Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Happy. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Roll call, please. >> Vice Chair Coleman >> here. >> Johnson. Jo >> here. >> Kim >> here. >> Nerre >> here. >> Yang >> here. >> Chair Buouie >> here. >> There are six members present. One arriving shortly. Johnson. >> Thank you so much, Pier. Welcome everyone. Um, this is the public safety committee. We have a packed house here and I just want to say thank you so much um to all my colleagues and also all of our partners um and our Ramsey County partners as well as our assistant mayor um making sure that we have this day possible. Um I want to just say before we um move forward, just wanted to reiterate that this is solely a staff report um from not only our mayor's office but also we have representation from Ramsey County and any other designines that assistant mayor sees um um seems necessary. Uh this is not a public hearing. So we will not be having any public uh comments um from the audience. that is going to be scheduled or already scheduled today at 4:30 after our city council meeting. Uh the whole general purpose u for this council or excuse me this public safety meeting is really for our council members to really field the details, provide insight, perspectives, and really provide feedback um to some of our partners that are leading this um encampment um transition. Uh, like I said, I want to thank all of the council members for providing questions in advance. Um, also assistant mayor and mayor's office have already provided responses to some of those questions. There's going to be more obviously that comes. Um, and if folks are, you know, wondering, uh, um, if we're getting into the weeds or asking for more clarifying questions, just know that, you know, we just received this presentation as this is like a live um, um, being updated. Uh, so even what's limited on the presentation, please feel free to ask questions um, for follow-ups as well. So, uh, we're just going to get straight into it. So, Pier, if you mind, uh, reading item number one, please. Now reading into the record item number one SR 26 145 mayor's encampment release plan. >> Wonderful. So if we can uh welcome Assistant Mayor Cedric Baker uh to the mic. Um and also um uh assistant mayor before you get started if you can just share and clarify who all is here to present um you know on behalf of the county if there's any other community organizations present that we should acknowledge today. >> Yeah. Thanks. Can you hear me? >> Okay. Thanks uh Chair Buouie, members of the committee. Uh the only other person here is uh council manager Ling Becker that will be speaking with me and providing perspectives from Ramsey County. Um outside of that um we did have a request in but um our heart team members are out doing the work right now. So u my goal is to uh speak do my best to speak on their behalf. Um and if we cannot get the information that you need today, we will definitely get it to you. >> Okay. And also we see there's not any presentation materials provided from the county. Um can we ensure that we have follow-ups with some of the um materials that we cover after? >> Uh uh Chair Buouie, what we plan to do in our presentation is really highlight what to expect and my goal is for County Manager Becker to really explain u what they're doing and what they plan to do in the future. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I can see. Yep. Okay. Uh again, Chair Buouie, members of the committee, thank you so much for this time. I am grateful for this opportunity to provide you with some information about our coordinated response to unsheltered homelessness and specifically our um encampments here in the city. Uh this presentation is an opportunity um for the mayor's office to explain uh to plan to explain excuse me our plan and also really to acknowledge the complexity of this topic um because it's hard. Uh the goal is to provide more insight into how we arrived at this moment um insight into our coordination efforts and what you can expect moving forward. Uh so uh this is the agenda for my time with you. I want to talk a little bit about the background and then the assessment that was taken uh to get to this moment. Um I want to talk about our coordination efforts and at that time I'll also ask uh council excuse me uh county manager Becker to come up um and present with me. Um we'll talk a little bit about the closure process and again next steps. And at the very end I just know that there are a lot of questions that have been floating around. Um, so many I know I'm not going to be able to get to all of them, but I want to be able to address a few of them just in the small amount of time that I have. >> So, first I'd like to ground the committee in a little bit of context for this conversation. Um, much of this work really started um with our community safety alignment team. We call it SESAT. uh which is a cross functional team designed to create uh alignment within our city's public safety approach. Uh the goal of this group is really to implement and coordinate an overall city strategy to support our community. Um, I facilitated this group when I first started and was appointed as the director of the office of neighborhood uh neighborhood safety and uh as I continued and was appointed as the assistant mayor for people in neighborhood vitality um I continue into that work. Um, as you see here, this department represents different um, uh, cross functional departments um, within the city. And the main goal of this group was to really talk about community safety, public safety. One of the things that came up in our conversations repeatedly at the beginning of um, this administration was safety and encampments. Um what we learned is that this was um a continuation of the conversations that had been had in from the previous administration. At that time it was called more of the quality of life work and um what we got insight into is some of the things that had already been done but also getting insight into the current situation um this year within the encampments. this group um really focused our attention on the overall safety uh within the encampments. Um a part of this group is also as you see department safety and inspections. Um, so members that are connected to our heart team that were providing us, uh, real-time information of what was happening, um, not just at Pigsai Park, but at our other two encampments, um, Laurian and Randolph. And what we really began to see, and I'll be able to address, uh, a little bit later, is there had been a shift. There's a there's been a change there. Um, a major increase in the number of individuals in our encampments. Um, in particular at Pigs Eye Park. um we have never seen um and never had that many individuals in one encampment. And so based on that um we made a decision and I'll give you a little bit more insight into the elements of why that decision was made. This group uh as we were talking wanted to make sure because we are under a new administration, we understand that things may have been done a little bit different under the past administration. We wanted guiding principles um in our work when it was coming to our overall response to unsheltered homelessness. Uh the first one was and I'll come back to um that part around um city ordinance. The first one was being stubbornly helpful. Um, we use this term because we wanted to make sure that we were not just potentially offering individual services or uh meeting and connecting them one time and then pretty much saying we've done our part. We wanted to make sure that we were staying consistently connected with the individuals. We already see that happening in um our work. We have our heart team which is a part of DSI but also um our familiar faces team which is a part of our office of neighborhood safety. These um city workers are out in community every day, every day having conversations with individuals. They know them by name. They understand uh potentially their readiness uh to reser uh receive services and also housing and um they have been uh really instrumental in giving us insight into what specifically is happening um at our encampments. So we said that we need to make sure that as a team our approach is to be extremely helpful. We say stubbornly helpful where you see us every day and we're going to come out every day. Um it is our approach to engage the individuals that um we believe um need resources and support. It is also to ensure that we are navigating understanding that we are navigating a very complex and dynamic relationship out in the encampments um where it's at times it can be fluid. Um we also said that we were going to ensure that we have a coordinated response and approach. The whole rationale for the SESAT or the community safety alignment team is to get aligned internally. um when we've initially started having conversations um what I noticed is um we were not always aligned and what we did is we met in a room every week and had conversations about making sure that we were all uh saying the same thing and doing the same thing, seeing the same thing, which means that we had to hear all of the perspectives around the room, all of the insights uh that these departments had. Although we've had um new members come on to this administration, a lot of the individuals that are in uh this SEESAC group have been here for years. They have had conversations with multiple council members and different mayors and they were giving us really really good insight into what has changed, what hasn't changed, what is different, what's not different. And then uh lastly uh the four E which is the um really our approach uh to enforcement um engage, educate, encourage and enforce and ultimately in this what we are highlighting is that enforcement is a last option. enforcement. I'm sorry >> to that point. Um I see there's a hand from Council Member Kim and I also had a question as well, but I want to council member Kim have a comment or a question. >> You have a quick question. Um I'm just interested. You know, I I visually see there's a lot of providers in the room and community organizations that have also been deeply steeped in this work. Um around coordinated response, it looks like it's mostly with city, Ramsey County, state. Um where in this process has sort of some of our community partners and community organizations been included in this plan? Yeah. So, initially on the conversation has really been focused on um thinking about uh um the role that uh the city and Ramsey County can play, but we have also been talking to uh service providers um and community based organizations. We've had a lot of really good conversations with them, sometimes some hard conversations as well. Um where they've been really trying to understand how do we get here? Um um what's the criteria in us getting here? Um but I feel like we've had um overall productive conversations for us. So we've had um smaller we've had conversations with smaller um community based organizations as well as large community based organizations as well. So we have been talking to service providers. And if I may, just a quick followup. Um, I would just be really interested how these conversations and input that we hear both from residents of the encampment, um, residents in the city and also our service providers that have been in this work as well, how their input will potentially adapt or change the plan. Um, so it's more rhetorical, but maybe at the end, um, you know, I have a question about implementation and would just be really interested, um, how these voices that weren't initially in the in the room, which I understand clarifying our role as the city, um, but then how are we allowing space and opportunity for them to provide very clear input on how we're implementing or how we're adjusting course. >> Yeah. Um, I know that we're trying to move through the presentation, but, uh, chair, if you allow me to respond to that. Um, Council Member Kim, I think that um this has been a process where yes, we we have a plan and we believe that um more feedback and input only makes the plan better. And so we have already seen where we've had conversations, again, sometimes really hard conversations um with um organizations where it has forced us to think a little bit differently on a a few things. Um that includes um making sure that we're thinking about um on the day of the closure what's happening um leading up to the closure and supportive services um our interactions and um the very positive work that Ramsey County is doing but the role that we can play um in working with Ramsey County. So it has really forced us to go back to the table, not on everything but definitely on some things to rethink um elements to really improve and and I will say it this way. Um I know that um there are a lot of um uh concerns and sometimes feelings uh around um this this very very hard and important work. But I am one that believes that you should be able to objectively look at something and make sure that you're looking at it from all angles because in the end I do believe that you get a better product. I truly do believe it. So that's how we have been in my opinion trying to engage the work. And before we move forward, um just because um on the top of the slide it says overnight camping is prohibited and as a legislative body. I was just wondering if you can site just if there like legislative codes or a code um that actually prohibits um public spaces to be, you know, habitable. Um cuz I just don't see that. And also if there's any like background or former resolutions that previous councils have passed to provide like sanctuary cities. I'm just curious to know like what action that council have took in the past. >> Can I get that back to you because it's not not specifically in there, but I will get you that information. >> Thank you. >> And I'm making a note of it right now >> on the specific code. >> Perfect. Thank you. And to that point, what we are trying our best to do is align um what we already have as um a um ordinance to just align it with our overall enforcement uh mechanisms. Um but duly noteed, chair, and we'll make sure that we get you that information. When it comes to the assessment, um we did an assessment in that assessment um which was coordinated by our department of safety and inspections. Um the assessment consisted of uh code enforcement information, um police information and fire information. um that information was pulled together um which really supports the basis of why we made the decision that we did. um when it comes to and I just want to highlight this because again there have been some numbers that have been floating around and this is um recent information updated information when it comes to the populations um based on our count um that at Pigs Eye Park that there is about 124 individuals that are there um at Laurent 35 and that at the Shepard Randolph encampment 44. Um, this information was also made public, but I want to provide a little bit more context to it. Um, the 853 first responder calls were calls. This does not necessarily just also include all of the other assessment data that was used to go into the decision that was made. And what we based it on were the types of incidents that we were seeing such as assaults, um, domestic uh, or excuse me, restraining orders. typo there, weapons, uh, drugs, narcotics, death investigations, and missing persons. I want to highlight and say that, um, when individuals look at this information, we are not saying that everyone in the encampments were doing this. What we are saying is this is what was also happening at the encampments. And based on that um in the assessment we made the determination including uh being on contaminated land that uh being on contaminated land uh that we would we needed to make a decision and have a responsibility of stopping that stopping that environment and closing the encampment. Chair I do see your >> Yes. Quick question for clarities. For the 853 calls >> for the No problem. For the 8 853 calls, was that just from one encampment or all the encampments? >> It is my understanding that that was from Pigsai Park. