knew all the problems with most of the people’s units when I called because we all have the same issues. The complaint is more like saying “why are they long gone from some of these units and the issues are still like mine?” What’s the issue, even though after I filed the ETRA and the escrow, one of the courts used number four or five of the ETRA and administer actual licensed people to fix the property instead of letting these people run in and out of my house. They have been doing that since June, and it’s the same issues I came in the door complaining about. They’ve fixed the ceiling 20 times. I get nothing and then deal with something missing. I’m reporting this to the City. Before I moved here this problem was known. That’s one of the issues too—I’ve been trying to get the actual reports for this property and it is like the reports are sealed or something. When Rebecca Noecker and Melvin Carter and Tina Smith approached the property, Angie Weise the Department of Safety and Inspections lead and HUD inspectors all made reports about this property that were divulged to DOGE. You can’t get any information from DOGE so I figured you should be able to get it from the City Page 14 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final inspectors. I was denied that. As tenants we were told it is my fault they’re going through this because they felt the inspector was harder on them for issues they created than the actual issues with the property. Apartment 3, 2, 8, 4, 7—everyone here has some things still going on in their unit and they don’t want to call him back because they’re going to get us in trouble with the office and they’re going to tell us our kids can’t ride bikes and this and that. We’re really being shunned and treated bad, but we lived through the winter with no heat. We lived here with no hot water. Space heaters plugged in burning out outlets. No one is listening to us or documenting this. We wanted to get help. I have here Mr. Jackson from number 4. Jackson: how are you doing? Moermond: sounds like you’ve done an ETRA and rent escrow. Are you represented in all of this? SMRLS maybe? McKenzie: no. SMRLS said they’re backed up due to all the immigration cases, so they can’t help. The DLN helped in the beginning but when we said trial they said they couldn’t help due to all the evictions from immigration and other low income families so they couldn’t do a trial. There’s really no legal help when we call around. When it came to the ETRA and escrow at the last zoom court, I was there, present and at first I couldn’t even get in. I couldn’t hear or see but I could hear the judge and he was saying he was going to dismiss it if I couldn’t get in, then I got my face on but he couldn’t hear, but he dismissed it anyway and I didn’t have any voice. I’m ordering the transcripts for $400 just to prove to the world I showed up for my court hearing and I couldn’t get in due to technology and got my case dismissed with prejudice. I didn’t understand that because during the trial—I’m not a lawyer—and I know about perjury. There were instances where they said I was disrespectful to the maintenance guy, but I recorded the maintenance guy that day. I was asking him about the exhaust fan they’d taken out. Asking them to complete the repair. I wasn’t even home when he came in. I’m trying to prove this is perjury and then they said I spit at the maintenance guy and told the Hispanic guy I would call ICE on them. We’re all out here watching them drop the dumpster off and that day, I didn’t do that. I went to the Department of Safety and Inspections office to ask them to give us a copy of the order that ordered us not to have any of these things on the property anymore. We got a notice from the rental office saying that the City ordered us to do this, then I said we should be able to appeal, but you can’t get any records from the office. Keith came to the property and they’re telling all of us that he did it. I went to him and he said no, I don’t do that. That would be City orders or something, that’s not his department. I went to Department of Safety and Inspections again and they said they don’t even see the orders, I’ve been trying to talk to the supervisor. I’m just getting the runaround with any type of paperwork for any inspection prior to this or after this. Moermond: I think we can field some of these concerns. Mr. Demarest, I see a letter in front of me is issued to the tenant. Was the same letter sent to the owner? Demarest: yes. Moermond: first, you can absolutely get the records of anything to do with the City. The best way to do that is to file for those records, which you can do online, and look for GOV QA on the City’s website. Then the City is responsible for getting that documentation to you. This requires them to look everywhere and gives them a timeclock to respond to your request. Page 15 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final As far as the difficulties with the landlord, I don’t have control over that relationship. I can look