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I'm excuse me. I was uh miscorrecting on that. That was from all incumbents. >> All incumbents. >> Thank you. So um yes, the assessment was done on all three encampments and it was also updated recently. And what I want to just really highlight is um there's been a narrative that we are um doing we are attempting to characterize all individuals at the encampments in this way and that is just not the case. Um we understand that there are individuals that are down there uh that are living down there and they are not um engaging in this type of activity. However, um when it comes to the public safety of all individuals, we believe that we have a responsibility to ensure that we are tackling and dealing with that which means that the environment is not safe. And so because of that, we made the decision to move forward with a a closure of the encampments. Oh, question from Council Member Jos. >> Uh, thank you, Chair Boy. Can you um The last bullet point talked about contaminated land. Could you say a few more things about that? >> Yeah. Um, this isn't talked about as much, but we actually are very concerned, excuse me, this isn't talked about as much, but we are actually really concerned about the contamination of land in some of the encampments. um in particular um at uh Shephard um that their um Minnesota pollution is it control agency um has cited that the land is contaminated. As a matter of fact um it used to be a um a junkyard kind of site where if you dig up the land you will actually see uh the remnants of it. And so based on all of that, um we just don't believe it's also healthy and safe to be in the spots that these individuals are in. And so it was another reason and um an element that led into our decision for closure. >> And follow a quick followup. Um can you clarify if this is city-owned property or Ramsey County owned property? Which entity owns? >> Um it depends. It depends on where you are. Um because I feel like there are certain jurisdictions that have aspects of certain areas, but in all of them, there's some level of city-owned property within the encampments. Um when it comes to Pig's Eye in particular, that is city- owned property. It it it uh abuts up to uh county land as well and also private property as well. >> Okay. Thank you. um within this assessment and based on the decision I just want to talk a little bit about the outcomes. Um what the decision included was encampment closures for all three established encampments. And uh I want to talk a little bit about that because um based on the increased number of individuals within all encampments but pig pigs park being the largest um and what was also described to us uh by uh field workers as now being at a point where it is considered unstable. Um what I have heard is that um in there have been encampments and our encampments have been what we would consider stable. What we have noticed is that we are now dealing with encampments that are now unstable. And unstable meaning uh the amount of crime activity, the large amount of individuals that are down there. And when you put all of that together, what's happening? Um the decision um was also to close starting with Pigs Eyee Park. um on August 5th and this concept of a rolling closure with Laurian and Shephard Randolph to follow. We intentionally wanted to provide flexibility um which is why we did not highlight a date on that because we wanted to ensure that there was um appropriate support for the transition of the individuals that were at Pigs Eyee Park and then also in preparation for um closures later on. So, we have not specifically said that um there would be a specific date to the closures of the others just to ensure that we're doing our due diligence to support the individuals in transition. I also wanted to talk a little bit about um that we just overall saw that there was a um a needer a greater need for coordination in particular with the city and the county. Um, as I'd like to say that the county has been a really really strong and solid partner in this in this city's decision um to move forward with encampment closures and um the city has only certain levers that I feel like we can pull um and we are working and doing our best to work with other jurisdictions that have other levers that we believe that are really important um that we don't um oversee. And so the county has done a really really solid job. I would say a really really important job in thinking through and making sure that we're thinking about beds and mental service uh support and addiction services uh public health support and financial assistant assistance in ways that we are just not able to pull that lever. Uh chair >> uh council president maker. >> Thanks madam chair. Um, director, I I don't know when you're planning to invite uh, Miss Becker up, but I'm really glad that we are talking about the county. The large largest number of concerns that I've heard from constituents related to this plan um, really relate to the the services and the supports and the plan for housing and and helping folks. Um, and all of that work is the responsibility of the county ultimately. So, I am I'm wondering when >> it's the right time to transition because I looked ahead at the slides and I wasn't sure. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm I'm uh through the chair. I'm thinking in like one to two slides. >> Okay. >> I will stay. >> I can pivot and um uh maybe just finish up with this slide and come back to it. Um but I think maybe the last thing that I'd say is um speaking to that whole >> we just have two two in queue. Um council vice president uh Kim or excuse me, I'm so sorry. Yang. >> I'll take it. >> Sorry about that. Um and chair Johnson. >> Thank you chair buoy. Assistant mayor bigger. I really appreciate you coming before the council to present this information. I do just have a few questions I want to ask and I apologize in advance because I wasn't able to get it to you ahead of time. I was just wondering um for Pixite Park since that is first in line for the closures I can't hear you that Yep. I'm just wondering if you can give a status update for for um Pixieite Park in terms of the the amount of people who are there, which I see in one of your slides it's 124 ever since the announcement of the upcoming closures. Can you talk about how many people have signed up to go into either a shelter or housing and then for those who are pending to it be help helpful to get those numbers? >> Yeah. So what I can say is um the county and the coordinated effort that we've been taking have really um taken the lead on connecting individuals to services. So I think that um county manager Becker may have a little bit more insight into um the number of connections that they've made there. So um I want to save that for her. Um and you have one other question that >> that was it for Yeah. Thank you. >> Okay. Sorry about that. >> And council member Johnson and then we have council member Coleman. >> Okay. I mean, council council vice president Yang asked the one question that I had. I just think it would be really helpful. Um, folks in our ward, this is the second closure that's really tied to um, Pixie Park. First, it was Bruce Vento. And I do remember by the time it got to the actual closure date, there were very few individuals remaining because some folks had either sought out services and been connected andor had selected not to receive services directly and so there was other mechanisms for them and places that they went. Um, but looking at Pixie Park, I think one of the things that I've heard from you and I just want to make sure I understand. So, Pixie Park is the encampment that will start the enclosure as on August 5th, but the date for the other two has not necessarily been determined and is reliant on the aftermath of what kind of comes from that and what's learned from that. Is that correct? >> That uh through the chair that is correct and our rationale is because we really want to be very thoughtful about transitions for individuals. um we could have set a date and just working with the team and others and hearing. We want to make sure that we are being very very thoughtful on supporting individuals in their transition. Um we also want to make sure that we're thinking about uh where these individuals if they decide to say no where they are going so we can stay connected with them. And then we also want to be prepared as we move into preparation for another closure. So, we didn't necessarily think it would be prudent to set um a date without making sure that we thought through the largest encampment. Um we've never had an encampment this large uh before and just making sure that um we are able to pivot um to the degree that we need to for those individuals. One thing that I think would be really helpful for community members who are looking and I will just share since this isn't my ward. I I do actually know more about how often city staff are responding not only to obviously we have the calls the dispatch calls that are here but I think just the overall hours that have been spent with ONS heart team and the CARES team out on the site over the last year is really helpful when it comes to context because one of the things that I also see from folks is maybe wondering what the city has been doing leading up to this point. Um, and I think that that's been really helpful, at least on my end of the communication to talk to folks about what has been happening. I know for a fact that there have been city staff that have been on site there multiple times, hundreds of times throughout the year, but really just understanding that number and translated from the team. I would love to have the heart team and the cares team and the ons team also be able to share the amount of hours that they have spent there. there's been a lot of staff time, but not just staff time, but a lot of the time and investment regarding individuals over the course of the growth period. And I just think that that isn't captured in your presentation, but something that could be done in a follow-up. And I just also through the chair, I just wanted to say to that point, um to uh uh chair council member Johnson's uh um comments, I I think that um what I'd like to also just kind of highlight is ultimately our staff that are actually boots on the ground, cares, um familiar faces, um they're doing this work every day and they're not going to stop doing this work when this encampment closes. They know individuals better than I do. They have insight. Um I know because when I was all over at the uh office of neighborhood safety, um there were parties and excitement and people were happy when people got housed and when people said yes to treatment. I know the feeling that it is when people are actually saying, "Hey, I'm ready now. Let's make this happen." Or they went they drove them to a court case and or they drove them to get their driver's license or whatever it is. So I just want you to know that the individuals that are doing this work every day are deeply deeply deeply invested into this going well and they are giving us feedback. They are also giving us insight. We are not doing this in a vacuum in and of ourselves. In addition to service providers, organizations, community members, we're also receiving uh feedback from the individuals that know um the encampment um residents uh name. They know them and trust them. Many of them trust them in ways that um they may not for myself. >> And we have uh one question from um uh Council Member Coleman. And I would respectfully we can pivot and um for the last 30 minutes if we can um invite our county manager um here to help field some of those questions for the later slides. Council >> manager do you mind? >> Yes. >> Thank you chair. Thank you assistant mayor. Um I want to just make note you mentioned briefly um making sure that the city and that our partners are tracking every single person after the first closure on the 5th. And I'd love to make sure we come back to that to understand better what that will look like, how we'll make sure that we know where everybody has gone and are connecting with service providers to make sure that they know where their clients are. Um, but my the question that I have for right now is related to bullet points one and then the final one. So the primary question that we've been receiving from service providers over the last couple of weeks is trying to understand if this is specific closures of one, two, three encampments based on a unique assessment of the challenges being faced at those encampments or if this is reflective of a new policy direction for the city long term to have no encampments and effectively no camping in the city. And I think that this gets to I'm I've seen this a couple of places sort of this idea of aligning current ordinance with enforcement efforts. I'm not sure what that means and so it would be really helpful and I think that this would be helpful for folks in the room to understand again are we talking about we looked at Pigsai Park we made a determination that this cannot safely be maintained but encampments would still be permitted in the city under a certain set of circumstances or with a certain set of supports or we will not have encampments in the city period and they will be shut down every single time that one begins to exist. Yeah. So, uh, through the chair, um, to that point, we I would not characterize it as a policy change. Um, there has been no policy that will be changing. I think what when I say around aligning ordinance with enforcement efforts, it's actually enforcing what should have been happening before or what the ordinance says is supposed to happen. So, uh, we are not actually trying to institute anything that's new. I think that what potentially is new is moving forward with that. That's number one. Number two is um we fundamentally believe that individuals should have supportive services and shelter and I in in in a shelter. So if that's a bed that but we don't believe that encampments are the most appropriate way for these individuals to be out there. what we have heard um is um a lot of people are in agreement with that. I think the disconnect or maybe the concern or the issue is well what does that mean moving forward and so we welcome to have that conversation but I don't think that it has actually been a change of policy. This is just saying moving forward and let me be more specific um we do not want to have any more established encampments moving forward. So our goal is to connect individuals with either the resources that they need or to in uh connect them in access to the housing opportunities that they have. So that is um our plan moving forward. >> And we just have a clarifying question from council member Kim. >> Yeah, I really appreciate this question. I'm I'm wondering if you can define what you mean by established for a tent community. Yeah. >> One is that two What does that look like? So, we're about to get into nuance of it, but um in ordinance, a a a tent is an encampment, >> a a singular. >> Yes. So, I am not talking about that. So, I just want to just highlight that even though that says in an order, I'm talking about a large group, multiple tents together. That is what we're talking that's that's what we're talking about. Um, even though I know the ordinance says that one tent technically would equal an encampment net, we're talking about multiple people coming together and u camping or overnight. >> I think if I just me out of I'm so sorry. Just a really quick follow. >> I um also just want to make sure we have time because we do have our county attorneys here. you know, as a council, we have so we have a lot of time to follow up directly with our assistant mayor, but I do want to be respectful of county manager's time. So, a quick followup, but we can, you know, >> I think I'm just going to um lift up sort of maybe um um some not confusion, but I'm for the lack of a word I can't think of, but it it's the fact that if our ordinance states that a single tender is considered an encampment and the city, then what I'm hearing is saying that we're not enforcing that ordinance, but we haven't made any policy changes and yet our enforcement looks different than the ordinances that are on our books. I think there in lies um some greater clarification that is needed or change that is needed. So it's just saying that like that's a very confusing law to be enforcing and not by the title, not by how it's written, which I would not personally support. Um but just looking at how we're defining it even against our books, sounds pretty different. I I think that um when all of us uh excuse me through the chair, I think when all of us talk about encampments, everyone is specifically thinking about groups of individuals like at Pig's Eye, at um Laurian, at Randolph. Um so you're thinking about two, three, four, five individuals um in park space or in public space. Um that's the conversation that we're having today. And so what I want to be clear about is um when it comes to those spaces, right now Pigs Eyee Park is park space. It's city land. What we are saying moving forward that when it is closed, we do not want to allow another encampment on that land. That is what we're saying. Um maybe I call up um >> Yep. County manager >> county manager Beckard to just get your perspectives on what the county is um doing and thinking. Good afternoon, chair, um, council members. Thank you for the opportunity