at whether the orders were valid and correctly written and the timeline for doing these repairs. I know your appeal says you want to exercise your right to repair. McKenzie: I wanted the authority taken from management, like they’re doing in North Minneapolis, and they have a real restoration company doing the work with real electricians and plumbers. Stop sending these guys in who come over and smoke a blunt, don’t do any work, then leave. Moermond: I understand, and what I will say is right now in St. Paul the tools you have are the ones you exercised which is ETRA and rent escrow. That’s what state law provides for. There is a proposal to put in place a Right to Repair Ordinance. That’s possibly the future though. The current thing would be the ETRA. What is it you are looking for? I can’t give you permission to do the repairs yourself. Only court can do that. McKenzie: and the court bowed out. I’m looking for the Council to step in. Moermond: they have no legal authority to do that right now. McKenzie: the law isn’t able to be of help? Moermond: the right to repair is local to Minneapolis. It isn’t a state law. McKenzie: this is going off I even moved in and found all these problems, and I was told it was going to be completely remodeled. I ended up homeless until I had to accept these conditions and move in. We tenants know for a fact the City had the first responsibility as they were here in April and knew all of those conditions. That’s why we are asking for records. Moermond: I don’t have any control at all over the landlord-tenant relationship here. That would have been the purview of the court system when you were in front of them. I have the current set of orders in front of me. Looking for older records is great, but you can only appeal a current thing and come up with a recommendation. I don’t have the ability or jurisdiction to be able to look at that— McKenzie: the licensing. Who licensed them to do this? The City? The Council? The inspector? Moermond: in Minneapolis the landlord gets the license. In St. Paul it is the building itself that gets the Certificate of Occupancy. That’s the way it is now. I just have this current list of conditions. Those went to you as well as the owner. They are traditionally things a landlord would address by deadline. We can look at deadlines for work to get done. McKenzie: we’re asking the City for help. Some people are scared to speak up because they dangle your housing over your head. Now there are units that have been inspected, the stove doesn’t work, and no one will believe that. You’re stuck with that. No closet doors. Those aren’t even in the reports. The electrical issues aren’t in the report. Unnamed lady: my hot water wasn’t working, my heat wasn’t working, they had to give Page 16 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final me a heater. McKenzie: and now we’re past those winter months, but these are the things that got ignored. Moermond: did the inspector hear from you folks about the hot water and heat issues? Unnamed lady: yes. McKenzie: yes, everyone will tell you that. That’s why we want the City Councilmember Rebecca Noeker to come here, because we aren’t being heard. Railings are falling apart—that’s a safety hazard in itself. Hole in the roof. These aren’t orders, do you understand what I’m saying? I’m the one who gave them the leeway to know what is what around certain issues. The remediation wasn’t done right, unit 2 will tell you that. Why would you want someone to come in your house and scrape mold without any protection? That’s not real mold remediation crew. No PPE for anyone. That should tell you the type of conduct that’s being allowed and we feel like that’s because every unit is black and no one will stand up for us. I got a bunch of deferred negative statement and they’re not renewing my lease. I’m getting whipped like a slave. Moermond: one other resource---have you reached out to Homeline? McKenzie: my CADI worker directed me to ever single legal resource there was. We got the same answer from all of them. They aren’t doing American cases, they are doing immigration right now. They’re swamped with that. Moermond: these are correction orders now, and I know a lot of these places deal with evictions and condemnations as unsafe as top priorities so they can’t get further down to deal with orders like these. McKenzie: that’s why we are asking the Council, she knew this, she’s the same member as last year. The condemnation level isn’t just being informed now. Department of Safety and Inspections wasn’t just learning now. Moermond: I can’t do anything about the older issues. The ONLY thing in front of me right now is the current orders from June 9th. I can’t look at past things, just where things are at this moment in time. The other way to deal with the past communication would be through the Courts, calls could be made for sure, you can get a copy of written records with the city. Right now, are you in disagreement with any of the things written up in the orders? Do you