to provide this update today. Uh, my name is Ling Becker. I have the privilege of serving as the Ramsey County manager. Um, as assistant mayor Baker has said, Ramsey County has been working in partnership with the city of St. hall and community organizations to support residents living in encampments and strengthen our coordinated response to the homeless uh situation there. I want to begin by recognizing our complimentary responsibilities and I actually thought I was going to be coming right after the next slide. So, if we can show that slide just so I can reference it. Um I think the one with the ven diagram. So, this is the encampment response. It puts the county in the role it says housing there. I just want to make sure I'm able to offer some clarity to that as I start my remarks. Um, this, you know, the city of St. Paul is responsible for managing its public spaces and making decisions regarding encampments, including their closures. Ramsey's County's role is to connect residents to county resources and housing supports. And while our operational responsibilities, I see this slide as our operational response to the encampments. I want to remind all of us of our shared leadership responsibility for the continuum of care. Together, the city and county both play essential roles in building a coordinated housing system that helps people move from crisis to permanent housing. I want to especially thank council member Johnson for her leadership as the vice chair of Heading Home Ramsey which is our county continuum of care that we uh co-lead with the city. Commissioner Reena Moran is here today and currently share uh serves as the chair of heading home Ramsey. There are many members um in this room of of that group and also are aligned with that work. So, I just want to make sure that we're really clear that while the housing um is noted here as part of the county's encampment response, uh providing housing for our community is a shared response between the city and county. And so, we can talk more about that. Ramsey County has mobilized a coordinated countywide response. County and city city leadership have been meeting regularly to align our decisions, resolve barriers, and coordinate in real time. I absolutely want to thank the city's heart team for their partnership on the ground. The county's response builds on a coordinated outreach and housing stability approach that really is a new community wellness and response initiative that we have started to meet the increased needs of this response. We have expanded our work by redeploying teams from multiple departments and increasing our capacity to provide housing navigation, service coordination, and operational support. Our outreach teams continue to provide basic necessities every day, including food, water, and essential supplies, while also trying to build trust to help residents navigate available resources. County teams are connecting residents to housing navigation, shelter options, health care, behavioral health support, financial assistance, and other stabilization resources. Outreach efforts have focused on identifying and strengthening existing relationships residents may have already had with the county. Last week alone, the county completed more than 330 service engagements with multiple program areas, demonstrating both scale and need and the intensity of the response. Activity has continued at that pace this week as well with our outreach teams connecting with many residents for the first time and experiencing consistent demand when we are there. There is a line in working with the county right now over at the encampments and we continue to serve um those people that are coming for those resources um on site. Our teams are also addressing practical barriers that prevent people from assessing housing. They're replacing identification documents, helping obtain social security cards, establishing uh resolving benefit eligibility issues, coordinating across our county systems. These often are the first critical steps before someone can secure housing and begin moving forward. Ramsey County Community Corrections is working with our second judicial district and our neighboring counties and community partners to remove uh justice system barriers that can prevent people experiencing homelessness from obtaining housing. This includes helping residents resolve outstanding warrants, many of which result from miscourt appearances when residents do not have a stable address to receive notices while um providing specialized outreach through our probation officers who are um on site every day. This work removes barriers to housing. >> Question from Council Member Kim. >> Thank you. Um just really quickly, I heard you uh spot out a stat. It was over 300 contacts last week and continue at that rate this week. Can you tell me kind of what the weekly average was of that engagement three months ago? >> Um, I do not have that information handy. I'd be happy to share that with you. >> Yeah, I would just be interested in seeing sort of like what as a collaborative coordinating partner what the ramp up of the county engagement has been since the first of the year. >> Yeah. Our public health's out there, our uh correctional officers, I would say we are now, you know, tracking more in a coordinated level. >> Yeah. So, that'll be great for a followup. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you, Council Member. >> And as a as a followup as well to county manager Becker, is there a dashboard or something that we're we can be able to track just kind of like the the the numbers like where it's measured because I know you're you're talking about all the services that the county provide which we know is endless, but if there's something that we can actually track to see how many number of individuals are actually, you know, eligible to in to enter um coordinated entry are eligible for these um shelters because you mentioned some of the barriers um in terms of documentation or having warrants or criminal backgrounds um if there's a dashboard where we can see this information. >> Yeah, thank you chair. Um I think you're talking about a couple things all at the same time. So I want to make sure I address them like in terms of our encampment response and the touches there. I certainly am getting operational updates with um a report every day from our team. I think when you're talking about just like the need for shelter and that coordinated entry system, that's a different conversation. There is a dashboard on the county's uh website, but I think that warrants explanation and some myth busting about what that list really means. Um, and I'm happy to do that if I can get through some of the other things I want to make sure I share with you today. Um, so to address immediate shelter needs, uh, Ramsey County yesterday, uh, executed an agreement with Catholic Charities to provide an additional 49 emergency shelter beds at Higher Ground. These beds are paired with trauma-informed shelter advocates who provide crisis intervention, navigation, and ongoing support. Residents also have access to the St. Paul Opportunity Center, which offers meals, showers, laundry, mail service, um, and storage. Um, and the shelter also accommodates um, pets as well. So, I wanted to be able to announce that today that we did expand some capacity just yesterday. Um, but I did want to say that the community has needed additional emergency shelter capacity for some time. The new beds increase overall capacity rather than shifting existing resources. The encampment response is one use of these additional beds, but also strengthens the emergency shelter system. The response is intended to reduce harm, improve safety, and create a coordinated path to get indoors. Housing prioritization does not change. Everyone continues to access permanent housing through the coordinated entry process based on the same communitywide prioritization criteria. Um, and then I just want to also make a couple of other announcements of things that is kind of uh hot off the press here. Um, at noon today, Ramsey County also released a uh request for proposals to expand housing case management services for individuals transitioning from encampments into emergency shelter. Selected providers will deliver comprehensive housing case management that helps individuals obtain and maintain stable housing through housing navigation, stabilization services, coordination of public benefits, uh, connections to healthcare, behavioral health, and other community resources. We know that shelter alone is not enough. uh lasting outcomes required, coordinated, wraparound services that help people navigate the complex systems, maintain housing, and then maintain um and build towards stability. I think maybe there's might be a couple questions, so maybe this is a good time for me to pause. >> Thank you, manager. Uh we do have three questions. We have here in the queue, Council Member Coleman, uh President Ner, and uh Chair Johnson. >> Thank you. Thank you, County Manager. This is very helpful. Um, I'm trying to get a my head around I think the big questions are where are people going to go on August 5th or in the weeks immediately following and I think it would be helpful to get some concrete numbers. I'm really thrilled to hear about the new investments, the new capacity that's being opened. I think that that's excellent and long overdue and I'm I'm really thrilled and I know we have a council action today to financially support some of that. Um, my understanding is that we're looking at a wait list for permanent supportive housing of about 1,400 people currently and that there are about 26 current openings. Is that accurate? >> Okay. So, let me I think Thank you, council member. Those are great great questions for me to share the things I I want to make sure I leave behind here. So, in terms of shelter capacity, um, I've been getting reports every night. Um, even I don't recall even in the last two weeks that maybe there was one night that actually there was completely zero shelter capacity. I just want to make sure that that's clear that each night there's likely like last night I think there were seven men's beds, maybe there were four women's beds either between safe space and um higher ground. I just want to make sure that that's clear that currently if somebody is looking for a shelter bed that there generally most nights there is one. Now that's not true every single night. it kind of fluctuates, but that is um hopefully helpful to just know that. Um so I I think that point drives home a lot of the things that we continue to work with when our teams are meeting with people. There are other reasons that people are not going to shelter besides just being able to find a bed. It is not as simple as finding a bed. Now, it is an important part of of the answer, but there's a lot of other components, which is why the county is focused on continually re reducing some of these other barriers that sometimes hold people back. It could be trust of government, which is why the community and partners are so critical. And it very much could be that often times, you know, there's there's a lot of other reasons why people are not necessarily going. I don't know if beds are your answer. However, I think with a situation of this magnitude of people, we certainly know that our shelter system does need more capacity. That is why, you know, the county did sign that contract yesterday. Now, in terms of coordinated entry and um and I'm I'm grateful for you um understanding this is not my uh you know best subject matter or expertise. I have other people, but I do I can explain it. So, the coordinated entry is um a place where everyone's completed an assessment who wants to be in some sort of permanent housing. It can be um and I have some of the numbers, but it can be men, it can be women, it can be families. So, I have 400. So, out of the 1400 people, 442 are single adults, 941 are men, 50 of those 5 uh4 women, there's youth. Okay? So there's a lot of people that make up that 1400. Of those 1,400, many of those people are actually in our shelter system, if that makes sense. They're not all looking for shelter. They are looking for some sort of permanent housing in the continuum. Does that make sense? And so the the call out of where we have gaps in our system is actually while while I did say there are some challenges to the shelter system, we could use some more capacity. The problem is like all the things after that there is a bottleneck and some pressure and we need to uh work closely with our continuum of care our partners and and to continue to have that conversation. Now both the city and county get um what is the local housing aid these new LAA funds we've advocated at the legislature for lots of resources. We all collectively have to work on that other part. It is like a pipe. Imagine a pipe where everybody is stuck at the front end and we have to keep moving people down the continuum. Does that help a little bit? >> It it does. Okay. I I do think for purposes of this conversation and again for understanding what is happening in the city of St. hall in the coming weeks. Having the numbers of both shelter beds, emergency emergency shelter beds that are available on a nightly basis, understanding where the bottlenecks are, understanding what our current capacity is. All of which is getting at the fact that my understanding of the numbers is that we are still going to have people whether because of barriers or lack of capacity who are needing to sleep outside in our city. And so that is where I think understanding what the intentions are for what will happen with them and understanding some of the distinctions that council member Kim was getting at around um what constitutes an encampment, what is being done when multiple people are gathering. If for example there are people who are displaced from a fish hatchery and don't have the ability to enter a shelter for, you know, any one of a number of reasons and they choose to gather in a small group to maintain that sense of community. understanding what will happen and what the consequences will be and how they will continue to receive support rather than just criminalization is something that I think is really foundational to this conversation. So, county manager Becker, I appreciate the information you're able to provide. >> Um through the chair, >> if you want to follow up. >> Okay. uh through the chair uh to council member Coleman's question uh we don't so we understand that at certain times enforcement will need to be a part of the process as of right now um from our police department all the way to our code enforcement officers enforcement is the last resort with enforcement we are not looking to start with enforcement we are not looking to criminalize any type of behavior we're looking to support individuals that is what we're looking for we're we're looking to um to ensure that there is safety in these groups. It is not to put them on a pathway within the criminalization or uh uh the criminal justice system. So please know that that is how we're looking at this. That is what we have discussed internally. Our strategy is not to move forward with enforcement. There will be situations or there could be situations where enforcement is necessary and and we will move forward in that. that overall the the goal is not to lead with enforcement. It is um what we've talked about um in in our conversations is um before you even have a conversation with the police officer, you should have had multiple conversations with our um familiar faces team or with our heart team or even with our code enforcement officers um uh not police, but those that are dealing and thinking about code before you have a conversation with police officers. And when you do potentially have a conversation with police officers, it's still a continuum before you even get to enforcement. We are trying to make it extremely hard to get to what everybody is thinking about in their mind, which is enforcement. Now, we're talking about violence. We're talking about safety concerns. But in general, we do not want to criminalize being homeless. That is not what this is about. we are serious about trying to actually deal with the issue. I think the other thing that is happening at the same time is we are having to navigate and deal with an issue or a system uh deal with Pigs Eyee Park which um um was brought to us based on safety concerns and at the same time we understand that um aspects that we are all navigating right now with the system is broken and so we are also trying to do two things at the same time which is also have the appropriate conversations bringing uh individuals, jurisdictions, organizations together and to reimagine what can this look like. I'm moving a little bit fast just because I know we don't have as much