think something is missing from them? Thoughts on that? McKenzie: we have a GFI breaker missing, hallway lights missing, repair on the roof missing, stove is gone, refrigerator is gone, but those actions I have to take the brunt of not wanting something in my house. Another issue is those pieces off the order-- -they were reported but never made it to the order in fact—but if they couldn’t see it they said they couldn’t record it. Moermond: all I have here are issues for Unit 5, your unit. Mr. Demarest, can you tell me was this an inspection only for this area? Are there orders for the entire property? What is the situation with that? Demarest: back in March when I responded to this referral, upon completing Mr. McKenzie’s unit, I was flagged down by 2 other residents, I don’t recall the unit Page 17 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final numbers. They asked items to be addressed in their units. Those orders were written up on previous orders and have since been corrected and closed out. McKenzie: orders before you gave an order? Demarest: from March. Moermond: regarding the outlet in the bathroom, the GFI outlet, was that originally a GFI outlet? McKenzie: a pretty old GFI. Been there a while. Moermond: I ask them because it has to be fixed as GFI if it originally was, but if isn’t currently we can’t make them convert it. That’s what courts have said to us. Hallway light, repair of roof, and the refrigerator is gone? Not working? Missing entirely? McKenzie: I got a violation for removing the broken refrigerator and the loss of my food and all that, I was documenting it. The management in court said I never reported it, but I had proof. I’m being denied, and they’re allowing the other party to lie and say it wasn’t reported. That’s violation of the law, that’s why I asked that question. Moermond: Mr. Demarest, did you check any of those specifics when you were there? Demarest: if I didn’t see them—I was probably focused on other issues. These didn’t stand out at the time for me to addressed. McKenzie: you said if you can’t see it you can’t write it down. We had a conversation about that when you were here. But I’m living with these issues, that’s why I kept eyes on the stove so my daughter didn’t use it---that’s why it was taken apart. She’s 13.5. She could start a fire when I’m not there. I felt like things are being written up like I destroyed the fridge and stove and its all me and we’re just kicking him out and he’s just this crazy guy. We got turned on by the City and the City and the office got together and wrote things on us and we started getting violations all of a sudden and being retaliated on. Now, the City won’t help us. HUD won’t answer the phone. Where do we go from here? Moermond: you’re talking to the City right now, and we’re really trying. When you have the list of things they were told to do, when do you think is reasonable for the landlord to have these things done? McKenzie: I met with the owner of the property when I was at a community meeting and we made an agreement they can come in. I think they’re waiting until I move out. Moermond: when are you moving out? McKenzie: I don’t have a choice because they aren’t renewing my lease because I tried to fight back. They want me out by the 30th, or if I can get a lawyer I can do the eviction process and get this back in court, but it’s all after the fact. When they repaired the ceiling it was over Memorial weekend, I wasn’t home, they had repaired the leak in the ceiling, Thursday I had court, turned on the stove, ran the water, showed them the stuff with the GFI, hallways, then when I came down the stove was lit. I said it isn’t my responsibility to put out the fire, the stove isn’t important to them. He said it is court ordered that I do that right now, I did what he said. That was during Zoom court, there was actually a fire on camera in court. That’s why I’m saying the validity of Page 18 ## City of Saint Paul July 7, 2026Legislative HearingsMinutes - Final everything I’m saying—even by the court—was looked at like I was crazy and my fault. When the Hispanic came in to yell at my daughter to run down the stairs and she hit the bottom steps where the water was coming out of the ceiling, she bust her head, the judge called the St. Paul Fire Department who called the ambulance and at that time I was having an issue so I got admitted. A light stroke I guess. Then I ended up on medicine. Moermond: where we got with this is, I’m going to put a deadline in [place for your landlord to address these things of August 7th. A month from today and if those things aren’t done, then Fire Inspections can take stronger and further enforcement action. Referred to the City Council due back on 7/8/2026 ## RLH VO 26-2916 Appeal of Lawrence Lee, Occupant, to a Notice of Condemnation and Order to Remain Vacant at 342 BATES AVENUE, UNIT 2. ## Sponsors: ## Johnson Grant the appeal (as electrical service is restored). Referred to the City Council due back on 7/22/2026 Page 19 ## City of Saint Paul