time, but I do want to highlight that um the mayor and I have talked and we want to partner with the city council and we also want to partner with the public. What could uh Pig's Eye Park look like? What how can we reimagine that space to really highlight the dignity of the individuals that are out there? Not sleeping in a tent, but actually maybe sleeping in a I'm just throwing out things now, but maybe it's sleeping in a um uh a a trailer. Yeah, it could be sleeping in a trailer. >> Uh it could be sleeping in a trailer. It could be sleeping in a container that is uh prefabbed. It could be it could be a lot of different things. What we're saying is we don't have all of the answers, but what we do know is something has to be different and something has to change. We are wanting to work with you. We're wanting to work with the community to re-imagine, not just at Pig's Eye, but in other areas. What could this look like? Because right now, the status quo is not working. The status quo is actually leaving people in unsafe situations. And as much as we are all saying that we need housing, we have been dealing with this issue for years and years and years, we're trying to step up to the plate and do something different. And a part of that difference is ensuring that we reimagine and think outside of the box on what we can see out there. There are two things that are going on at the same time. One is we are needing to deal with um a health and a safety situation. But on the other side, we are literally trying to say let's let's dig in and think differently. What can we do? Who do we need to bring together and how can we all have a more effective conversation on how people that are experiencing unsheltered homelessness can be really supported and actually end up thriving? because ultimately what we are seeing down there is a lot of those individuals are not thriving and we want them to be thriving. >> Thank you, Assistant Mayor Baker. Um it's really enlightening to hear that there is an interest around partnership to reimagine the space. That's the first time I have heard that. I do think there's a lot of ideas that um council can look for look towards in terms of other models. Um I definitely see this as a part one to uh more conversations to come. Uh but I also I do feel a little complex because um with the invitation of reimagining the space um there it doesn't seem like there's really a lot of space or agency for that especially if we're looking at a closure. Um and if there is interest around reimagining what that space could be for people to live dignified, not saying it's at Pig's Eye Park or uh some other public space that um we can partner on. um it just it just doesn't seem sincere to where we're closing just to reopen the door to a re reimagining. So, I just want to note that. Um do >> you mind if I respond to that? >> Yes. And then we I just want to after you respond to that, I want to um have to open up the floor for um um Council President Nre, we have Chair Johnson, and then um Council Member Kim, and we'll end we'll be wrapping up um with any last words from County Manager and yourself as well. >> Yeah. Um uh chair I just want to highlight two things. One is when I brought up around the concept of reimagining um when I say that there are two things that are happening as the city we have to think about the safety and the well-being of individuals. Um to me that is a different conversation about than reimagining. What we see is that we have city land. We have different space right that we own that we can do something about. Maybe there are some zoning changes that need to happen. I'm just throwing things out there at this point. Ultimately, there are things that we can do that we have not done. And what I'm saying is I don't want it to look like we are pushing people out to reimagine. We are responding to a safety issue and at the same time we are trying to make sure that we are reimagined. So, we are trying to do those things concurrently. Um, we care deeply about everyone that is down there. We care um and at all of our encampments. We care deeply about their transition which is why we are partnering vigorously with the county about the supportive services. To me and my understanding based on uh previous closures it has not looked like this and my rationale of saying that is because I want you all to know that we are trying to say that we want this and we believe that this will be different. Um we understand that we may take some bumps and there may be some things where we need to pivot but we are open to the feedback. We're open to the partnerships. we're open to um thinking differently about it and we just want to make sure that all voices are at the table. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Madam Chair. Um I do appreciate this information. I think it's helpful to hear the the long-term problem and and the opportunity. I think it is true this is not a problem that arose overnight. We have needed better services for years. Ramsey County has needed more shelter beds for years. Um, so this is not a new problem and I do hope that this gives us this urgency gives us an opportunity to work better together across partners as is already starting to happen. I do want to come back to Miss Coleman's excellent questions about the short term. We are talking about August 5th. Um, I think I and others around this table have said if there is a plan to help everyone find a place inside if they want to go inside, then that is one thing. If there isn't, that's something else. So, I'm still trying to figure out if I am an individual, I am in pigsy and in August 5th, the shelter beds are full and someone is coming to me and reaching out to me, what are they reaching out to offer? During COVID, we opened up lots of spaces that weren't already available. We have partners in other counties, many of whom actually have um it's their residents who are now in Pigsai. These are not all folks from St. Paul Ramsey County, right? So, what is the offer to someone on August 5th when our Ramsey County shelter beds are full? >> Uh, I uh through the chair, I'll start and maybe you say a few words. Um, as of right now, as um county manager Becker uh highlighted that we're bringing more beds online. So, that's number one. Number two is we are doing our best. So, there's a list of individuals that we have insight into for all of these encampments. We do understand for who they are connected with. If they're in our system, we also can understand, we also know when they're not actually in our system, they're connected with a neighboring county as well. We are trying our best to co coordinate and connect individuals to where they need to be um in getting the services that they need. We are right now working on making sure that if anybody needs to be inside, they can be inside. >> And is that that's August? >> That's the commitment. >> That is the commitment. And we have uh Council Member Johnson, Kim, and it looks like Council Member Jo. >> I appreciate just being able to uh hear from both of you, both county manager um Becker and uh Assistant Mayor Baker. Um I think one of the things that would be really helpful for folks is looking at your kind of joint piece, right? if the cities I will just share over the last three years as a council member when we started at Bruce Vento which was county owned land and it was an encampment it was 30 to 40 individuals since 2024 into 2025 and 2026 as you've seen the numbers have basically went from what was on average 30 to 40 folks to 124 and I think that that is a piece that for me it was like this didn't happen overnight and for a lot of residents both in the encampments and then the surrounding area it. We are very familiar with how it has basically grown in size and has changed dynamics drastically. I also as a council member was involved in several conversations even with the previous administration and the county. And so I'm really you know happy to see um you know commissioner Moran um in the audience. I do remember what it was like to have conversations with the county about what we were going to do then. Um, I will just be honest that one of the things that has been discouraging is that I do not fully think that if the city we if we were primarily focused just on code enforcement, law enforcement, emergency medical response and communications, um, that alleviates a lot of our direct response pieces and I think we've existed kind of in the both for a minute. Um, I I am curious to see what the county numbers will be just so I can also know like prior to this closure what the numbers look like. And I want to reiterate, I'm very excited about the commitment that is happening. I know you had mentioned just a couple things around the 49 beds coming back online with Catholic Charities. I do want to make sure that my colleagues can also make the connections. Can you clarify as well? The city is joining in that partnership. Correct. >> Yeah. So through the chair, um what you will have before you later today during the city council uh meeting is a resolution to move funds over to the um county um to supporting that effort. Um I think it's in the amount of a little over a million dollars. Um and the goal is to support the effort that is happening when it comes to um the recent um signed agreement between the county and um Catholic Charities as well as um asking the county to do a larger solicitation of um gaining more shelter beds alternative housing. Um so that's where that money is going. So we we do believe that we have a role to play. We do believe that um the county um is partnering u we appreciate the county's partnership in this but we are looking at and pulling all of the angles that we can on this like we're trying our best to do what what we have access to and the resources that we have. Um a part of that um is levels of funding um but also a part of that is convening and having conversations around a larger systemic issue within our our system. >> Okay. Okay. And then in addition to that, one of the things that I would just note, um I appreciate all of the questions that have been brought up to about the overall continuum and I know that in the short term, we're looking right now at truly like the encampment/prevention aspect of the continuum. Like there is the supportive housing and there's the what happens when someone's in the shelter system. as it relates to pigsai park specifically. My understanding too and is that several individuals maybe literally migrated from Bruce Rento to the fish hatch the fish hatchery trail or pigsai park in this case. Um while other folks also came from other neighboring cities and other neighboring counties. Um some of those same counties have talked about just having like a net zero amount of homelessness but really in reality some of their residents just came here. Um, I think one of the things that's really important to talk about through is like along with that migration is that if you are tracking them, which it sounds like we'll be able to track community members and where their resources and their services are um with the other remaining encampments staying open. I think it's just a valid question to ask like what happens with the if um folks are just truly what happened at Bruce Retro was literally we had trucks on site individuals who were organizing trucks to move people from one location to another and that didn't help that didn't necessarily provide it provided more of an immediate relief and so assuming right community members that especially folks that maybe have well intentions but don't fully understand the that it's not just as simple as leaving someone outdoors today. It's like a overall cycle. But quite literally during the Bruce Bento encamp I was there most of the day during the enclosures we had trucks pulling out people just literally taking their bags and moving them to another place. Um thinking that they were helpful. And I think just in that capacity, if we see that again, which I'm assuming that will happen, um what does it look like when it comes to being able to not only provide services for folks that are just going to be literally in transit at that time, but for the community members who are trying to help for the community members that are going to show up trying to uh be of assistance to them by literally packing their stuffs up, putting in their trunks, and taking people's elsewhere, what do they need to keep in mind? Um because what has been incredibly frustrating and I will share just from um what I've seen and even just from talking to neighbors, my staff and I, we've knocked over 250 doors um in the last two days to talk to individuals directly. Prior to that, we've had multiple conversations. I've been on the encampment site both on a official capacity, but also in an unofficial capacity because you can get a long way when you're just a normal community member dressed in sweatpants and your name is Chenika. People don't realize that you're a council member. Um, so they're willing to tell you things. Individuals have a lot of barriers like not just um, you know, we're not even touching the surface when we're talking about 911 calls. Folks have multiple layers and it's not all pretty. Um, and some of it is like, you know, some of them have outstanding warrant warrants. It's not to say that that's everyone, but it's like some of it gets real deep. And some people are simply like, I don't want to be out. I don't want to leave my significant other. I don't want to leave my pet. I don't want to leave my safe space to go somewhere unsafe. Um, I hear that and we all experience like this space where like when you have that, that's what people are saying. Um, but I think there's a lot of people who are like tapping into this conversation either for the first time or maybe have not been down there themselves or if they have been down there, they're tapping in now the last couple of weeks because it's closing. And I think that was an element of ringing the alarm. But like what do you need for the average community member to understand? Because there will be a fleshload of people that are showing up. The camera crews will come just like they did with Bruce Vento and then they're all going to go away in like a few days. So what exactly does that look like when it comes to what do people need to keep in mind when they quote unquote want to help >> now? Uh you mind if I respond to please? Um when when it comes to just the the reality of individuals wanting to help, we understand that people wanting to help is because they care. They're trying to figure out how to support these individuals that are out there and they're thinking about what ways can they do it. When it comes to um everyone kind of coming down on August 5th, that is not always actually helpful. Actually, sometimes it could be um a little bit distressful for individuals that are out there. Um take for instance if uh if one of um the heart team members or service providers have been out there working kind of consistently because what I have heard in this process individuals are going out every day saying hey let's talk through your plan hey let's talk through your plan are you ready for resources what type of resources do you need and sometimes they're saying yes but m multiple times or you know many times up into uh or getting closer to that date we hear no right they're just saying no they're not ready for for whatever the reason is, they're just not ready. I think that um continually allowing um those individuals that have already been down there and have built trusting relationships with um those experiencing unsheltered homelessness to be for them to be able to continue that conversation. I think that it can be hurtful at times to have other individuals just come out even though they have a big heart and they want to help to try to engage when there hasn't been really any trust. um been there and also too um you don't necessarily know what you're navigating and what you're dealing with. And so I would say yes, we need all the help that we can get, but not on the day of August 5th. We need other types of help. We need people to um get insight and to work in some of our shelters. We need help in making sure that we have volunteers um with basic need or mutual aid. We we need other types of help. We don't necessarily need individuals coming down on the 5th. There's already a lot going to be going on during that time, including um the individuals within the encampment if you're still there, because a lot of them would have left, but if you're still there, trying to make decisions on what you will do and where you will go, that special time in my opinion should be really focused on the individuals that have already built relationships with them, working with that person to try to ensure that they are moving forward with whatever the plan um that is necessary. So, I would say please don't actually come down on the fifth. It's not because we don't want your your help. We just want it placed in different ways. >> Thank you for that clarity. And then we have um three uh questions. Uh Council Member Kim, Council Member Jo, and then uh Council Member Coleman. >> Great. Thank you. Um I'm still a little like my colleagues a little unclear like you know what what is the quantity and like the numbers of what we're offering and so like yes to the shelter beds. The city I know also hands out hotel vouchers right so it's not just about shelter beds I think to your point um county manager it's around like the continuum of what we're offering and so I'd also like to see numbers of the investment that we're making in the hotel vouchers you know and how long that stay is good for. Um, I'm also really interested in how the city is defining success. And to me, defining success looks like folks that are accessing services have lower um repeat cycles of experiencing life and having to um uh live outside and how be housed outside. So like what are the tangible things? Like I hear the goals that we want people housed, then you know there's a way that we have to both be critical of what we're offering. If the hotel voucher is only good for 5 days, that is that's not good enough, right? And I'm I'm just I want to be clear that there's investments along that continuum, but we need to name what those are and making sure that we're resourcing those options. Um the other thing that I wanted to um just lift up is, you know, DHS put a moratorium on new service providers for certain Medicaid services. And one of them is pretty large. It's some of the um res uh restorative um and recovery care. So if you enter a shelter that has wraparound services, right? So we are not accepting new providers. some of our PR providers aren't even being paid right now. They have pause. So even though we talk about the beds and we talk about right like it's not just I think to the great point that's being made is like where are they going? What is even available that is out there? Um but our ability to expand in this moment in time is very difficult. And so I just I think it starts to beg the bigger question is like are we helping or is this approach harmful? And so I think, you know, I I said this before, um, but I really want to emphasize to the administration and to those involved, please include folks from the encampment. You know, I'm really hoping folks from the encampment come. Similar to council member Johnson, um, I've been through the fish hatchery and Kmart and not dressed as this. I go as a normal human being doing mutual aid distribution. It's really important that I'm listening and hearing from them directly. our service providers that are in the room. You know, I see a lot of government entities being named, but I strongly encourage you to tap in. They are our strongest knowledge holders for community that are face-toface with folks every day just like parts of members of our team, but having that sort of collective wisdom. And I just want to emphasize um you know, work with them on measurements of success. um work with them on figuring out what services are needed and what resources we need to be putting towards even for this next budget cycle. Um because the funding landscape for this type of service that we're offering is pretty fraught. And so if we're pushing people around and we say you can't stay here, where else are they going to go? Right? There's no other option. If there's no other option that at one point do we start to understand that we're part of the problem. So my ultimate question which is rhetorical to you um but mostly because I know that you know from the position and from what you've shared today and I know you personally um assistant Abreaker is like you know if it is a caring approach then at what point is the city willing to say look we've gone so far down this road it's not working and not only is it not working we don't have the resources needed to follow through on an actionable plan that actually provides meaningful solutions to the folks that are living in 10 communities and when that point comes I think it's just very important that the city is willing to pivot and be imaginative and reimagine our approach and with community and folks living in our tent community at the center of our policym. >> Excellent. No, thank you so much for those points. It's really really important particularly to know how we are measuring that success. Um and I I'll have some followups um towards the end but we have another question from our comment from council member Jose. Council member Coleman. >> Um thank you Sher Buouie. Uh, thank you, Assistant Mayor Baker and uh, County Manager Becker for being here. I I just wanted to circle back to Council Member Coleman's question and some of Council President Ner and a few others. I I want to understand um, you know, I the very ideal situation is that by the time we get to August 5th, every individual that is there has been connected to housing, will have a place to stay um, and there isn't anyone left at the encampment. And I understand that's ideal. That's plan A. I want to get a better understanding of plan B. Um I've heard folks talk about it a little bit. Um but what happens um because I don't think I I mean I really hope that that happens, but I do think we should be prep prepared for every scenario. So what does that look like? And maybe could you talk about um the other times that we have closed encampments uh and seen that situation? What happens? Do what what do people do? Where do they go? Do they go to other encampments? Um, I know like council member Kim just said, sometimes we've given out hotel vouchers, but we also understand understand that those aren't long-term and I know you said the goal would be everyone has a place to stay um overnight, but is that for one night? Is that for multiple nights? I'm just trying to get a clearer picture of what this might actually look like. Um, and if and without with also understanding that uh, you know, there's still a lot of uncertainty around what might happen. Yeah, thank you through the chair uh council member Jo. Um when it comes to um uh the the kind of the overall plan for individuals that are u are moving forward on August 5th. As of right now, the thinking is that um we are lining up the uh space and beds that are necessary. When it comes to um if they say no, is that more of kind of your concern? >> If they say no or if there are still people left that did not get connected with a bed because we don't have any. And and what have we done in the past? because I I guess I'm not aware if if the other times we've closed engagements, did everyone get connected with? >> Yeah. So, um what I've been told u from past through the chair, what I've been told through past experiences um from individuals that have been a part of each of the encampment closures that it has been actually really antilimactic because um ultimately there's really a handful of individuals that are left at the encampment. uh the thinking is leading up to the uh closure that the individuals are um having conversations and then ultimately making a decision on what they will do either will it be bad. Um in past encampment closures is being as upfront as possible. Um some of those individuals were picked up and then um dropped off at another encampment site. Um that has happened in the past. Um made connections with um different individuals. So it's it's right now even though we have been told that it has been anticlimactic we are not necessarily preparing for it to be antilimactic. We also understand that there may be some individuals that are still there and we have been talking um we just had a conversation about it um around with the team yesterday about what does that look like? What do we do? How do we handle it and how do we support those individuals um without the process of um criminalization in it. So, we do have a plan with it. I'd like to provide more insight to uh the council um uh separately about what that specifically looks like so you have more in information about what's happening to the overall safety plan. >> Thank you. >> And then council member, >> thank you. I will keep this really quick. Um, I I really appreciate and I think that starting this conversation with understanding that there are deep deep deep challenges at our existing encampments and that uh, assistant mayor to your point that the status quo isn't working and it isn't good enough for members of our community. It there's absolutely no disagreement from me on that. Um, it isn't good enough and it isn't working. And what we have been hearing from folks in the encampments from providers is that the official numbers of the of what's happening and what the concerns are in these encampments isn't doesn't tell the whole story that there are people who aren't reporting crimes that there are people who aren't reporting some of the very serious safety concerns. So I think that that is that is all deeply heard and shared and addressing that is critical. I also just want to name that it it is imperative that as a city we are not in our intent in our attempt to solve some of those problems and to address those problems that we are not exacerbating harm. And so one of the places where it would be helpful to hear additional information after today because I know we're way out of time is just understanding when we've looked at encampment closures in other cities. We know that overdoses will rise in the time period immediately following the closure. We know that the spread of infectious diseases will rise as people are unable to find the folks who they've been providing public health treatment to. So understanding what we've learned from other cities and how we are mitigating against those public health concerns and how we are ensuring that we are not again in our in our attempt to address a set of concerns exacerbating harm um and in and causing increased trauma for community members who are already being traumatized who are already in need of so so much and such deep support. So it would be helpful to have some follow-up on that. I think that, you know, I understand that the county is responsible for our public health response, but I think understanding what the U administration sees as their role and how we're supporting with that and what information is available and what conversations have been had would be extremely helpful. >> Thank you, Council Member. >> So, I just want to say I really, you know, genuinely appreciate um you uh Mr. Baker for just really and also County Manager um Becker for just really responding um on the spot. also taking note of follow-ups. Um, as you can see, you know, we are making a really big decision. It's a big decision to say we're going to be closing a campment. It's a big decision to say that we are creating a plan that people's livelihoods are dependent on it. Um, there's real consequences, life or death. Um, with this plan and ensuring that we have something that's solid, that's accountable, and also gains public accountability and trust. Um, I think moving forward, um, you know, in the beginning of this conversation and as we're just getting into kind of like the details, I definitely think it's, um, it's important that we have a valuebased um, approach and that we are on the same page philosophically, but it's even more important to ensure that we are outcomes driven and that we can be able to see when we need to pivot um, and that there is a um, a display our dashboard of some of this information in terms of availability not only beds but availability of staff capacity. Uh we have many people here in the audience today that people are just they see themselves as service providers and their volunteers and like how do we ensure that they are also integrated into that system. And um and last but not least, I want to just also just highlight um I I do see I see um a really strong coordination across the different departments in the city. But I also will want to encourage for us to partner with Metro Transit. Um they also have a um law enforcement agency. They have community resources. um they are highly visible um and they have been so beneficial particularly on the green line and university with some of the challenges also um exploring um some of our medical providers um and I don't want to be listing and naming all of them but we have medical providers for helping um some of our um residents who need medical care right and don't have access to it and um and also um you know we have a Ramsey County I I didn't see on here the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office I know they have the capital vitality um office on Rice Street and they have been highly visible in growing their staff. Um so it would be important to ensure that we aren't leaving anything on the table in terms of a partner um and how that's actually integrated into our plan. Um and uh last but not least, I uh I know earlier we had our budget conversation and we have our budget chair here as well as the vice chair of our continuum of care. I would love to see this plan reflected in our budget. I think it's important to have a plan, but it's also even more important to make sure we don't have unfunded mandates and unfunded um policies and commitments going forward. So, um I would love to see how that's going to show up in the budget presentations moving forward. Um and last but not least, I know I said last but least three times, I need a different transition word. Um um well finally um finally therefore be it resolved. Um you know we uh we want to just say thank you particularly again I heard that there were some commitments from people from Ramsey County and also from the mayor's office to join us during the public hearing um at 4:30. Um, I think just like we're you're presenting the plan, ensuring that you have opportunities to have feedback, um, if that looks like a portal system where questions or feedback can be gathered. Um, but I really just appreciate if you can join us at 4:30 here in the council chambers. >> Yeah. Uh, chair, um, I will say that the mayor's office, I'm committed to being here. Um, not necessarily um, the county um, manager, but I am committed to being here, our team. And I will also say that um I just want to say um I am grateful and appreciative to actually all of the service providers. >> Um a a lot of times a lot of the larger service providers get a lot of the attention and rightfully so based on the capacity that they have. Um but I'm also grateful for the smaller service providers that are actually out there every day that are doing the work every day. and also to um just thinking about the overall toll that they are navigating right now um before this decision was made and potentially after this decision is made on just working and working and trying to um compassionately find ways of to supporting these individuals in encampments. So I just wanted to end by saying I want to continue this conversation. I I am um committed to making sure that we are transparent in what we are doing and looking forward to future conversation. >> Absolutely. Well, thank you so much and well done everyone. We are now adjoined. >> Thank you. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Baby, Heat. Heat. Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. Roll call, please. >> Buy >> Coleman here. >> Toast >> here. >> Kim Maker >> here. Yang >> here. >> Chair Johnson >> here. >> There are six present that one one absent and being Commissioner Kim. >> Item number one is res 26-1173 approving and authorizing the CDBG loan amendment for TWWV limited partnership district 3 and five wards 2 and five. >> All right. So we did receive a staff report on this at the last HR meeting. 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 and 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 Van, 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 CDBG loan agreement and then authorizing execution of loan documents as as necessary. >> All righty. Uh I'll take a motion from Commissioner uh NER to approve. All those in favor? >> I. >> All opposed. >> Six in favor, zero opposed. Resolution is adopted. Item number two, RES26-1174, 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. It's a new item in front of us, but I do see assistant mayor Sumo Linger coming up and I know the council president has also been involved. So, um, welcome assistant mayor Sumalanker. >> Thank you, Chair Johnson, commissioners. Um so the item before you um adds three words to the downtown vitality funds economic development pool um within the public realm improvement um aspect for eligible uses. It adds the threeword skyway access improvements. Um, I'd defer to council president or commissioner uh nker to talk a little bit about this, but I'll just note that the philosophy behind public realm improvements as an eligible use um does contribute directly to the vibrancy of downtown and that interoperability between buildings and streetscapes and vice versa. So, the other items under public improvements are lighting, outdoor seating, and public art. And skyway access does help kind of get that street level um to all different of our wonderful buildings connected to the skyway. Thank you and thank you for being here and taking the time. Uh, Commissioner Nger. >> 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 viciferously 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 um, in the heat that we were just experiencing last yesterday, two days ago. um and that will come back and the cold that we experienced in the winter that is 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. I think it is a major part of it. I know that um, you know, just being able to walk through the skyways has been something that a lot of folks are waiting on, including myself. So, I appreciate the guideline pieces. Um, are there any questions for either assistant mayor uh, Sumer or Commissioner Nger? Uh, Commissioner Buouie. >> Thank you, Chair Johnson. Um, not well a question, but first I want to just make a comment. I think this is really thoughtful. I also support it. I know when I saw it, I was like, "Wow, this is this is good." Um, I'm happy to see this use of funds to help strengthen and improve our our skyways. And uh, you know, as someone who worked downtown and um, also enjoy coming downtown, I'm excited to start utilizing our Skyways more. Um, and just getting back to, you know, all the things that I used to love about our St. Paul downtown. Um I have a quick question and um you know it's it's uh not a candid question but particularly just for clarity um I know it says in improving skyway system u but I just want to just make sure not to be confused with like expanding skyway system. I know that's probably a much larger conversation, but um I'm just curious to know if we ever explored um the the potential of either these funds or even a process if if a business or a property owner would like to expand connectivity through our skyway system. >> Commissioner, so um I think a great question, Miss Boo, thank you for your support. Um I while I think technically this language could encompass adding to our skyway system, um it would uh that would likely be at the cost of far beyond what our entire downtown vitality fund could afford and also would require action by the skyway governance advisory committee um and the city council to to add to the skyway system. So um some this is part of our downtown vitality fund. anyone can apply to that fund, but I think that an application to actually add to the Skyway system would run into a lot more regulatory barriers and it would be something we would prioritize. >> And just a quick little followup because I you learn something new every day as a commissioner and a council member. Um, can you talk a little bit more about the Skyway governing committee? That's the first time I've heard about it. >> Thanks, Miss Lou. Yes, it's a committee of the Capital River Council and it's responsible for making recommendations to improve change policy changes in the Skyways um code of conduct in the Skyways signage. Um they meet monthly I think Fridays at 9:00 a.m. if I recall if it's still happening then. Um so and it's in our code. It's the body that actually regulates Skyways in the city. Thank you. >> I also learn something new every day. Um, I don't see any other questions from any commissioners. So, I'll take a motion from Commissioner Naker to approve. All those in favor? >> I I >> All opposed. >> Seven in favor, zero opposed. The resolution is adopted. >> Thank you, Assistant Mayor, for being here and appreciate all the work for staff that have been working in the back end to figure this thing out. What seems like a very quick action, took a lot of effort to do so. So, I know this has been a long time in running. So, special shout out to our city attorney Sam as well for I'm sure the diligent work that the city attorney's team was doing on even making that uh that those few phrases work and the guideline changes cuz we all know you never get to see the all the work that happens behind the scenes. So >> item number three, RES26-1175, resolution authorizing a three-year license agreement with Union Pacific Railroad for its exclusive use of HA property at 43 East Water Street, District 3, Ward 2. >> All right. And if you all recall, this is the license agreement that we had between um H Land and the Union Pacific Railroad that will be used for 3 years, potentially later on talked about as potential opportunities for a future city department. So, right now we're just making use of the space in a better way. So, and hopefully getting some revenue from it. Um seeing uh no further questions, just checking. All right, take a motion from Commissioner Yang to approve. All those in favor? >> I. All opposed? >> Seven in favor? Zero opposed. The resolution is adopted. Item number four, SR26-143, introduction to redevelopment project at 47 Douglas Street, District 9, Ward 2. All right. So, now we're into the staff report pieces of the agenda. This is an item that we have not had a staff report on yet. So, um, I'll be looking forward to seeing it and hearing about this project. So, Director McMahon, if you want to go ahead and introduce the staff that'll be presenting. >> Yes, chair, commissioners. Thank you. Do we have Joe Musaf here to present information on this redevelopment project at 47 Douglas Street? This is one as you indicated that the information will be presented today opportunity for questions and the action would be before you for consideration at your next H meeting. >> Thank you director and welcome Mr. Musef. >> Uh thank you chair Johnson and commissioners. My name is Joe Musaf. I'm um an employee of the Department of Planning and Economic Development and I'm here to introduce you to a matter that will be before you for approval hopefully at your next meeting on August 5th. This is regarding the proposed rehabilitation of an Howned vacant single family house at 47 Douglas Street, also known as the Galvin Sheeran House. Uh 47 Douglas Street is located in the Little Bohemian neighborhood. It is part of the West 7th Fort Road Federation District Planning Council 9 and is in Council Ward 2. This home was built in 1883 at the corner of Harrison and Douglas and moved to its present location in 1912. Um some very quick background. Um the the house was donated to the HR by Wells Fargo Bank in 2010. From about 2010 to 2015, right in that range there within um really like a twob block radius of the location of 47 Douglas. There were eight HRowned homes that were rehabbed. Um there was one new construction single family home built on a vacant Howned lot and two homes were moved on to new locations and rehab. So this is in the middle of um a a very concentrated large effort that has been undertaken over a number of years um of neighborhood u stabilization and revitalization in this uh spot here. Um there were a few different partners uh in all of that work, but the West 7th Fort Road Federation played the most significant role as developer of most of these homes. And the federation was reluctant to take on 47 Douglas. It didn't um really fit with um with their market with their marketing goals. And so we offered it as an inspiring communities uh property through an RFP in 2014. And unfortunately we received no interest at that time. So again we offered it in 2015 through another RFP and we did identify a developer at that point but the developer couldn't follow through with the project. At that point we suggested demolition of the property. Um but uh many neighbors, including some that are in the audience here today, uh rallied in support of saving the property and actually um found us another interested developer. Once again, that deal didn't hold up. And now we get to 2020 and uh a local nonprofit, Historic St. Paul, submitted a proposal to us. This is a approximately 1,000 square foot house on a very small lot. The lot is approximately 48 ft x 46 ft. Uh Historic St. Paul proposes to reestablish the original floor plan resulting in a two-bedroom, oneb home. Historic St. Paul will rehabilitate the home in a manner consistent with the Secretary of the Interior standards for rehabilitation as if it were listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Uh quick note about Historic St. Paul. They are uh a St. Paul based nonprofit with a mission to preserve and promote the cultural heritage, character, and vitality of St. Paul neighborhoods. And to that end, Historic St. Paul periodically takes on real estate development projects like this. A recent similar example is their rehabilitation of the John and Anne Lewis House nearby at 412 Goodrich. And there are a couple representatives from historic St. Paul with us here in the chambers today. This is a a image of the 40 of the Douglas Street facade and you can see um it's um uh it's missing the original porch and the original lap siding has been covered. And this is a excerpt from the proposed rehabilitation plans showing the um covered porch that historic St. Paul intends to add on to the front of the house and a reestablishment of the primary ent entrance will be on uh the Douglas Street side. Uh just two other quick images. This is the north elevation proposed um showing the uh porch extending um to the uh Douglas Street side. Um, and then this is um, admittedly a tough uh, graphic to see, but I uh, I just wanted to give you an idea of the floor plan. Again, this will result in a two-bedroom, oneb home, a small home, approximately 1,000 square ft. In 2021 and 2022, the HRA board of commissioners approved the sale of the property to Historic St. Paul and approved investment of $225,000 to subsidize the rehabilitation. Since that time, the project has been delayed due to Historic St. Paul's loss of commitments from two different general contractors. The organization also transitioned through a leadership change and this delay has resulted in increased construction costs. But Historic St. Paul has offset much of the increase with securing additional commitments from Minnesota Housing Finance AY's impact fund. Historic St. Paul is requesting an additional $29,961 of development subsidy, bringing the total development subsidy ask of the housing and redevelopment authority to 254961. Uh on the left hand column, current ask here's the proposed development budget. Total development cost will be $594,000 with an anticipated sale price of $235,000. Minnesota Housing Finance Agency has committed $105,000 to the project and the HA has requested to contribute 254961. Peed's resource team has identified community development block grant as the best source of funds for this project. This will be provided to the developer per the inspiring communities program design as a forgivable loan. In addition, also consistent with the inspiring communities program design, the future buyer uh will be eligible to receive up to $5,000 in down payment assistance. H's investment in this project will exceed $250,000. Therefore, city council procedure of project labor agreements is applicable. Our standard process was followed and staff recommends nonuse of project labor agreement. This will require a city council action and that will be brought to city council um in conjunction with uh H's um action two weeks from now. And then my last slide, uh just a summary again that um in two weeks um we'll have an action before you to consider um requesting that you reconfirm the authorization to enter into development agreement with with Historic St. Paul authorized gross development gap contribution in the amount of $254,961. And then because this is CDBG, there's an administrative action that needs to happen correspondingly with the city council through something called an administrative order. And um the city council must ratify the recommendation for non-use of PLA. That's the end of my presentation. I'm happy to take any questions. >> Uh Commissioner Nre. >> Thanks, Madam Chair. Um Mr. Mr. Musaf, thanks so much for the presentation and for all your hard work on this. Um, I am so excited to see this coming in front of us for action. I think you and I toured this home 10 some years ago. Um, and it has been clear since then that there is um, that the neighborhood deserves um, reinvestment in this property and that it needs to be um, preserved. Um, so I'm really grateful that we're in this place. I want to thank the neighbors who are here today who've advocated for this uh home over many many years and huge thanks to Historic St. Paul for sticking with it and sticking with us. Um just two questions. One, so if you can't tell, I'm in uh serious support of this, but two questions. One, just can you remind us um I think I think we had confirmed that with this additional 29,000, this will be the last investment and that Historic St. Paul is then ready to commence construction. And I just want to clarify that this is it and we are at the finish line and there will not be further delays. Um and then also can you remind us who an eligible buyer would be? What are the eligibility criteria? >> Uh thanks Chair Johnson and Commissioner Nre especially for that second question. I um should have mentioned that in my presentation. Let me address that first. Um this uh Historic St. Paul will be required to sell this home for owner occupancy to a household whose income does not exceed 80% of the area median income. Um and to your question um regarding is this ready to go the answer is yes and they can break ground. break ground is not the right term for rehab. Excuse me. They can commence the rehabilitation this fall. >> Thank you, >> Commissioner Coleman. >> Thank you, Chair. Um, it's very exciting, very supportive. I have a quick question. I just haven't seen I don't think since I've been a member of this body, the non-use of PLA recommendation. So, I'm wondering if you could say a little bit more about how we got there and why that recommendation. Mhm. Uh, Chair Johnson and Commissioner Coleman, um, the the city's PLA policy is that if um investment exceeds $250,000, there is a protocol that we shall follow which uh requires notification of interested parties that this project is uh likely going to commence and whether there is a recommendation from any interested parties that a project labor agreement should be considered or not. We received no response and therefore our our um recommendation is no project labor agreement. >> Go ahead, Commissioner Coleman. >> Just a quick followup. Those interested parties are building trades, unions, all of the above. Anybody else? >> That's right. Um it uh the notification list uh we can share with you. Um but it's the building trades. >> Yep. >> No need to share. That's all I want to show. Thank you. >> Um and then Mr. M myself, can you talk a little bit about the HA funded down payment assistance as comparison to the city down payment assistance program? >> I I I apologize, but could you say that one more time? >> Yeah. The H will provide up to 5,000 in down payment assistance to the buyer. Can you just either differentiate or is that beyond the is that within the city's down payment assistance? Is that it says it's H funds. So just trying to figure out I think that might be the first time I've seen that in a while. Just >> I understand >> Chair Johnson and thanks for repeating the question. Um the um the $5,000 of down payment assistance um while it is um certainly uh useful from um a marketing standpoint to u to move the property once it is for sale. uh our primary motive is to use that um down payment assistance as a way to enforce owner occupancy and thus the initial affordability period for five years. So those dollars are structured as a forgivable loan um forgiven over those five years, but a portion would be due back if the owner um sells the home or fails to occupy it in owner occupancy for those five years. The source of those dollars is from our smallcale development inspiring communities program. >> Okay. And I guess I'm more so wondering why that wouldn't be from the down payment assistance program. Uh, Chair Johnson, the um it wouldn't well it wouldn't be. These are uh because this is a um this is specifically tied to an inspiring communities outcome. Um so it's a it's a piece of the inspiring communities uh program design that there's an associated down payment assistance connected in part to um helping us enforce some period of owner occupancy and affordability and it's funded through um the inspiring communities budget. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Are there any other questions for Mr. Musa? >> Uh I know that you said the that historic St. Paul is here or members from the organization. There was a question just around this being it and if whether or not they'd be able to go forward with the development. So I'd take this time to just welcome up someone um from historic St. Paul to just share if you would be able to move forward if you receive the subsidy and just like what your timeline is currently for the project. If you wanted to come and talk to that, this would be I'm willing to let you come in for a few minutes before we transition to the budget to actual presentation. Hi, I'm uh Carol Kerry and I live at 635 Bates Avenue. Um I'm working with Historic St. Paul on the completion of this project that was started a number of years ago. Um, after a lot of stops and starts, um, we were very happy to hear from Joe over the summer that it looked like we were pointing on all in the same direction. And so over the past couple of weeks, I've taken the time to meet with our construction lender and been in communication with our general contractor to make sure every everything was in place to move forward. >> Wonderful, Miss Carrie. Thank you so much for being here and thank you to the members that are here from Historic St. Paul too and your investment in the city. >> And as long as I up here, I I really want to reiterate that we wouldn't be here today if it wasn't for the extraordinary effort of Joe and also the um inspiration and advocacy of the local community. They've uh they've kept us engaged. So, >> well, thank you so much. >> Yeah. All right. So, this item will be in front of us on August 5th. Thank you so much, Mr. Musa, for being here. >> Okay. Thank you, commissioners. >> Item number five, SR26-144, second quarter budget to actual report. >> It's that time again where we have our budget to actuals for quarter two. So, I'll welcome up uh Deputy Director Green. Good afternoon, Chair Johnson. Commissioners, it is great to be here today. My name is Nicole Green. I am the chief financial officer. Thank you. And uh deputy director for the department of planning and economic development. I am here today um as part of um the action that was taken uh last year in December to um ensure that we were providing um quarterly quarterly budget to actual reports um to this body. So thank you. Um I appreciate the opportunity and let's get started. Um, first I want to just uh recognize and extend my sincere pre appreciation to the peed accounting staff um OFS leadership uh especially the coordination and cross functional support that we've had from CFO CFO director Joe Harney um uh council budget officer uh Verma thank you and our newly installed permanently installed um ED for the department Melanie McMahon. Thank you all. It is that cross functional coordination um that is super super important. Our job uh on the finance side is to provide accurate and objective decision support information um in a timely uh in a timely fashion. We rely on the understanding um of leadership our understanding of leadership's capacity uh perspective and approach to guide the development and presentation of that information. Um and so we constantly seek crossf functional confirmation uh alignment and consistent consensus across uh our leadership body. We have been in transition and interim stages for quite some time. uh and for director Verma and uh director Harney and myself uh the engagement uh especially in the second quarter uh kicking off uh what we know is going to be uh a long-term commitment to improving our current processes and answering a lot of the questions addressing a lot of the concerns that you have. So I'm super super excited um as well as appreciative for them. Um and then also just wanted to say include having completed our initially initial quarterly update in April, we are continuing to learn um and improve this reporting process. It's exciting for our staff um our division leaders Jules, Jimmy, Yasmin um and uh all of our program staff to be engaged in the process to have their assignments um and to challenge uh what we know um and how we how we manage our finances. So, I I appreciate their commitment as well. And as a reminder, the financial information we'll review today and all of the information that you all receive throughout the quarter um and included in this presentation is preliminary, estimated, and unudited. So, um thank you for your patience as we continue to work through that as well. Um you see here are uh new staff that have been added within the accounting department. I just want to also recognize them. Samantha Parsons um and accountant accounting three account three and our accounting tech chancellor fat lore who is specifically um joined our team uh relation to our ER emergency rental assistance work. We're excited for them and uh also want to bring attention to the fact that in in Q2 we've made significant progress on updating our uh Northridge loan soft loan servicing software system and also um moving through the parking operator RFP. Um, and I won't go through the priorities, but I just want to um make sure that I extend our deep appreciation um for the strategic memos received and obviously in the um mayor's budget address. Um that information informs our staff and partners of the interest and object objectives of the administration and council. um these priorities have um deeply driven the conversations, program planning and the budget development that we've had um uh over uh throughout 2026. So, specific to budget development um we are continuing to increase awareness and engagement from our staff and division leaders and including these objectives in those instructions um in our instructions for their work on the spend plans and work plans that you all receive. So, um thank you. Thank you for documenting, taking the time, and making sure that everybody's clear and aligned. Um, and then just a little uh bit of background uh here. Uh, and I I don't think we talked we talked about this in the first quarter, but just want to continue to emphasize that uh PED is most significantly funded through our special funds. Um we have about our total budget is about four 4.6% of the city's overall budget but our general fund um uh receipts our general fund um portion is uh less than um half a million dollars. So uh just want to let you all know that and continue to um reiterate that our access to the special funds uh deeply supports the work that we do and also the uh other funds like Laha city general fund uh star and HUD grants really uh supports the work that we do as well and those are the the best options for the work that we do um and align with the the work of the HR. Okay. Um, this report, uh, I think this slide probably needed some more updating, so I apologize for that. But I want to I want to kick it off since April what we've done. Um, in terms of, you know, providing the first initial quarterly budget to actual report. Um we've established consistent coordinating meetings between peed offs and council uh council HR uh budget directors and uh also we are exploring and considering various options and opportunities available to ensure um administrative and council objectives and priorities are met from an accounting perspective. This is really important because um in addition to the uh objectives that you all have documented um as we review those objectives, what is important for us from the finance side um to think about what we've already began discussions on um are improving um uh improvement of our financial reporting timelines. uh two alignment of financial reporting systems to consistently provide up-to-date and upto- minute up tothem minutee decision support reporting for various stakeholders including you all and the administration. So those conversations are really starting to pick up and that's the question that I know that you all have been asking since I arrived in the fall of 2024. Um and so I'm I'm excited about the progress that we've made just in the last three months to that end. um and those very um specific three three perspectives that we're we're talking about. Um while we are all deeply immersed in learning about um our existing operations uh for Joe and Kimude and I specifically uh we're new and so um we also are doing that while we're managing the day-to-day requests that are coming from uh you all in the administration and um public actions changes um uh news items as well that we have to contend with. So, we're committed to to making uh time to advance and improve industry best practice in this work that we're doing. Um, and this item is a repeat from the first quarter and I just in I just want to uh clarify or provide a little bit more context here. Um, in Q1, um, we had the mayor's address and memos from the council, um, supportive of the coordination, uh, of the work that we did. And so, formatting of the reporting that you all receive, uh, through Q1 continues to prove helpful. Um, and in our second installment, we're we're learning more and hearing more feedback from you. And so, please continue to to provide that feedback so that we can um, update update the reports that you receive uh, and improve the information. Um in Q2 as I just talked about um the work of the coordinated priorities um we're that is becoming more clear um and we're getting more in depth exploring that work as well and uh in Q3 we're working with OFS to learn about our systems and processes and that information happens on a daily weekly basis. We're challenging ourselves and our staff to be clear um in how confident we are and and can and should be um in what we've always done and what we're currently doing. Where we're not confident in what we've always done and what we're currently doing, we have to we have to have the courage and commitment to resolve and establish uh those realistic timelines in order to to move forward. So that's the the operational work um to make sure that the budget to actual reporting is smooth, timely and accurate. So now the actual the actual budget to actual information. Um so we always start with our major programs because that is what you ask uh asked us for more information on the programs. Um and so what is not included in this report is peed operations which is about $15 million annually and that is you know deeply funded by the HR levy. it's not included on this program perspective. Um so I just want to make sure that we we are all aware um of of that cost as well. But um in our major programs um what we have been able to do and working with our division leaders and our program leaders is to um continue to look at and assess the actual activities, some of which Joe just mentioned, 47 Douglas, and to plot that out, plan that out um in the time that we're going to need it. So I want to call your attention to the uh first column here because it includes not only the budget allocated in 2026 but what we wanted to do was to make sure that you all had access um and understood the prior year the previous year's funding that was available. Sometimes it's a um we have to ask for it to carry forward and sometimes it's a natural carry forward depending on the source of that funding. Um and so what has been difficult for us in these conversations with you all over the years is the access or the need to spend down the prior year funding and in doing so and our teams working hard engaging that work. It has appeared at times for this body that the current um budget allocations are not moving, that we're not spending any money. And we want to be clear that we are, but that we are um especially where there is a time constraint, where there's an expiration of funding, we want to make sure that we are responsible to that first. So the amended budget column um in this uh in this presentation likely includes especially for um uh some of the larger items like down payment assistance um emergency rental assistance and uh commercial corridors um and inspiring communities maybe not commercial corridors um but inspiring communities definitely includes that prior year funding and folks have a plan and uh you've received that information so I encourage you to look at that because that is attached to specific specific properties. It is attached to detailed work. Um and our our team has been um really good in making sure that we get that information to you. >> And and Deputy Director Green, I just wanted to um share a couple things as I was going through this. Um Director McMahon, can you speak to the $20,000 overage in full stack and what how that's being projected higher? That was like the only one that was projected over budget. Uh, chair commissioners, my understanding from last year is that was carryover. >> No, they allowed time for full stack was 350,000 and it looks like their projected allocation is 370,000. >> I'd actually turn to Deputy Director Green on that one. Then >> um that item I think we probably adjusted it. Um again, we rely on the information from the program director. So I believe in this case um um what we learned is there is um interest or uh activity that could spend at 370 and we again this is an iterative process for our staff. So uh what we do is go back and and inform folks hey here's your sourcing you have to stick to the sourcing. So, while they may still be planning, right, um, and that our programs are overs subscribed, right, folks want more of what we're doing, um, while they may still be planning that, then this process allows us to have that conversation with them and to manage that to to what it is. So, it's a good example of where, you know, our leaders have said, "Hey, if you gave me I I could spend this amount, and this report helps us to say, yep, that's great." Um, we note it. Um, and on the annual spend plan that they work from, they tell us, uh, hey, this is a risk, right? The program spending, what I could plan is more than what's available. And then we take that into account for the next year's budget, um, budget review. >> Okay. I think that is just really helpful when we're going through the line items. I have a couple of questions that maybe just didn't match my current understanding. I think part of it was the my understanding was the downtown vitality fund allocation was around 5 million not 5.9. Um and I think just like it would be helpful to understand that piece a little bit better too but I think when it relates to any item I'll just talk broadly especially H items um I don't expect to see an IND like an individual program using H funds just go over budget without having some sort of board action. So if that was the case in that matter um you know we had a full stack presentation in particular around that um where the presentation that was presented was $350,000 and that was an increase from prior years and there was a little bit of ambiguity around I think what could be spent at that time if I recall correctly and I just don't want to make a habit of going over budget from what's given and if that was the case where that was necessary I would fully expect it to come to the board for approval prior to that happening not on the back And so just want to be very clear about that because that was something that caught me off guard a little and also just in general just want to be clear what in any project that it relates to regarding H funding if that was the case or those were the numbers that we were going to see part of doing this process is making sure that if we are going to go over that that would be an item that I would fully expect to be brought to us for approval prior to doing so. >> Correct. Correct. And as we improve the reporting, you'll I I don't think that you all have access to that now in the reporting that we provide, but there is a risk mitigation section um where we're looking at this program is we have more need than we have funding. And so we're working um with our program leaders and division directors to really be clear and open. Um so we want them to tell us we need more funding. we want them to inform uh so that we can provide you that information that hey here's here's the information that we know from folks. So we'll continue to work on that. Thank you. I saw quite a few different hands so I'm trying to try to remember the order. Um com and uh Commissioner Buouie I think I saw your hand first. Commissioner Ner and then Commissioner Yang. >> Thank you Chair Johnson. I'll be quick here um in um uh Deputy Director Green. Please forgive me just in case you opened up with talking about the time frame for the what what is particularly the quarter 2 um because I'm just looking here at the program for the CDBG acquisition fund um and just really just thinking about the time where we utilize this fund particularly in my award for the Saxon Ford. um if you can you know if is this the source um um of that fund or is that a different one if we have actuals for that because I recall that was $600,000 was the cost of that acquisition um which would have exceeded the amount that we have in here for 300,000. So I'm just wondering if that's the exact source or if we are now if that acquisition was during quarter three. Thank you, Commissioner Buoy, Chair Johnson. Um, I don't know the details of that specific project, but I can tell you with the CDBG, what you're seeing on this presentation, this report, CDBG, um, that, uh, award year for those funds begins June 1st, I believe. So, it's off cycle from, uh, HA budget, um, uh, allocations. And so what you're seeing is the allocation. We receive that information usually late spring. We're not actually able to, you know, report on it. We give you an estimate in the first quarter and then the second quarter. What you're seeing is what we know we have been awarded um for these particular CDBG items. Um, and so I would I would I would I'm guessing and director McMahon can add additional information on Sax and Ford that was probably funded by previous year's allocations. It's not this allocation. >> Okay. Thank you. Yeah, that would be helpful just to know in terms of how we are tracking the source of those funds. If it's not this year's award, um I think it'll be helpful as we're tracking, you know, and providing oversight that it's previous years. So, thank you for that clarification. >> If M uh Director McMahon or Miss Loren, would you be able to provide any additional clarifications on whether that was last year funded or not? I saw a couple head nods from the audience, so I thought I'd ask. >> Chair, commissioners. Yes. >> Okay. It was last year funding. So, this year's 75,000 would be projected for what would be on a June on a uh >> we we had access to it June 1st and so they're planning those projects now. And I if I remember correctly, um those go through I the city CIB process I believe. So >> Okay, wonderful. Thank you. >> Uh we're going to do Commissioner Nre, Commissioner Yang, and then we'll let you get through the second the couple slides on the revenue and then take any questions from those two. Commissioner Nger. >> Thanks, Madam Chair. Um Deputy Director, could you speak a bit to some of the um areas where it looks like there's going to be significant projected underspend? um looking at emergency rent assistance, familiar families pilot, which I thought we did something with, maybe I'm misremembering, uh the HA investment tracking system, sort of ones where we expect to spend zero, I'm particularly interested in, and something like RRA, which we worked really hard to open up more dollars and I thought was seriously overs subscribed. Wondering if you can speak to those. >> Thank you, uh, Commissioner Nre, Chair Johnson. Uh, love to speak to those and I'll I'll start with the zero spend. um those are transfers out to other departments um uh at least in the case of the familiar families um and the supportive housing. So the supportive housing we expect to update in uh in Q3 uh we have been deep in conversations over the last 3 to four weeks and and trying to solidify that. And so one of the approach approaches we've taken to this report is if we have it documented, right? If what the plan is, if we have it documented what we're doing, um if we receive that that communication, official communication, then we want to put it on this report. But otherwise, since we are not our staff are not involved in the actual execution of the budget spend, um we simply temper that. we don't know and we don't want to insert ourselves into their work, if you will. So, that's why we're reporting zeros specifically on the uh supportive housing and the familiar families. So, we work with the administration to get that information and when we get that information from them and and our other department partners or external partners, we will provide the update. But that's what that signals. It's not that the spending is not happening, it's that our staff are not deeply engaged in that spending. And just as a quick note before you keep going, I I appreciate that and I think it's really important for this to be meaningful for us to have that information somewhere. We should be able to look at this and be able to tell with an asterisk or something else. Just this is being spent. It's just being spent over here. Um even recognizing that your staff may not know that information, but to to call that from the staff who do. >> Yep. And the reason we call that out is because we don't have access in the system. So we we really are trying to emphasize in the iterative uh instances of our quarterly to actual reporting the the um intense need that we have to have be able to pull this information from the system. So this is kind of our effort to challenge right our systems and to continue to highlight what we don't have from our system. So, we appreciate your question and that's exactly what we want is those questions that we can go back and say, "Hey, we have to have this information and we can't pull it from the system and so we want to be accurate in our reporting." So, thank you. That's exactly what we're seeking here. Um, I would also say um there are two programs that there are an asterisk and those are asterisks because those programs um are no longer operating. Um again, that funding has carried it's an it's an automatic carry forward. it's carried forward, but we haven't been operating the programs for some years. So, I think in our budget presentation coming up uh in August, we will um uh ask for or um provide information that says, "Hey, we would like to officially close these programs so they're no longer showing on our budget." >> And just to come back to the emergency rent assistance. >> Yes, sure. >> Why are we predicting such an underspend there? >> Great question. Uh thank you chair uh Commissioner Nre Chair Johnson that under spending I just will remind the body that the program um did not open the funding for 2025 uh I think there was a million dollars in funding in 2025. Um that program did not open until December. And so what we spent earlier in the year was we began spending uh uh on the prior year it's 2025 allocation. So the full allocation of 1.8 uh is also showing here and then the million dollars from the prior year. And so because the program was just getting up and running. We haven't had the staff. We've reported that um uh over a few uh different opportunities in front of this body. they are catching up to be able to spend that amount. So that's what we're looking at. That's the why it's showing the lack of funding as they continue to staff up. >> So we don't expect to be able to spend all of that down this year. We expect to have 1.4 million. And what we will do, I think what we have what we have explored um with this body, what we're exploring um uh with the administration is um in our 2027 budget proposal, in our 2027 budget considerations, do we need to fund again at that same level while we have such uh significant amounts of prior year spending? So that has been part of our budget operations, part of the conversations that uh director Verma, director Harney and I have been having. Uh Director McMahon and I have been uh thinking about this since December of last year. How do we rightsize our budgets so that we were able to spend the full allocation uh within the 12-month period that we've been given? >> And are those conversations happening for downtown fatality fund as well? >> Absolutely. Absolutely. >> Yeah. Yeah, I think as we go through them, you know, too, and just some of the pieces, I think the staffing is also something that I would note for emergency rental assistance. It's hasn't been actually um more than a personal like I think a full-time person um in the last couple of months. So, I would note that there as well. Commissioner, did you still have a question? >> Thanks, Chair Johnson. I appreciate the budget to actual reports. I know that in the past few years, one of the concerns brought up was about healthy homes, power homes. We're really interested in getting those dollars out the door. So, it's great to see that um those dollars have almost been fully spent. I was wondering about the district the line item for district councils because it also looks like it's close to being completely exhausted. Have we changed our system in some way for district councils? I I thought at a at one point I heard from some of them that it's a reimbursement basis and so they would like to see that changed. Are we maybe giving the dollars up front now where we're being more flexible with it too? >> Uh I believe it's still a reimbursement basis. I couldn't speak directly to that but what we are doing is representing to you here. the contracts have been executed and in prior years we have really struggled because of the compliance requirements, the deep comp compliance requirements to even get the contracts executed. So, uh, I received a report within the last couple of weeks that all but four, I think, contracts, um, have been, uh, completed. And so, that, um, is significant. And again, that's the work of the reporting and and the the questions and the engagement that we have with programs that, um, we began those conversations early early in the year. Began planning uh, right away in December after the budget was approved last year. So, we were able to get those contracts in place. But, I'm really excited about that. I'm really um um that's a great accomplishment to to be able to have our contracts going. So, they're spending, right? They can't spend until the contract is in place. And that's this is basic math and timing. So, they're able to spend uh earlier. Um and then what you see here is uh based on uh our engagement with the district councils uh and what we understand, it's what they expect to spend throughout the rest of the year. Um so, that's what you're seeing is the projected actual. So they're saying yes, we will get through this amount. Um the more detailed reports that you received show you uh what what is planned in the third and fourth quarter and also in the first quarter of 2027 in closing out those contracts. So having that information um for our accounting staff helps us to ask more questions and helps us to have the conversations uh strategically on our leadership team. How can we help? What can we do? That's what you're seeing here. Just a quick followup. Can you explain a bit more about what all goes into those contracts? Is that pay for the executive director money for them to do their programming work? >> That's a great question and I know Mel Melody's preparing a report right now. >> Yeah, chair director. >> Commissioner Yang, you're actually going to be in early August receiving a presentation on district councils um that provides not just a background but also the funding. And in that presentation, we'll discuss in a little more detail about what a typical scope of work that the money um that this money funds for each district council. Thank you. >> So, but I'm happy to follow up before then as well. >> Thank you. >> I do want to make sure that we have a little bit of a minute. Um so, if you could just share the revenue and the special funds projected revenue piece of the presentation slides for us briefly here. >> Absolutely. So what I um what I really want to point out here is um the red reduction uh in revenues. And so again, this reporting um process, this reporting request is really helpful to us in in planning and reviewing um what's available to us. So uh again, we've had a a significant um reduction in uh support from general fund. Um and uh we everybody knows we've got a gap here. So uh that is what is represented in in that number. Um and some of the larger uh our ARPA funding has been significantly reduced and on the loan repayments we are working with um St. Paul Minnesota Foundation um and to uh restructure an existing loan with a uh with one of our external partners. And so that's where you're seeing um some reductions in revenue here. Um, and the good news is we we are able to make the adjustments in those programs. >> I'm gonna let her finish her slide here because just as a time check, we are at three. So, I'm happy to take an additional question afterwards, we will go over. Yep. >> Go ahead. >> Thank you, Chair Johnson. And lastly, um, on the projected revenues and expenses, what we want to show is for our special funds, um, our our planned expenditures, um, significantly outpace, uh, our current receipts. and we've been discussing that for years. Right. Our our special funds are diminishing and depleting balances. And so we just want to continue to put that in front of this body. We will continue to welcome any opportunity to talk a little bit more about those details and talk about what we can do to improve or increase receipts to the special funds or um adjust spending in those special funds so that we are no longer depleting them. But this is a this is nothing new. this this presentation, this information is not yet. >> Thank you. And so I will um take a quick thing from Commissioner Akre and then I'll close us out. >> Thanks, Madam Chair. Just on the point about revenue on the previous slide, um I noticed that parking meter and fine revenue was predicted to be the same as was budgeted. I just want to make sure the department is talking to the police department and the parking enforcement team. the stats that I'm getting from our uh commander of parking and traffic enforcement because of our investment in an additional parking enforcement officer last year in our budget is that they have now already in July um matched the number of parking tickets that they gave out all of last year in downtown alone. Um and we're halfway through the year. So I just I want to make sure that this is being informed by conversations with them because it seems like at least in some areas our investments are leading to additional revenue. >> That's great. Uh, thank you for that information, Chair Naker. I appreciate that. We will um definitely reach out to them. We don't typically um do budget amendments for increased revenues, but um uh we we just incorporate them into into our our process and then try to anticipate what that increase would look like, whether or not it's ongoing or if it's a one-time increase. Uh but uh Rhonda and I can continue to work on that and um get that information included >> and and not that an amendment would be necessary, but just in this document showing that projected would be higher if you think it will be. >> Yep, we'll do. Thank you. >> Yeah, I think that'll be really helpful. I feel like these last two slides are really imperative to the future of the HA special funds overall as well as the revenue that we are having and exploring. So that's really exciting about the parking enforcement officer investments actually coming to fruition. I know that was one of the questions and so those numbers I think will be really helpful to just have them accurately reflected um in the future and also just in general for the budget cycle and something to keep in mind when I talk about the special funds and I also talk about the importance of doing things like minimizing our transfers outside of the special funds. This is kind of where it's stemming from. Um just to make sure that we understand this slide, Deputy Director Green, the projected expenditures that we have um projected actuals right now of expenses are about 45 million correct in expenses. But the revenue that we're receiving is projected at around 37 million. And even if it was for what we actually budgeted every year, what we budget versus what we spend, even if you were to take the number and we received everything, my understanding we would still be over $12 million. Is that correct? in like what we would budget for expenses versus what we would most likely receive in the special funds. So in this case, we'd be still running a deficit of almost 12 million. >> Correct. >> So I just put that into perspective is that's what's budgeted every year. If we did this practice with the city budget, this is the quite the definition of what an imbalanced budget looks like. Is that correct? >> Correct. So we we are trying to be transparent and and open >> in our actual position in our actual plan position. Okay, thank you so much. I appreciate that. >> Thank you. >> Thank you for your time. I appreciate those pieces. It's We love accounting. We love the fact that you're here. I think hiring a CFO for the planning economic development team and they and uh was one of the smartest decisions made by um you know some of our leaders today especially and I hope that most departments thinks about that. So really appreciate the work that you guys do. I know that it's an entire team behind it. Director McMahon, thank you for your leadership too and ensuring that we were able to actionalize this. With that, we are adjourned. Appreciate it. >> Thank you. Hey, hey, hey.